Governor Doyle Highlights Initiative to Help Seniors Move Out of Nursing Homes

Governor Doyle Highlights Initiative to Help Seniors Move Out of Nursing Homes

Meets with Area Resident Who Moved Into Own Apartment

WAUSAU - Governor Jim Doyle met today with Lorraine Gaines as he highlighted his efforts to reduce the nursing home population by 25% over the next five years. With the help of the Governor's Community Relocation Initiative, Lorraine recently moved out of a nursing home and into her own apartment.

"We are committed to giving people a choice about where they live while making sure they get appropriate care," Governor Doyle said. "No one should be forced into a nursing home simply because they can't afford long term care. Seniors and people with disabilities are often forced to exhaust their life savings before they get any Medical Assistance money. We owe our seniors and people with disabilities citizens the best care and our best effort to ensure their years are spent with dignity and in good health."

Lorraine is 77 years old and lived in nursing home for more than a year after developing a back injury while caring for an ailing spouse. In May 2006, Lorraine moved out of the nursing home and into Riverview Towers East apartments.

In the Governor's State of the State address, he set a goal to reduce the use of nursing homes by 25% over the next five years. The state has launched a comprehensive effort to achieve this ambitious goal, including the Community Relocation Initiative and expanding the Family Care program statewide.

Governor Doyle proposed the Community Relocation Initiative in his 2005-2007 budget. The initiative gives elders and people with physical disabilities a choice as to where they will receive their long term care. People have the services they need brought to them, whether they live with family, in assisted living or in their own home.

Community Relocation Initiative
Through the Community Relocation Initiative, Wisconsin is on target to move 1,440 people out of nursing homes and into community based settings during the next two years. Currently, 656 people have moved out of nursing homes and back into the community. The state expects to save $9 million in the Medicaid budget during the two year period because home and community care is less expensive than nursing home care, on average.

People may be eligible to move out of a nursing home into a community based setting if:

* Medicaid pays for their nursing home care
* They are 65 years or older or have a physical disability
* They have an ongoing need for long-term care services
* The person has resided in a nursing home for 100 days or more, or is expected to do so

People interested in relocating from a nursing home should inform their nursing home social worker or contact their local county human services department and ask for a relocation assessment.

Expanding Family Care Statewide
In addition, Family Care is a successful pilot program in Fond du Lac, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Portage and Richland counties which allows seniors and people with disabilities the choice to receive long-term care services in their own homes and communities. Family Care provides an entitlement to long-term care, using Medicaid dollars flexibly and not just earmarking dollars for nursing home care.

An independent assessment found that Family Care saved an average of $452 per person, per month in total Medical Assistance expenditures in the four non-Milwaukee counties during 2003 and 2004. Family Care also saved money in Milwaukee County.

Governor Doyle has been awarding $1.4 million in grants to counties around the state to expand Family Care statewide within the next five years. The grants will help develop partnerships between multiple counties and private partners to lay the groundwork to implement Family Care programs and eliminate waiting lists for community-based long term care.

Governor Doyle's plan to expand the Family Care program statewide will eliminate waiting lists for community-based long term care programs over the next five years. While Wisconsin has been a national leader in offering community-based alternatives to nursing home care, about 11,500 people are on waitlists for community care statewide.

http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=2279