Center in the News
"In general, the cost of keeping someone at home, with a program like IHSS, is far less than if they were to end up in institutional care," said Kathryn G. Kietzman, director of the Health Equity Program at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Two Medi-Cal long-term care programs designed to keep seniors and disabled adults out of nursing homes are serving only a fraction of the eligible population, a UCLA Center for Health Policy
In general, the cost of keeping someone at home with a program like IHSS, is far less than if we end up in institutional care."
For the Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) program in 2020, just 15.8% of the estimated 243,400 eligible recipients were served by the program. For the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), just 9.7% of the estimate 106,700 eligible recipients were served by the program. Of individuals currently using CBAS services, the greatest percentage reside in Los Angeles, where 38% of eligible adults are using these services. This . . .
KK quoted “Supportive programs provided to older adults and adults with disabilities at home and in the community are essential to maintaining physical and mental health. As the state continues to implement its Master Plan for Aging, it is critical that gaps in access to long-term services and supports are addressed.”
KK quoted “Supportive programs provided to older adults and adults with disabilities at home and in the community are essential to maintaining physical and mental health. As the state continues to implement its Master Plan for Aging, it is critical that gaps in access to long-term services and supports are addressed.”
Our hope is that these findings will inform and prioritize the implementation of strategies to increase access to care," Kietzman said. "Ideally, program planners and providers will find ways to improve communication about available programs, ease pathways to program information and enrollment, and streamline eligibility requirements."
“The level of unmet need is pretty staggering,” Kathryn G. Kietzman, the lead study author, said in an interview. “There’s a big void in what is available to folks.”
“Older adults and adults with disabilities are often stretched thin financially,” said Kathryn Kietzman, director of the center’s Health Equity Program and co-author of the research. “They’ve cut back on spending and even borrowed money but are still struggling to afford housing and food. For many, paying for any amount of caregiving help is out of reach.”