06/18/10 – Improving Access to Health for Seniors
by Ginger HarrellProgram Officer, The Colorado Trust
Case management can take many forms, but – in general – it's a method by which health professionals can plan care for their patients, based on each patient's particular needs. An outreach program in La Plata County models how case management can help seniors in rural parts of the state.
In the communities of Bayfield, Durango and Ignacio, seniors face a shortage of primary care physicians who serve Medicare patients. Low-income seniors in these communities also require other supports in addition to medical care to help improve their quality of life.
Supported in part through The Colorado Trust's Healthy Aging initiative, the La Plata County Department of Human Services employs public health nurses to provide case management services for seniors. Specifically, the nurses evaluate the health status of seniors right in their homes – from mental health, nutrition and medication assessments, to reviewing their eligibility for financial assistance and public benefits. The nurses also connect patients with a range of support services, including meal delivery, transportation, housing assistance, home chore help and caregiver support. Additionally, the nurses provide monthly health screenings at each of the county's three senior centers.
La Plata County's case management model successfully fills a critical gap among the elderly in hard-to-reach locations: since 2007, more than 1,300 seniors have received health screenings through home visits, and some 5,400 have received information and referrals to support programs at senior centers, health fairs, nutrition sites and flu clinics.
The Senior Outreach Nurse Program is beginning to attract national attention: the American Public Health Association has invited the La Plata County Department of Human Services to present its innovative model at the 138th Annual Meeting & Exposition in November 2010.
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