Athens' Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Addresses Resident Needs

To combat worker shortages, the Presbyterian Homes and Services — a network of over 50 senior living communities — has been partnering with the International Personnel Resource of the Philippines to bring registered nurses from overseas to the states.

Santa Monica, California piloted an experiment that sends rental checks to seniors in the city. After seeing positive results, the program now plans to expand 10-fold.

In the northernmost nursing home in the U.S.,the Hunter Support Program has existed for more than two decades in an attempt to provide traditional foods to Kotzebue, Alaska's elders. While the program has faced roadblocks, the program's model of person-centered care has been hailed as a clear positive for the elders and the overall community. So much so that, in 2014, an amendment titled "Service of Traditional Foods in Public Facilities" was passed as a way to formally recognize the necessity of traditional food in the nursing home.

PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) organizations are tackling the growing crisis of elder homelessness by expanding beyond traditional medical services to secure housing. These Medicaid and Medicare-funded organizations are partnering with senior housing providers, leasing apartment wings, and even developing their own housing projects to ensure their 83,000+ participants nationwide have stable places to live.

A state-led program in Pennsylvania matches homeowners willing to rent out space in their house with renters who need affordable housing. The initiative is also focused on allowing seniors to stay in their homes and communities longer, so one of the parties is always over 60 years old.

Priya Living is an elder-living community focused on Indian culture. Priya Living has four locations throughout the state and is planning to expand in Michigan and Texas. Rent in the condo-style units ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 a month and currently serves over 530 people. This culture-focused community helps the aging population fight loneliness and find a sense of community with people they can relate to through activities and programming like yoga, movie screenings and down time to chat.

Telehealth visits are helping residents in rural nursing homes to access mental health care. In areas where mental health care is scarce, companies like Encounter Telehealth are connecting patients with providers, serving more than 200 nursing homes and assisted living centers. Mental health professionals working with Encounter Telehealth complete up to 2,000 virtual visits a month.

Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) provides care to elders including adult day care, home health care and supplies like bed rails, eyeglasses and access to medications, while simultaneously providing respite to family caregivers. Studies show PACE program participants have lower rates of hospital use and shorter lengths of stay compared to those participating in other programs or opting for general nursing home care. The PACE centers in Metro Detroit serve 1,600 adults across its seven centers. Statewide, there are 14 active PACE programs across 24 centers.

University-based retirement communities help to foster intergenerational connections between younger and older generations. Some of these facilities are simply developments near colleges, while others are physically on-campus. Along with building connections, these programs help fight feelings of loneliness among the older population and break down stigmas young people may hold about the elderly.

After witnessing burnout and substandard conditions in long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, personal support workers in Peterborough, Ontario established a co-op to provide home-based care directly to seniors. The worker-owned organization now has 17 caregivers who are able to spend more time learning about their patients' needs and are paid higher wages on average than in traditional care homes.