Different states across the country, including some cities in Michigan, are trying out a new program to improve the quality of life of elders in need, and to cut care costs at the same time. It’s called Community Aging in Place – Advancing Better Living for Elders, or CAPABLE.
CAPABLE uses in-home research performed by both registered nurses and occupational therapists. The researchers visit each person in their home and through observation and conversation, collect data that allows the program to provide the exact services needed. Each participant is provided with a budget of $1,300 to pay for household modifications such as handrails and repairs, and for other necessities like heating pads or grooming supplies. By adjusting the focus of care to more specialized needs, superfluous spending is reduced. According to NextAvenue, the program has already saved Medicaid an average of $10,000 a year on each participant.
CAPABLE thrives in its attention to detail, which it achieves by interacting directly with individuals. By taking the time to visit participants in their homes, the nurses and therapists can gain an immediate understanding of each participant’s situation and what they need or don’t need. In the NextAvenue article, one nurse explained how the process of meeting with a participant includes going through an assessment tool together and choosing three goals to achieve. “One of [our participants’] goals was to get to her front door. She had a big step down and she didn’t want to leave the door unlocked if she was expecting someone. We were able to tweak how she was using her walker, and we put some railings up for her to get to the door.”
So far, Medicaid funding has been supplied to run a pilot program of CAPABLE in Flint, Saginaw, and Detroit. Trinity Health Systems is also preparing to fund the program in Muskegon.
Check out our Elder Care Whiteboard Videos for more information on elder care and estate planning such as how to pay for long-term care costs. For Estate Planning, Special Needs Planning, Elder Law, Veterans Benefits, Real Estate, and Business Planning needs contact Glenn R. Matecun by calling (517) 548-7400 in Livingston County and (586) 751-0779 in Macomb County.