What accounts for reducing healthcare costs, faster recovery of seriously ill clients and improved physical and cognitive heatlh? You will never guess – bringing services to where these clients live.
The private assisted living industry is now fully engaged in servicing elderly clients in their homes. Most major assisted living chains are now caring for clients by dispatching caregivers to their homes at a cost of $240/day. Most have seen a growth of 20% in this line of service. The impetus to engage in this line of service may have come as a result of the stagnation that private facilities have been experiencing for the last five years; or, perhaps it may have been the result of several studies revealing that 89% of elders wish to remain at home as long as possible. Hospitals are finding out that seriously ill elders do better when medical services are provided in their homes.
John Hopkins University School of Medicine began the home-hospital movement back in 1996 as a pilot program. Research has proven that elders with potentially deadly diseases like congestive heart failure and cellulites can be safely treated at home with astonishing results. Not only was the care as safe and as satisfactory as hospital care, but recovery was faster and the cost much lower, 60% less.
There is no doubt that the trend in the future will be to provide as many services as possible to elders in their homes. A great idea!