The so-called “silver tsunami” of an aging Connecticut population is no longer a theory; it is very much a fact.
So says Mario D’Aquila, COO of Assisted Living Services Inc. (ALS), and the data backs him up. The state’s Legislative Commission on Aging maintains that over a third of Connecticut residents are over the age of 50. In addition, a recent report commissioned from the Boston Consulting Group found that of the over 8,000 state employees eligible for retirement in 2022, 72% of them are “seriously considering” doing so.
That may be a positive for the state as a whole – Connecticut could save between $600 million and $900 million, according to the report – but it presents additional challenges to the eldercare sector.
D’Aquila said that, partly due to those challenges, private agencies like his and Growing Options Inc. are partnering to create care plans focused on allowing seniors to continue living at home, while at the same time allowing them to share resources when it comes to bridging private and state social services for families.
ALS, whose offices include a location in Fairfield, entered a partnership a few years ago with Growing Options Inc. (GO), which allows its clients to assess and create individualized care plans for the elderly, individuals with mental and physical disabilities, and those with mental health difficulties throughout the region, including Fairfield County.
D’Aquila and GO Founder Lisa Krauss happened to have booths next to each other at a health care fair, and realized “what a good synergy we shared,” D’Aquila said. “Now we’re in a position where we cross-reference with each other to help seniors throughout Fairfield County.”
Krauss has specialized in geriatrics for 30 years and is a certified Aging Life Care Professional. Also known as a geriatric care manager, such specialists act as a guide and advocate for families who are caring for older relatives or disabled adults. Krauss noted that they also serve as an advocate for their senior clients and can even follow them into hospital and nursing home settings, if needed.
“What really attracted me to (ALS) was their amazing technology,” she said. “I work with a number of other agencies, but they have such a great array of everything from fall prevention and remote monitoring to medication management and other home safety features.”
“We asked ourselves, ‘What else might Mom and Dad need?’” D’Aquila said. “Everything we offer is designed to help them age more comfortably and safely ta home.
“This is a new world for a lot of families,” he continued. “If Mom has a bad fall, the question for a lot of people is, ‘What do we do?’ In a lot of cases, if they give us a call, we end up pointing them in the direction of Growing Options. They know everything about managing and helping with such services.”
Krauss said GO has an additional three geriatric care managers, who together work with about 30 clients. One of the growing challenges during the pandemic, she said, was helping clients move out of nursing homes or other congregate eldercare facilities to rentals or homes.
“Those facilities are doing a great job,” D’Aquila attested, “but there’s such a difference between being at home and being somewhere that has 300 other residents. You’re also only dealing with a couple of caregivers (at home), instead of dozens of different people (at assisted living facilities).
Krauss said another plus about the relationship with ALS is the latter’s contract with the state’s Home Care Program, which helps with clients who are already on Community Title 19 (Medicaid) or at some point will have depleted their funds and need to transition to Title 19.
As for the Silver Tsunami, both Krauss and D’Aquila said it has been good for business – to the point where “we can’t get enough caregivers,” the latter said.
“We’ve been hiring like you can’t believe,” D’Aquila continued, noting that on average ALS has 300 to 250 employees who see 250 to 300 clients. “The challenge is how to properly incentivize people to want to enter this field.”
Part of ALS’ solution is to offer caregivers the same 401(k) and health care plans provided to those in the office. “The highest director here has the same benefits as someone who starts tomorrow,” he declared.
The company also gives out an employee-of-the-month award, which rather than a photo on a wall and a firm handshake involves a crystal award with the caregiver’s name engraved upon it, a certificate, and a $5,000 check.
“This line of work is about more than money, of course,” D’Aquila allowed. “But we feel that our Platinum Caregiver Award leads to (the winners’) maybe wanting to brag a bit about it, and that will make other caregivers want to come and work here.”
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