Quietly this year, amid the conflict over tax reform and budget
shortfalls, the state Legislature approved a series of changes that could
transform eldercare at home.
"These little bills ... could have a big impact down the road," said
Paul Williams, head of the Florida Assisted Living Affiliation.
The goal is to discourage nursing home growth and enable more people to
get help at home or in assisted living.
"We're trying to lower nursing home placements,'' said Rep. Sandra
Murman, R-Tampa, who leads the council of health and human services
committees in the House.
One proposal would test a managed care idea. It would combine all money
available for long-term care in a particular area and let an organization,
to be chosen later, provide frail elders with the services they need,
whether they live at home, in an assisted living facility or in a nursing home.
Another new program is called consumer-directed care. It provides
money directly to people who need services or to their relatives.
Now, older people who receive state help must go through a state-approved
organization, which determines what they need and makes the care
arrangements.
To qualify, older participants would have to be frail and poor enough to
qualify for Medicaid nursing home care. But once approved, they could use
the money to buy what they need, even the help of a neighbor.
State workers would determine how much money clients should get. They
also would monitor spending and offer bookkeeping help.
Bentley Lipscomb, head of the Florida AARP is optimistic about another
change, the creation of an Office on Long-Term Care as part of the state
Department of Elder Affairs. Long-term care roles are spread among three state agencies. The new
office would bring together state agency leaders and others to coordinate
activities.
"We have to address the hodgepodge way long-term care has been dealt
with in Florida,'' said Williams, of the Assisted Living Affiliation.
State officials are still in the process of setting up the new programs.
They're not likely to be up an running until later in the year. For
information about current state services, call the Elder Helpline,
1-800-963-5337, or go to the Department of Elder Affairs website, http://elderaffairs.state.fl.us
Note: (no www)
For information about other state agencies and programs, go to
www.myflorida.com
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