Nursing Home Diversion Program Helps Caregivers Keep on Caring

Doug Ricker, ADS Planner

Kristine Broome, Caregiver Services Coordinator for Aging & Disability Services.

Caregiver Services Coordinator Jim Valaile

Caregiver Services Coordinator Carole Bourree has been with the Respite Program since its beginning as a pilot program in 1989. __________________

Family caregivers are deeply committed to caring for their loved ones in their own homes, keeping them out of nursing homes as long as possible. However, without proper support, these unpaid caregivers are at risk of developing their own health problems and eventually placing their loved ones in a long-term care facility.  

A new pilot program—Nursing Home Diversion—provides caregivers with the support they need in an effort to delay nursing home placement for older adults. Caregivers enrolled in Nursing Home Diversion have access to a variety of services and flexible funds to enable them to continue providing care. 

Caregiver Services Coordinator Kristine Broome describes how Nursing Home Diversion helped improve the quality of life for both the caregiver and care recipient, while keeping long-term care costs low: 

A wife had been caring for her husband who has multiple health problems, including dementia. The challenge of bathing him eventually became too much for her to handle, and she needed a break from being "on duty" all day, every day. Using flexible funds from the Nursing Home Diversion program, she purchased a transfer bench which made the bath routine manageable. She now receives five hours a week of in-home respite care so she can take a break from caregiving and attend to her own medical needs. 

Pictured on the welcome page of this issue, Toni Crutchfield and Sally Friedman, long time caregiver advocates for Senior Services, have witnessed many programs coming and going over the years. They both appreciate the flexibility Nursing Home Diversion provides, including higher income and asset eligibility guidelines than other publicly funded programs.

According to Sally, a little bit of money spent to help a caregiver saves a lot of money that would have been spent on a nursing home. "It's a heart savings and a cost savings," says Sally. "The care recipient gets to stay in their own home, and the caregiver is able to keep providing care and not have to go on Medicaid. Everybody wins."

The flexible nature of the program allows caregiver advocates to be creative when trying to meet the needs of caregivers. Every situation is unique, and caregivers have very different needs and desires. Toni describes how the program helped a Nursing Home Diversion client:

He had lost his business because of his own health issues, including a recent back surgery, and the demands of caring for his seriously ill mother. He was stressed—mentally and financially—and depressed. He couldn't think of anything he enjoyed doing. When I suggested he try swimming as a way to get some exercise, his face lit up! He loved swimming but hadn't thought about trying to go since he started caring for his mother. We used the flexible funds from the program to purchase a swim pass for him at a nearby pool. He is getting exercise and enjoying doing something he loves. The program also pays for someone to come in and watch his mother while he swims, so he doesn't feel guilty that she isn't receiving good care.

In Toni's experience, most people wait to call until they are in a crisis situation. She encourages people to pick up the phone "early and often." She says there are many early interventions that can have a long term impact on a caregiver's ability to keep their loved one in their own home. 

"Just talking to us makes people feel like they've gotten help," says Toni. "Knowing there is someone who understands what you are going through and who wants to help can be a big relief.”

People deep into the caregiver role often can't think beyond the moment. They become isolated from the outside world and have difficulty thinking about their own needs, let alone what activities they used to enjoy doing. All eligible participants for Nursing Home Diversion receive a free consultation and assessment to help identify their needs and their own perceptions about their role as caregivers.

Carole Bourree, a caregiver advocate with Aging & Disability services, says the assessment tool they use, T-Care (which stands for "tailored care"), helps caregivers identify the factors contributing to their stress. Once they have identified the source, says Carole, "we can help them develop goals to reduce stress and strategies to achieve them."

The Nursing Home Diversion program is funded in King County through March of 2010. Those who have witnessed the benefits of the program hope that it continues. As one program participant said, "It is so wonderful to know that this support is available. This program is helping me keep my husband safe in our home."

Click here to see a brochure about the Nursing Home Diversion Program. If you think you might be eligible, or are simply interested in learning more about the Nursing Home Diversion program, call Senior Information & Assistance at (206) 448-3110. Caregiver advocates are available to offer further screening and assessment of client and caregiver needs.