Couple found CHOICES to remain in home

In 2004, Fred and Joan Silva filed an application to live at Avila Retirement Community in Albany , an independent-living complex. Mrs. Silva had been diagnosed with a neurological disorder, but it only slightly impaired her speech and motor functions.

By the time the couple reached the top of the waiting list to move in two years later, Mrs. Silva's symptoms had multiplied and her condition had deteriorated.

"Part of the acceptance process called for an evaluation of Joan's condition. That was the first time we learned about the CHOICES program," Mr. Silva told The Evangelist.

Teaming up

CHOICES (an acronym for "Case Management Helping Older adults maintain Independence with Comprehensive Effective Services") is a collaborative program of Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese and St. Peter's Hospital in Albany , created in 1989.

For years, Catholic Charities' "Care for Life" program has served seniors with chronic illnesses by providing residential health or social services. Since the agency linked with St. Peter's to offer CHOICES, healthcare assessments can also be provided for seniors who wish to remain in a home environment for as long as possible.

"Part of what we do at CHOICES is to assess people in their own environment to be sure they're receiving all the care that they need," said Karen Meemken, elder care consultant for the CHOICES program at St. Peter's.

Mrs. Silva underwent a complete medical assessment before the couple could be accepted into the independent-living community. Because Avila doesn't provide medical or nursing care, her husband explained, administrators needed to know his wife's condition for safety reasons. Mrs. Silva is now unable to walk or speak, and the couple lives in a third-floor apartment.

Ongoing help

"Our goal is to help people remain at home for as long as they can. The assessment provides us with a summary of what each client's current needs are. As their condition changes, their needs are reevaluated and the appropriate care or referral is provided," Ms. Meemken noted.

With the help of federal grants, many states now assist the elderly and persons with disabilies to maintain their independence by remaining at home. Since 2004, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has given states more than $42 million in grants to create home care service centers, which now serve about 22 percent of the population.

Besides keeping seniors and the disabled from being unnecessarily confined to nursing facilities, home care provides services such as bathing and dressing, meal preparation, nursing, housekeeping and specialized transportation that save billions of dollars in Medicaid costs.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reports that home-based long-term care costs total half the cost of comparable nursing home care.

"Joan wants to remain at home for as long as possible," Mr. Silva told The Evangelist. "After we moved into Avila , she was reassessed; right now she is receiving round-the-clock care from aides and nurses. I feed her all her meals."

(For more information on CHOICES, call Catholic Charities' Care For Life program at 641-6841.)

(06/19/08)