NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y., Aug. 10, 2006 - At a public reception on Aug. 16, the Health Association of Niagara County Inc. and the Dale Association Inc. will announce the creation of Complete Senior Care, an innovative long-term care program to help nursing home-eligible seniors remain living safely in their homes.

The program was made possible through a letter of designation from New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Silver chose Niagara County as a new site for the program at the urging of Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, who pushed hard to secure the designation for HANCI and the Dale Association.

Complete Senior Care will be one of only 35 so-called "PACE programs," or Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, in the entire nation. PACE programs serve adults age 55 and older who are state-certified as eligible for nursing homes. However, the program aims to keep its members out of nursing homes by helping them to remain living safely in their homes or in apartments.

"This is great news for seniors and their caregivers in the Niagara community," said DelMonte. "Complete Senior Care will help seniors maintain their independence and will give caregivers peace of mind. I am delighted to help HANCI and the Dale Association start a program that will help our older adults to age with dignity."

All Healthcare Needs Under One Roof

Complete Senior Care will coordinate all of their members' healthcare needs, with no co-pays or deductibles. Enrollees will be picked up at home on weekdays and driven to a center, where they will have breakfast and lunch, take part in activities, and have access to a clinic and various therapy programs. If they need home care on evenings and weekends, Complete Senior Care will provide nurses and aides during those times. Complete Senior Care will also arrange and pay for all hospitalization, prescriptions, and even short-term and long-term nursing home care if it is needed. Spiritual care will also be provided to those who want it.

"We will take the frustration out of trying to figure out the healthcare system," said Van Buskirk. "Our members and their caregivers will be able to manage all of their care with one phone call to our program."

Medicaid Savings with Improved Care

Complete Senior Care also will save Medicaid dollars, which will be welcome news to taxpayers. Medicare and Medicaid will pay for services per member, per month, rather than the traditional fee-for-service model. Therefore, the rates will remain stable, and Medicaid will achieve cost savings. In other PACE programs, Medicaid costs are usually reduced by 5 to 10 percent.

"We all know that rising Medicaid costs have put pressure on state and county government," said Kinner. "This program will help us to address the problem while actually improving the quality of care. This is the very definition of a win-win situation."

New Jobs and Investment

According to Kinner and Van Buskirk, the launch of Complete Senior Care will create up to 80 healthcare jobs during the next four years. The program will also bring investment to both the cities of Niagara Falls and Lockport, where the two Total Care Centers will be located.

The first Complete Senior Care facility will be housed at HANCI, 1302 Main St. in Niagara Falls. It is expected to open in 2009 following extensive renovation. A second Complete Senior Care center will open in 2011 in buildings adjacent to the Dale Association's Lockport Senior Centre, 33 Ontario St. in Lockport.

Both facilities will be transformed into state-of-the-art health centers through foundation, corporate and individual gifts that HANCI and the Dale Association will seek during the next several months. In all, the organizations hope to raise $3.5 million for the two centers.

A New Corporation

HANCI and the Dale Association have formed an independent nonprofit, charitable corporation to operate Complete Senior Care. The two parent organizations are equal partners in the new organization.

Enrollment for Complete Senior Care is expected to begin in early 2009. In the meantime, anyone who wants to learn more may call HANCI at 285-8224 or the Dale Association at 438-2414.

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