California looks to Santa Monica as it ramps up rent subsidies for seniors

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.

Senior citizens can often face many barriers when trying to set up end of life care, and this is exacerbated for minorities due to language and cultural barriers. On Lok Senior Health Services, however, is a program now offered across the United States that helps seniors "age in place, and live independent, active lives," while still planning for the end of life.

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.

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.

The Money Follows the Person is a federal program that increases access to Medicaid funds for home and community care services for people transitioning out of institutional care. The program has helped more than 101,000 people move out of long-term care facilities into community or home living. The program has also helped people save money by cutting taxpayers’ Medicaid and Medicare bills by about 23% for each person who was moved out of a nursing home or other institution. Based on the program’s success, the current administration is reviewing plans to extend or make Money Follows the

The Central Arizona Shelter Services, with help from the City of Phoenix and federal CARES Act COVID relief money, contracted a local hotel to turn 100 rooms into a shelter for the growing number of seniors experiencing homelessness. Known as Project Haven, the rooms help people remain socially distanced and restore people’s dignity. The success of the model brought in other partners, such as behavioral health services and on-site caseworkers to assist with job searches, family reunification, or rental assistance. In the first year, 70% of the 217 seniors it served found positive housing outcomes.

Michigan is struggling to retain direct care workers due to poor pay, lack of benefits, and challenging work environments and responsibilities. In Oregon, however, an organizing campaign that allowed voters to have a say in approving a new state agency, "which would train direct care workers, and negotiate contracts with their union," has helped direct care workers in the state obtain raises and benefits. Michigan is now hoping to follow their model.