CALA News & Views | Issue 49 | Top 5

As more adults enter retirement age, it is becoming increasingly clear that more options for care and services are needed to meet the needs of this growing aging population. Providers are looking at options for addressing and expanding access to older adults in various economic situations. This article looks at five public options that provide some assistance to help meet the needs of older adults. 1 being, allowing residents to age in place while receiving essential services.

PACE covers all the care and services that both Medicare and Medi-Cal provide. This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, transportation, home care and much more. PACE cannot pay for rent or room and board but can pay for housing tenancy supports such as home modifications, pest eradication, and other items that help maintain safe and stable housing. PACE participants work closely with a dedicated healthcare team. This team collaborates on health goals, ensuring seamless coordination of medical, social and behavioral services. For an Assisted Living community, this team would maintain close collaboration with community staff to address identified issues that could impact the well-being of the resident. Many PACE services are provided at the PACE center which encompasses an adult day health center and a clinic. These centers provide a safe and engaging environment where participants can socialize, receive medical care and participate in activities. Assisted Living residents can attend these centers during the day, enhancing their quality of life. Assisted Living residents can access in-home services. These services allow residents to maintain their independence while receiving necessary support. To enroll in PACE, the individual must be at least 55 years old, live within the service area of a PACE program, require a nursing home-level of care (as certified by the state), and be able to live safely in the community with PACE support. Residents can work with local PACE programs to get started. They can find nearby PACE plans by visiting the CalPACE website.

Options for Veterans CalVet Veterans Homes operate throughout California with seven homes providing Assisted Living services, and four of the seven homes also providing Memory Care services. The homes vary in the number of residents they serve and the size of the campus, but all CalVet homes serve California’s veterans and their eligible spouses and domestic partners. Veterans pay a specified percentage of their income as member fees to live in a CalVet home, and a lack of income will not make a veteran ineligible for admission. Another program for veterans through the federal Veterans Affairs department is Aid & Attendance (A&A). Veterans that receive A&A are required to pay the entire amount to CalVet as part of their member fees. All residents retain a set minimum amount regardless of their fees, like how residents on SSI/SSP retain a personal and incidental needs allowance. The A&A is a federal monthly benefit that qualified veterans and their surviving spouses can receive to help with the cost of care when they require assistance with certain activities of daily living (ADLs). Through the A&A, an increased monthly pension amount to pay for the cost of care for ADLs can be used to pay for Assisted Living in any community and not just a CalVet home. For more information on A&A, please visit CALA’s Toolkits & Brochures webpage under Member Resources to download the brochure.

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CALA NEWS & VIEWS I ISSUE 49 | MARCH 2024

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) This section contributed by Karli Holkko, California PACE Association The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a comprehensive healthcare program designed to support medically complex, individuals aged 55 and older who wish to continue living in their homes and communities rather than moving to nursing homes or other institutions. For individuals residing in an Assisted Living community, PACE bridges any gaps to fully support residents’, physical, emotional and social well

Medi-Cal Programs The Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) began as a pilot program in three counties. It is currently available in 15 counties and helps transition older adults out of nursing facilities or keeps them from having to go into a nursing facility when they can be safely cared for in an Assisted Living community. Residents pay for their room and board with their Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Non Medical Out of Home Care (NMOHC) Payment and the state Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) pays the Assisted

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www.CAassistedliving.org