AARP Ranks Oregon No. 4 For Delivering Long-Term Care To Older And Aging Residents

CLACKAMAS, OR — A national report from AARP has placed Oregon among the top five U.S. states for meeting the long-term care needs of its older and aging residents.

Ranked nationally, Oregon took the fourth spot on the AARP report "Picking Up The Pace of Change: A State Scorecard on Long-Term Services and Supports," which ranks all 50 states and Washington D.C. based on an evaluation of the delivery of services needed by people with long-term conditions, disabilities, or frailty. According to the coalition of organizations that sponsored the report, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) can include personal care (bathing, dressing, toileting); complex care (medications, wound care); help with housekeeping, transportation, paying bills, and meals; and other ongoing social services.

Oregon ranked third nationally in AARP's 2014 report.

"The vast majority of Oregonians want to live independently, at home or home-like settings, as they age — most with the help of unpaid family caregivers," AARP Oregon State Director Jerry Cohen said in a statement. "While Oregon excels in many areas, this scorecard shows we have much more to do."

The report and scorecard specifically evaluates five elements of LTSS: affordability and access, choice of setting and provider, quality of life and quality of care, support for family caregivers, and effective transitions between nursing homes, hospitals and private homes. According to the report, as more Baby Boomers turn 80 years old over the next 10 years, fewer than ever before will have family available to provide unpaid caregiver-type help — which currently provides the bulk of care for Oregonians with disabilities.

Sponsored by the AARP Foundation, The Commonwealth Fund, and the SCAN Foundation, the report found more than 470,000 Oregonians currently helping their loved ones stay at home by providing assistance with bathing and dressing, transportation, finances, complex medical tasks (like wound care), and more. The report estimates the value of unpaid care in Oregon totaling about $5.8 billion annually.

"Family caregivers take on big responsibilities," Cohen explained. "Many juggle full-time jobs with their caregiving duties; others provide 24/7 care for their loved ones. These family caregivers save taxpayers money by keeping their loved ones out of costly care facilities — most often paid for by Medicaid. They have earned some basic support."

State lawmakers agree.

"Nearly everyone needs paid family or medical leave at some point in their lives, whether it's to care for a new child, an aging parent, or themselves," Representative Jennifer Williamson (D-Portland) said in the statement. "The practical reality is that many workers, struggling to make ends meet from paycheck to paycheck, simply cannot afford to take unpaid leave. I introduced (House Bill) 3087 to create a Family and Medical Leave Insurance program in Oregon because, like AARP, I believe family caregivers should not have to choose between taking care of mom or dad, or losing a paycheck, or even risk losing their job."

Cuts by Congress to Medicaid and other funding streams for LTSS programs, via the passing of the American Health Care Act, could mean more Oregon residents are forced to make that difficult choice.

"Oregon has made consistently improved long-term services and supports, as highlighted in this Scorecard," Cohen said. "But, proposals in Congress under the American Health Care Act, passed by the House and now in the Senate, would drastically cut federal funding for Oregon's Medicaid long-term care program and threaten these advancements, likely resulting in our most vulnerable citizens losing the lifesaving supports that they count on."

How successful a state is in helping provide long-term care for its aging residents is directly correlated to the reach of the state's Medicaid dollars, the report says. And being able to provide care at home — a vastly cheaper option than nursing home care — is preferable for both residents and lawmakers.

Oregon ranked fifth in the nation for "percentage of Medicaid dollars used to support care provided at home and in the community," which the report asserts is the preferred care setting for Oregon residents. However, it also outlined area where the state can improve, specifically:

• Percent of home health patients with a hospital admission;
• Percent of long-stay nursing home residents who are receiving an antipsychotic medication; and
• Median annual cost of care, either in nursing homes or home care, as a percentage of median household income, age 65 and older.

"This Scorecard gives us a snapshot of how well Oregon serves our older residents, those with disabilities, and family caregivers — and shows us where we must sharpen our focus to better assist hardworking Oregonians," Cohen said. "Now is the time for policymakers to act."

The full state Scorecard, along with an interactive map of state rankings and information, is available at www.longtermscorecard.org.

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