| Support actionable, evidence-based strategies to increase older adults’ health and quality of life | - Work with partners in healthcare and research on elevating the issue of healthcare affordability for older adults
- Investigate the feasibility of public and private financing options to help individuals in Massachusetts meet their long-term support and service needs
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| Improve access and affordability to the healthcare ecosystem (e.g., primary care providers, geriatricians, access to pharmacies, and medication management) with a focus on those most impacted by health inequities, and those at the highest risk of poor health outcomes | - Explore and assess the feasibility of strategies to increase community-based services and supports and reduce admission to facility-based care. This might include optimizing eligibility for Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), Frail Elder Waiver, and other integrated care models
- Implement a simple, clear, easily accessible mechanism to apply for multiple public benefits through a single application
- Continue implementing a shortened version of the MassHealth renewal and initial eligibility form and add additional application and renewal channels (e.g., via phone and electronic submission)
- Investigate providing 24 months of continuous MassHealth eligibility for people 65 and over experiencing homelessness
- Explore the development an “eligibility calculator” as part of MassOptions website that would outline eligibility for all older adult programs in Massachusetts
- Proactively and explicitly include the recruitment of geriatricians and geriatric specialists in the implementation of the Pathway for Foreign-Trained Physicians (as outlined in the Massachusetts economic development plan, Team Massachusetts: Leading Future Generations)
- Consider ways to support care navigation and management for older adults, caregivers, and family members
- Encourage health insurers to support their enrollees in accessing preventative health and wellness supports such as transportation to and from senior centers, educational opportunities, social connection and wellness programs, etc.
- Promote training for primary care providers to better meet the needs of older adults
- Address Emergency Medical Service access along with health and wellness offerings for rural areas
- Explore establishing a formal adult vaccine purchasing program to ensure the continuity of access to COVID-19 and other priority adult vaccines to ensure older adults are protected from vaccine preventable diseases
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| Increase connection and collaboration between quality public health, community-based social services providers, community-based organizations, and healthcare resources | - Increase funding to support community health initiatives to reduce preventable healthcare expenses
- Promote health benefits navigator tools (e.g., MassOptions, AARP’s Veterans and Military Families Health Benefits Navigator) to guide people to find and obtain health benefits
- Encourage and incentivize retired healthcare providers to volunteer in community spaces like libraries and community and senior centers to support wellness hubs
- Encourage programs and policies that support the discharge of hospitalized older individuals directly to home with home and community-based services, rather than discharged to a skilled nursing facility or other institutional setting
- Investigate incentivizing a new career pathway to increase the pool of qualified and culturally competent direct care workers, principally within Long Term Care (LTC) settings
- Develop and create tools to promote awareness of the value and importance of appointing a Healthcare Agent and developing a Healthcare Proxy to honor the wishes of individuals
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| Build a greater understanding of good brain health and effective dementia risk reduction strategies | - Share and disseminate information regarding good brain health and effective dementia risk reduction strategies
- Host an annual listening session with individuals affected by dementia in historically underserved communities; use the insights gathered to continuously refine current guidance for policy and program development of the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias
- Promote dementia-specific training for all first responders including law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services providers
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| Ensure older adults, including those living with dementia, and caregivers have access to community-based programs, social connection, and services that support their ability to live long and healthy lives | - Encourage innovation in discharge planning and care transitions (e.g., create a platform that bridges hospitals, caregiving organizations and others in the community to increase sharing of information and coordination)
- Promote adding community-based supports and referrals in discharge instructions included in electronic medical records at the point of dementia diagnosis
- Support adult day health programs and social/supportive day programs
- Convene webinars for people living with dementia, their caregivers, community-based service providers, and healthcare providers to facilitate the development of person-centered, person-directed dementia care plans
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| Increase awareness of and support for substance use disorders and the behavioral health needs of older adults | - Continue to raise awareness of mental health, social connection and the emotional wellbeing needs of aging populations
- Increase mental health and substance use support programming specific for older adults
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