The Idaho Home Choice Program helps older adults who want to live in their homes to have the support of a Transitional Care Manager.
It is predicted that by 2030, the U.S. population will be comprised of nearly 72 million people over the age of 65. This trend in aging, referred to as the “graying of the population,” will place additional pressure on the Medicare and Medicaid programs (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2012). Acting with foresight, many states are moving toward initiatives that assist older adults with aging in place.
Many older adults want to stay put and relax in the comfort and familiarity of their own home. Many things can be done to assist the elderly with this process. In Idaho, the Department of Health and Welfare has initiated a program to mitigate the rising costs of healthcare for the elderly by assisting them to stay in their homes.
Beginning in 2011, the Idaho Home Choice Medicaid program began administering and matching federal grant monies to aid individuals who desire to move from a facility to living in the community in a home or apartment. The cost savings to the Medicaid program is significant (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare). More importantly, older adults who desire to live in the community have the support of a Transitional Care Manager to oversee this process and assure they receive quality care in keeping with the goals of older adults.
Prior to this program, many adults lacked support from family or the community to assist with transitioning home from a facility. Policymakers have responded and presented a viable solution. The solution is economically sound. More importantly, it allows older adults to enjoy a sense of autonomy and live in a less-restrictive setting.
Tom Packer is an Elder Law Attorney serving all of Southeast Idaho. As part of his law practice, Tom offers Life Care Planning to deal with the challenges created by long-term illness, disability and incapacity. If you have a question about a senior’s legal, financial or healthcare needs, please call us.