Fenty Launches Long-Term Care Campaign

Washington, DC–Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, joined by District of Columbia Office on Aging Executive Director Clarence Brown, today launched the “Own Your Future” Long-Term Care Awareness campaign. The campaign will encourage District residents to begin preparing for their long-term care in the District. “Own Your Future” is a collaboration between the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) in the District’s Office on Aging and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In conjunction with the campaign, DCOA has expanded senior services and funded upgrades at District nursing homes.

“We want to encourage all District residents to prepare now for their futures,” Mayor Fenty said. “This campaign will give residents the tools they need to make plans for their lives in their later years.”

Preparing for Long-Term Care in the District
The District is one of 18 states selected by the US Department of Health and Human Services to initiate the campaign, which provides Long-Term Care Planning Guides that educate residents on long-term care options. The guide provides information and resources on long-term care insurance services, financial and legal issues associated with aging, and numerous other long-term care planning topics. The Own Your Future: Long-term Care Planning Guide include information about local resources for long-term care planning and services. The guide includes contact information for the ADRC, a Longterm care provider directory, a web-based resource for information about health and aging, and other District-specific resources.

District residents between the ages of 40 and 70 will
receive the guide via direct mail over the next week. Residents can also contact ADRC to order a guide. ADRC will present the guide at District AARP meetings, community meetings, senior housing buildings, and DCOA
service sites.

“While most of us prefer not to think about growing older, the changes associated with aging can be better handled if we plan adequately ahead of time,” said Clarence Brown, PhD, Executive Director of DCOA/ADRC.

Additional funding and specialized training on long-term care financing issues have been provided to the GW Law School’s Health Insurance Counseling Project (HICP), which is funded through DCOA/ADRC. HICP provides on-going counseling support on a wide range of health insurance issues, including Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care financing, and supplemental insurance options.

Expanded Services for District Seniors
This month the District of Columbia Office on Aging (DCOA) acquired three state-of-the art vehicles for home-delivered meals. The new Chevrolet Silverado trucks with Hotshot II XL catering bodies will supplement home delivered meals vehicles currently in use. Each of the new trucks feature oven and refrigeration racking that will accommodate up to 192 home delivered meals.  The new vehicles will expand DCOA’s capacity to provide safe, efficient delivery of hot meals to elderly and disabled individuals who are unable to shop for and/or prepare the food themselves, or travel to a site where a meal is being served.

DCOA has also purchased four new vehicles for WEHTS (Washington Elderly Handicapped Transportation Service) including a Dodge Sprinter shuttle bus that features larger passenger entry doors, 16 individual bucket seats with aisle side padded grab handles and fully automatic wheelchair lifts. Two more WEHTS vehicles will be purchased with a grant from DDOT 5310 program for a total of six new vehicles for medical and adult day transportation.

Funding for Upgrades to Nursing Home Facilities
Additionally, the DCOA/ADRC in partnership with DHCF (Medicaid) has released over $2 million of Nursing Home Quality of Care Funds to fifteen (15) nursing facilities to promote and foster the improved care, safety, and health outcomes of District residents living in nursing facilities. These funds will be used to enhance information technology, to redesign workflow and to engage residents and family in improving the quality of care through satisfaction surveys. The survey also supports initiatives surrounding staff retention and workforce challenges.  

Nursing facilities benefiting from NHQCF include: Army Distaff Foundation, Capitol Hill Healthcare group, J.B. Johnson Nursing Center, Little Sisters of the Poor,  Methodist Home of DC, Providence Health Foundation, Rock Creek Nursing Center, Inc., Sha-Hadley SNF, LLC, Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home, Washington Center for Aging Services, Washington Home and Hospice, United Medical Center Foundation, Lisner Louise Dickson Hurt Home, Grant Park Care Center, and Greater SE Community Center/Carolyn Boone Lewis.

For more information, contact the DCOA Aging and Disability Resource Center at (202) 724-5626 or visit us online at www.adrc.dc.gov.