Small-House Model ALP Defined

You might be asking yourself, what is he talking about and why do I need to know what a Small-House Model ALP is?  Small-House Model ALP is an acronym for Assisted Living Program residence.   And, they are the future of senior care.

According to the New York State Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA), the Assisted Living Program (ALP) is New York’s Medicaid funded assisted living option.  The ALP combines home health services with an adult home or enriched housing program to provide an intermediate residential level of care between the adult care and skilled nursing facility.

The ALP program works exceptionally well when combined with the small-house model of care.  A small-house model facility houses ten to twelve residents in private rooms with a private bath and shower. Each “household” contains its own kitchen, dining room, and living room where residents congregate as they would in their own homes. Certified aides provide care as well as cook, clean, and promote activities including resident involvement in typical household chores. This philosophy creates a less-institutional, more resident-focused culture than a traditional skilled nursing facility.

The small house model facility is an innovative form of long-term care for the elderly. It has been developed in response to the perception that elders in conventional nursing homes are prone to develop feelings of loneliness, boredom, and helplessness. The organization for which I work, Heritage Ministries, has a plan to construct three, twelve-resident, “small-house” model ALP program facilities at an expansion location in the Town of Ellicott in 2010.  These three small-house models will be the first of their kind in Chautauqua County.

Benefits of ALP

Research done by the Commonwealth Fund on small-house model facilities currently in operation throughout the country, states that small-house model residents reported significantly higher satisfaction with their facility as a place to live than did residents of traditional nursing homes. In terms of care and health outcomes, small-house model residents reported significantly higher scores on emotional well-being indicators; small-house model residents also experienced lower rates of depression and were more active and had fewer declines in functional ability.

Additionally, the ALP program specifically saves money for the State of New York taxpayers because it costs roughly $100 less per day for the care of an ALP resident than a traditional skilled nursing resident.  The Small-House Model ALP facilities allow eligible residents to transfer directly from a skilled nursing facility to the new ALP program residences.  This results in an immediate savings to the Medicaid program. At Heritage Ministries alone, we have projected an annual savings to the Medicaid program, and ultimately the taxpayers of New York, to be in excess of $750,000 per year.

The Future of Senior Care

The small-house model option of care creates a small community for a group of seniors and staff. It focuses on life, and its heart is found in the relationships that thrive there.  The small-house model facility changes the traditional methods of delivering skilled nursing care services. Its primary purpose is to serve as a place where seniors can receive assistance and support with activities of daily living and care, without the assistance and care becoming the focus of their life.

For more information on the ALP program and the small-house model of care, please feel free to contact me at 716-487-6873.