Within the final 12 months, home- and community-based service choices both stayed comparatively flat or dipped amongst a lot of the largest nonprofit senior residing suppliers.
Whereas senior residing suppliers stay usually dedicated to those providers, they’ve been robust to handle attributable to varied elements, specifically staffing woes.
That and different takeaways are in line with the LZ 200, an annual report performed by LeadingAge and Ziegler Healthcare Funding Banking that examines the nation’s 200 largest nonprofit senior residing multi-sites, government-subsidized housing multi-sites and single campuses.
Of these senior residing suppliers, 42% provided some form of home- and community-based care. That might embody house well being care, house care, grownup day care, persevering with care at house (CCaH) packages and Applications for All-Inclusive Take care of the Aged (PACE).
“The general dedication to HCBS has usually been secure in recent times – even with COVID’s influence,” Lisa McCracken, the director of senior residing analysis at Zeigler, instructed House Well being Care Information in an e-mail. “Nevertheless, we all know that the staffing pressures have completely impacted the flexibility to develop these platforms.”
Staffing pressures have compelled well being care suppliers throughout the board to rethink launching new service strains, or investing in current ones, however “the numbers present a comparatively regular dedication inside the LZ 200 to house care and residential well being,” Katy Barnett, the director of house care and hospice operation and coverage at LeadingAge, additionally instructed HHCN in an e-mail.
The Washington, DC-based LeadingAge is an advocacy group comprised of nonprofit organizations that serve the growing old inhabitants. In the meantime, the Chicago-based Ziegler is a privately held funding financial institution specializing in house well being care and senior residing, amongst different areas.
The most important suppliers on this 12 months’s LZ 200 included Trinity Well being Senior Communities, Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, St. Paul Senior Providers, Holland House, Concordia Lutheran Ministries and Brio Senior Dwelling Providers.
Particular service line traits
Whereas there are slight drops and upticks within the determine proven above, these can be chalked as much as respondent discrepancies on a year-to-year foundation.
As an example, CCaH – which has been rising in recognition over latest years – fell from 10% to eight% among the many suppliers. However that is possible not indicative of a bigger development. In reality, the other development is probably going occurring.
“The composition of the LZ 200 varies barely 12 months over 12 months relying on who strikes off and who merged,” McCracken mentioned. “I might say – even past CCaH inside the LZ 200 – that we proceed to see a dedication to that mannequin inside the nonprofit sector.”
In reality, LeadingAge has seen extra nonprofits launch CCaH during the last 12 months – and heard from others contemplating launching this system – in line with Dee Pekhrun, the director of life plan communities providers & coverage at LeadingAge.
On the opposite finish, the grownup day mannequin continues to be struggling. After critical COVID-19-related points from early 2020 on, many suppliers needed to begin from scratch because the pandemic lastly eased.
“Grownup day suppliers are nonetheless navigating a variety of unclear rules round reopening of congregate settings,” Barnett mentioned. “That, coupled with the reimbursement charges for these providers from a Medicaid standpoint – a serious challenge – could make it exhausting for some suppliers to justify retaining these service strains open.”
With regard to house well being care, consultants at LeadingAge and Ziegler doubted that an unsure price atmosphere would result in much less suppliers providing providers.
Staffing can nonetheless be a problem in house well being care, although, which makes joint ventures standard within the area. Practically 35% of the LZ 200 organizations are engaged in a proper JV with one other supplier, a well being system or a house well being or house care company. That is up in comparison with the 29% that had been in such a partnership in 2021.
McCracken additionally talked about that there are suppliers that will look in direction of know-how so as to clear up a few of the staffing points that they’ve confronted.
“I feel noting the position of know-how on this area is important,” she mentioned. “It may well assist attain folks to a higher extent than potential previously. It may well additionally help with a few of the staffing-related challenges. Know-how and home-based providers actually do create a few of the finest platforms on the market.”