13.4 percent of the Michigan population is over 65, higher than the national average of 12.8 percent. (see References 6)
Many kinds of senior assistance are available in Michigan catering to an over-65 population of 1.6 million. Options include nursing homes, retirement communities, senior apartments, in-home care and senior-focused organizations such as the Elders Rights Coalition.
Michigan was the first state to establish a nonprofit organization based on the Eden Alternative, a cultural approach to senior assistance that moves away from the traditional nursing home model. Of their 250 registered homes, 42 of them are in Michigan.
Home Help Services
Michigan's Medicaid Home Help Services is a program from the Department of Human Services. It enables older adults to remain in their homes even when they need some form of nursing care and assistance. Funding is given for carers to provide help with daily activities including eating, light housework, moving around, preparing meals and some shopping.
To be eligible for this, seniors must submit a Medical Needs Form DHS 54A, signed by a Medicaid enrolled provider that proves the need for personal care. The senior receives a monthly check and recruits the caregiver directly. This can be a friend, family member or someone obtained through an agency.
Michigan Office of Services to the Aging (OSA)
This is a comprehensive state service and the website, michigan.gov, includes services directories for Michigan seniors as well as definitions and explanations of the different kinds of assistance available. Reflecting the diverse needs of a growing elderly population, the OSA provides vital information on alternative types of assistance and helps you choose the right option.
Assisted Living Facilities
Michigan has a variety of assisted living facilities that offer services suitable for different needs and circumstances. Seniors in retirement communities, for example, can live relatively independent lives depending on what level of care they need, opting for a package that offers limited but necessary daily assistance. Alternatively, residents can get a higher level of nursing care and still benefit from the benefits of an older adult community.
The Eden Alternative
In 1995, the founder of the Eden Alternative, Dr William Thomas, was sponsored by the OSA to introduce the initiative to Michigan and by 1999, $10 million had been secured by the state to implement cultural change training in many of its facilities. It's the opposite of a medical, institutional model of nursing care and proposes a new way of thinking about older people. This philosophy sees the aging period as one of development and growth as opposed to decline. Dr Thomas identifies the "plagues" of long-term care as loneliness, helplessness and boredom and aims to eliminate those with spontaneous activities and care-giving opportunities.
It works by incorporating plants, children and animals into the daily lives of elderly residents, providing companionship and giving the opportunity to give care as well as receive it. It transforms residential facilities into "human habitats" where older adults live alongside the staff as opposed to simply being cared for by them.
Tags: Eden Alternative, nursing care, assistance available, Help Services, Home Help
