Delawareans Want to Age in Place

Champions for Creation of Long Term Care Task Force

By: State: Delaware

Americans want choice and control over everyday decisions, such as when they get up, who helps them to bathe, what foods they eat, or with whom they converse. Yet, the Medicaid program—our nation's single largest source of funding for long-term services and supports—does not provide the range of choices people want. (AARP Public Policy Institute)

Locally, Delaware is home to a large and growing population of baby boomers and retirees. Many of these aging and disabled individuals—especially in Sussex County—will most likely need some type of long-term care in their daily lives. The overwhelming majority Delawareans age 50+ want to receive long-term care (LTC) in their own homes.

Recent Medicaid trends indicate that Delaware still has an unbalanced LTC system for older Americans and adults with physical disabilities. Nationally, most states reserve about 75 percent of their Medicaid long-term care spending for older people and adults with disabilities to nursing homes. Despite this national trend, Delaware still allocates 91 percent of its Medicaid long-term care spending to nursing homes, even though most would prefer to remain in their homes and communities. Delaware lags behind when it comes to aging in one's home.

The State has made some great strides to address the long-term care dilemma. In 2002, the Governor's Commission on Community-Based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities was created. Then, in 2007, the state was awarded a Money Follows the Person grant to facilitate the transition of 100 persons from nursing homes into the community. However, it's clear many issues must continue to be examined.

AARP in Delaware demonstrated its strong commitment to improving LTC by working with legislators to create a Long-term Care Housing Task Force. The Task Force, on which AARP will serve, will explore the service and housing needs of Delaware's projected aging population.

AARP championed for language to be included in the 2009 State Budget to create the Task Force, which also will provide recommendations to the State for increasing consumer options. Giving Delawareans the ability to choose and support aging in place services will also be a major initiative. To reach these goals, the task force will analyze long-term care needs in Delaware and explore a range of programs, services and innovations from other states.

AARP will play a very active role as a member of this task force along with the United Way, the American Hospital Assn., Delaware's House of Representatives' Health and Human Development Committee and many others. The Task Force will report its findings to the General Assembly in spring 2009.

By having leaders in the First State convene to examine this very important issue, Delawareans can begin to rest easy knowing that aging with dignity and independence is very possible.