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Center for PAS Presentations > Summary

   

Citation

Newcomer, R. (2004, November 19). Nursing Home Transition: Evaluation of the Providing Assistance to Caregivers in Transition (PACT) Program. Presented at the 57th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America hosted by The Gerontological Society of America.

Summary

NURSING HOME TRANSITION: EVALUATION OF THE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO CAREGIVERS IN TRANSITION (PACT) PROGRAM

PACT is an Administration on Aging funded demonstration program in Contra Costa County, California. It is targeted on recently entered nursing home residents and their caregivers. PACT includes increasing caregiver knowledge of community options, facilitation of referrals into community services, and monitoring post-discharge placement. Some funds are available for durable medical equipment, home modification, and short term assistance. Most community assistance funding is from contributed time, private pay, or Medicaid. This paper reports on enrollment, and outcomes during the first operational year. Quantitative data come from charts of all persons referred to the program between May, 2002 and December, 2003. Qualitative data come from interviews: PACT and partnered community organization staff (n=10), nursing home and hospital discharge planners (n=6), and caregivers (n=8). Forty-two of 76 referrals were accepted as PACT clients, 38 were discharged (4 pending), mean stay 79 days. Of those not accepted as clients 7 were discharged. Within 6 months, 5 PACT clients were readmitted to NH, 3 died, 3 moved to assisted living. Referrals were clustered, 3 facilities accounted for 40% of referrals, 6 for 60%, 16 of the county’s 36 facilities made no referrals. Referrals sources: caregivers (n=26), nursing homes (=15), ombudsman (n=15), community agency (n=13), and hospitals (n=7). Except for ombudsman and hospitals at least half the referrals were not opened as PACT clients. Whether PACT clients would have been discharged or readmitted without PACT assistance cannot be definitively determined given the current program design, but interviews provide evidence of the program’s perceived value.