Touting a program that helps vulnerable adults “age-in-place”, rather than move into a nursing home, a Grand Valley State University nursing professor has spearheaded a more than 300-thousand dollar grant. The grant will facilitate statewide implementation of an intervention in a Medicaid program.
“After working on this project for 20 years, I’m absolutely thrilled we’re at the point where we’re going for statewide implementation.”
It’s been a long 20 years… but now, Sandra Spoelstra, Professor of Nursing at GVSU’s Kirkhof College of Nursing says they are just months away from their long-time goal. This new, three year grant from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health, will expand the current “CAPABLE” program. Capable, stands for: ”Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders”.
“So we use registered nurses, occupational therapists and social workers to help design, with the Medicaid participants, what plant of care would improve their function so they can remain in the living in the home.”
The program has been in place in Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint and Saginaw and is close to going statewide. Under the grant, Spoelstra says more than 750 clinicians and 100 managers will be trained to provide “CAPABLE” for Medicaid participants enrolled in the MI Choice program. Spoelstra says it's an evidence based program that allows vulernable adults age in place, rather than move into a nursing home.
An online certification program will be offered beginning inJanauary to clinicians under contract with the state.
The grant will also provide funding for graduate and undergraduate work on the project and for research assistants to learn more about becoming a research scientist.
