It’s hard to find good news when every day there are more reports of high unemployment rates, skyrocketing state budget deficits and general economic gloom. But there are positive steps that Connecticut businesses can take today to begin to tackle one of the state’s top financial challenges: rising health care costs, driven by an aging population, shrinking workforce and a long-standing bias toward institutional vs. community-based care.
The cost of nursing home care in Connecticut is about $10,000 a month. Home and community-based services nationwide are about 50 percent of institutional care on average (BlumShapiro report to CT Regional Institute for the 21st Century, 3/8/2010). Some states have reduced health care costs by shifting Medicaid spending from nursing homes to home and community-based services, according to the University of Connecticut Health Center’s report Connecticut Long-Term Care Needs Assessment. The Connecticut Commission on Aging has proposed that by “changing the focus and funding priorities to home and community-based supports, Connecticut would spend $600-900 million less every year.”
In 2008, the DSS reported that the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders reduced costs by more than $100 million by providing home and community-based services to low-income individuals at risk of nursing home placement. The state can attain even greater savings by shifting more individuals to home and community-based care.
Most state residents would prefer to stay in the community as they age — nearly 80 percent according to the University of Connecticut study. Their preferences are for independence, choice and control regarding long-term care. Coordinating home care can be a daunting task for both individuals and families, with a bewildering number of options to consider and decisions to make. How much help is needed? Who can provide it? How much does it cost? How do we pay for it? Where do you go for answers? Most residents would prefer to work with a professional organization to manage their community-based services.
Connecticut employers can move the needle in the right direction by connecting employees with information about existing home and community-based resources like the Home Care Program. By doing so, they strengthen both the state’s finances and hopes for economic recovery and their own. Working caregivers have multiple stressors as they attempt to balance demanding jobs, raise children, plan for their own futures and try to navigate the health care system on behalf of elderly family members or those with functional needs. The MetLife Caregiving Cost Study: Productivity Cost to U.S. Business (2006) estimates that the cost could be as high as $33 billion per year, the result of absenteeism, workplace disruptions and reduced work status of working family caregivers.
When corporations recognize the need to support working caregivers, workers are more productive, less stressed, healthier and are able to remain fully employed. Employers have implemented caregiver support programs through existing work/life, wellness and diversity initiatives, employee assistance programs, eldercare support groups, and on-site health clinics. Some of the benefits offered include flex-time, telecommuting, job-sharing, dependent care accounts, caregiver fairs, lunchtime seminars, backup support, care management, and resource and referral programs to connect employees with local agencies. These benefits give employees flexibility to cope with caregiving issues and information to address them effectively.
Pitney Bowes has taken a leadership role in supporting working caregivers and addressing end-of-life issues through the efforts of medical director Brent Pawlecki and the on-site health clinic staff. National Public Radio featured Pitney Bowes’ Eldercare Support Group on a recent program, highlighting the growing need for information and education regarding eldercare options.
Aetna was recently named one of The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity. Aetna’s Caregivers Employee Resource Group has helped to reduce feelings of isolation among members, one of whom commented, “I think one of the biggest values to our group is in connecting people who otherwise feel very alone.”
However, most workers in Connecticut are employed by small and mid-sized companies. How can they get help?
The most cost-effective way small and mid-sized businesses can help workers is by connecting them with organizations that are focused on aging, disability and long-term health care needs. The agency serving the Greater Hartford Area is Community Choices, the North Central Aging and Disability Resource Center, a partnership between Connecticut Community Care, Inc., Independence Unlimited, Inc. and the North Central Area Agency on Aging. This partnership offers a single point of entry to access information and resources for any adult with long term care needs. For more information, call 860-724-6443.
A strong partnership between the community, the public and private sectors and the aging and disabilities networks will facilitate access to information and resources. Knowledge is power, and a collaborative approach is the most effective way to empower individuals and families, control long-term health care costs and create an economically strong and vibrant state.
Jane Weber Brubaker is marketing manager at Connecticut Community Care, Inc. (CCCI) in Bristol.
