Guihan M, Munroe D, Hynes D, Edelman P, Clark K, Miskevics S.

Abstr Book Assoc Health Serv Res Meet. 1999; 16: 234-5.

Midwest Center for Health Services & Policy Research, Hines V.A. Hospital, P.O. Box 5000 (151H), Hines, IL 60141, USA.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: Assisted living has emerged as a popular and effective model for providing supportive services to older persons. Despite the interest in assisted living among seniors, their families, providers, and policy makers, the development of these programs has lagged in Illinois especially those targeted at low to moderate income elderly. in Illinois, a facility that provides "through its ownership or management, personal care, sheltered care, or nursing for three or more persons" is required to adhere to the more restrictive regulations governing nursing homes. In 1994, a statewide summit was held to address the absence of policy on assisted living in Illinois. One outcome of the summit was a definition of assisted living: "Assisted living combines housing, personal, and health-related services in response to the individual needs of those who need help in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Supportive services are available 24 hours per day to meet scheduled and unscheduled needs in a way that promotes resident self-direction and participation in decisions that emphasize independence, individuality, privacy and dignity in a residential surrounding." Another outcome was a consensus on the need to develop and evaluate a wide range of residential models for the delivery of supportive care. To address this need, Illinois Public Act 98-571 mandates that the Illinois Department on Aging (IDOA) develop and implement such models. In collaboration with the Center of Eldercare Choices and the Midwest Center for Health Services & Policy Research, IDOA has established and is evaluating six demonstration projects of assisted living for low to moderate income seniors. The demonstration will compare the efficacy of two different models of service delivery.

view detail: demonstration project.