Pandemic Impact: More Seniors Considering Assisted Living at Home

As America continues to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, it is well documented that seniors and individuals with chronic medical conditions have been disproportionately affected. Though they make up only 15% of the older adult population, individuals who live in assisted living and long-term care communities account for approximately 43% of the COVID deaths.

This is not to say that assisted living communities and long-term care facilities do not have value. 

These communities, when not embroiled in a pandemic, play a critical role in meeting the physical, social and emotional needs of seniors, 60% of whom were not getting the appropriate care and support they needed while living at home.

Most seniors with three or more chronic conditions find it difficult to get what they need either physically or cognitively.

In trying to remain “independent”, as performing daily self-care becomes more difficult, most seniors admit to skipping meals, wearing the same clothing, not reporting falls to loved ones, socializing less or failing to take medication as prescribed.

When asked, 90% of seniors and their families who responded to a 2019 study done by Johns Hopkins University, stated their strong desire to remain at home. 

Accomplishing this goal, however, is overwhelming and requires a significant amount of planning. Navigating the financial and medical implications of care at home, is often wrought with difficult decisions for families as they try to honor the wishes of their loved one, and still ensure the care which is needed is present in the home. Conversely failing to create a plan can seriously impact the options available to your loved one following a critical care event. 

As our nation recovers from the pandemic and braces for a possible second wave, ElderTree is poised to help seniors remain stable in their homes. 

Care management is proven to provide a solid coordination of care, with the appropriate oversight needed to ensure an optimal quality of life for loved ones aging in place. A care plan is established which takes into account current and projected medical, cognitive and physical needs. New technologies are introduced to increase the senior’s safety and engagement while living at home, thereby ensuring that they receive the care they need with a budget they can afford. By helping to create financial assumptions, working with estate and financial experts, ElderTree crafts a personalized plan which utilizes a combination of private pay, Medicare and County funding or long-term care insurance if available, to gain access to needed care. 

24/7 care management oversight is an imperative when looking at assisted living at home. 

Through this oversight, care management operates much like the executive director in an assisted living or long-term care community, coordinating all aspects of the senior’s safety, health and well-being while providing an ongoing dialog and collaboration with children, friends and guardians. 

While some seniors may still wish to eventually move to a senior-friendly communal environment, stability in the short or long-term, can be established while aging in place using this assisted living at home model.