A pair of United States Senators introduced a bill to increase access to senior home care for more Americans than ever before. The bill aims to keep elderly Americans out of more expensive settings like nursing homes by giving them better access to in-home care.
The bill, introduced by both a Democrat and a Republican, is largely concerned with the federal government’s role in paying for long-term, institutionalized care. The proponents of the bill note that care in nursing homes often costs senior citizens a great deal of money, placing an undue financial burden on both the state and the senior citizens.
Furthermore, the proponents cite the desire of most seniors to stay in their own homes as long as possible – and the fact that there is not currently legislation in place to help them do so. The need for non-medical home care is great among seniors who do not want to sell their homes or move into a managed facility.
This legislation is meant to be a bridge to coverage for those who need care, but who cannot remain in their homes. It establishes a new program to help increase the prevalence of home-based services, especially for lower-income citizens who need a bit of help with certain activities of daily living – in short, those individuals who would usually meet the criteria for being taken into a nursing home.
The initiative, if passed, will roll out in around five states – notably, places where there is already infrastructure for dealing with the elderly. Services will take the needs of the individual into account, providing various sorts of assistance for activities of daily living including dressing, housekeeping, and transportation. There will even be services dedicated to providing caregivers with respite care.
The projects attached to the bill are meant not to serve as a final step, but rather to generate the necessary evidence to bring the changes into wider use. Indeed, it is a goal of the program to find ways to save money for both state governments and the federal government.
If you or a loved one is in need of quality senior care services from a fully screened non-medical home caregiver, contact your local Always Best Care franchise today for a free care consultation.
