Save Adult Day Health in Washington State
-
Author:
n/a -
Send To:
Washington State Legislators
-
Sponsored By:
-
More Info at:
Adult Day Health is a program that provides socialization, supervision, therapy, activities, nutrition, medical and physical care to anyone over the age of 18 who have cognitive, physical and developmental limitations. Governor Christine Gregoire proposed budget eliminates Medicaid funding for adult day health, which would take away vital health care and rehabilitative services to those elderly who are among the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities. Adult Day Health also gives caregivers a chance to run errands and have some time to themselves while their loved one is well taken care of at one of the Adult Day Health centers.
Facts:
Adult Day Health provides intensive nursing and rehabilitative services at an average cost of $5,304 per client/year compared to an alternative of nursing home placement at a cost of $70,300 per client/year.
DSHS has certified every client as "nursing home eligible" already because they need that level of care from either an adult day or a nursing home-but they have chosen to live independently in the community and not in an institution.
The "typical" client who will be cut is a 76 year old low-income who performs at the lowest end of functional ability of self-care, mobility and independent living skills (feeding, dressing, toileting, mobility), who uses a walker or wheelchair, is at high risk of costly falls and further loss of ability, and who has over 6 serious medical diagnoses.
Cutting adult day health will, by some estimates, double the elderly clients use of emergency departments, increase the number of hospitalizations, extend the length of hospital stays and increase the frequency of outpatient doctor visits.
In Oregon, a major adult day health program closed. A year later, 50\% of its former participants had moved to a higher level of care (such as a nursing home), and 25\% of it's former participants had died.
Please save Adult Day Health in Washington State.
Facts:
Adult Day Health provides intensive nursing and rehabilitative services at an average cost of $5,304 per client/year compared to an alternative of nursing home placement at a cost of $70,300 per client/year.
DSHS has certified every client as "nursing home eligible" already because they need that level of care from either an adult day or a nursing home-but they have chosen to live independently in the community and not in an institution.
The "typical" client who will be cut is a 76 year old low-income who performs at the lowest end of functional ability of self-care, mobility and independent living skills (feeding, dressing, toileting, mobility), who uses a walker or wheelchair, is at high risk of costly falls and further loss of ability, and who has over 6 serious medical diagnoses.
Cutting adult day health will, by some estimates, double the elderly clients use of emergency departments, increase the number of hospitalizations, extend the length of hospital stays and increase the frequency of outpatient doctor visits.
In Oregon, a major adult day health program closed. A year later, 50\% of its former participants had moved to a higher level of care (such as a nursing home), and 25\% of it's former participants had died.
Please save Adult Day Health in Washington State.
117 Signatures
-
Vanessa Bennett
-
Jeannie Pasamonte
-
Jim Lippold
- Comments
- As the Executive Director of the Providence Adult Day Health program I see the tremendous benefits to low income clients of attending the program. It is a vital lifeline for them and those who care for them.
-
Linda Fairhurst
- Comments
- Save this vital program
-
Michelle Howard
-
Robert Howard
- Comments
- Please help save this Important Program
-
Marlene Martin
-
Janice L. Matthews
- Comments
- This program save the state thousands of dollars to keep clients out of nursing homes.
-
Jean McMackin
-
Carolyn White
- Comments
- Its a valuable program. It needs to remain in the budget.
-
Marc Pullins
-
Patricia A Sampson
- Comments
- we need this service
-
Larry Martin
- Comments
- This is a curtial progam for our elder and disabled and needs to stay in the budget.
-
David O'Shea
-
Margaret LaValley
-
Megan McCoy
-
Robert
- Comments
- This service is preserving lives!
-
Dave Sellinger
-
Margaret LaValley
-
Colleen Johns
-
yuki Nelson
-
Sergey Feldman
-
Cindy Irwin
-
Katherine Klauser
- Comments
- ADH saves lives and money
-
Dan Kim
-
Cynthia Donia
- Comments
- Saving ADH can also save money for the govt./state - less hospitalization/E.R visits and SNF placement.
-
james kinskey
- Comments
- frail elders is not the place to cut
-
Jen Claypool
- Comments
- Adult day health is vital in our state and NEEDS to stay in our state budget.
-
Nora Gibson
- Comments
- money will not be saved through this cut.
-
Dave Budd
-
Chris Rock
-
Amanda R Knutson
- Comments
- Please save adult day health!
-
JanRose Ottaway
- Comments
- This is an essential program. We must save it.
-
Victoria Bozzacco
- Comments
- ADH is an important program and needs to be funded.
-
Chris Goodboy
- Comments
- Its absolutely a necessity that we keep ADH!
-
Lisa A. Bergstrom
- Comments
- Eliminating Adult Day Health would result in costlier services for thousands of vulnerable adults in Washington: emergency room visits, nursing home placement, visiting nurse services to name a few. Adult Day Health is a community based, cost efficient way to keep famlilies together and provide adults with an alternative to institutionalized care. Thank you for your time.
-
Patti Dahlman
-
Tribhoovan Singh
-
Randy Hall
-
Teresa Quinlan
-
linda shaughnessy
-
Regina Fountain
- Comments
- Eliminating Adult Day Health will be detrimental to the lives of the most fragile in our society the frail elderly and people with disabilities. In addition, eliminating this service will cost the State of Washington more money in the long run in health costs and nursing home placements.
-
Erika Wirtz
-
Kelly Nissell
-
Glenn P Gerring
- Comments
- Adult Day Care is an important part of a compasionate society. Nations /States can be judged on how they treat the weakest and most vunerable people . Please, if the budget must be balanced then balance it on the segment of society that can most afford it not the weakest. Do not cut funding to Adult day care.
-
Becca Taylor (Mary Rebecca)
- Comments
- As a nurse working adult day health, I can testify to the benefits of our services. We provide direct services such as administering medications, filling medisets, monitoring vital signs, vital signs monitoring, colostomy care, diabetic foot care, wound care, blood glucose checks and insulin managment. We also provide case managment, which helps to ensure that our clients are using health care services appropriately. Familys and even adult family home providers often do not have the medical knowledge needed to manage complicated chronic illnessess such as diabetes and conjestive heart failure. By supporting caregivers in following their doctor's treatment recommendations we help to maintain client's health status and avoid costly emergeny room visits and inpatient stays. Caring for a family member at home is an overwhelming task, by supporting these dedicated caregivers we are promoting heatlhy aging and family cohesiveness as well as generating a great savings to the greater society.
-
Susan Strachila
- Comments
- Please reinstate all ADH funding
-
Bert Palmer
-
Stephanie
-
Lenora Patnode
-
117
Signatures! - View Signatures
- Sign Petition