Many people and their families find themselves asking the question "Can I Really Leave the Nursing Facility?"  The answer to that question could be "YES"!  The Kansas Department on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, Independent Living Centers and Nursing Facilities have partnered in Kansas to help in making the move through two programs.

Community Transition Opportunities, CTO, was developed to assist nursing facility residents to transition back to community living.  It helps people regardless of whether they have privately been paying the nursing facility or if they are on Medicaid.  Nursing facilities have taken care of your loved one and now the loved one may be improved and could consider a move back to the community.   The CTO program offers information and assistance to nursing facility residents with the goal of helping that person and their family decide if transitioning out to the community is an option they would want to pursue. Answering the question "Can I leave the Nursing Facility?" may sound impossible and raise doubts, but the process is fairly simple and the staff at the East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging  can answer many of the questions that you have if the nursing facility resident is age 65 or older.  If younger you would need to call Resource Center for Independent Living.

Each nursing facility resident has an assessment , MDS 3.0, administered when  admitted to the nursing facility and then again quarterly, yearly or upon a significant change in condition. Once this assessment is completed and the person has identified an interest in returning to the community they are referred to the Area Agency on Aging or Independent Living Center.  A face to face contact with the person and their family is made.  During this face to face visit, options for care will be discussed.  This can include housing options, services options and payment options.  If everyone agrees the resident should move, a case manager will be chosen and the move will proceed.

Money Follows the Person, MFP, is the second program that can be explored for help in someone moving back to the community.  This is for Medicaid eligible residents only who have been in the nursing facility for at least 90 days.  It is designed to assist people who qualify by funding them with $2,500 to assist with set up costs for a new place to live.  This program also will cover service needs such as personal care, housekeeping, medication management, shopping etc.  A case manager will be chosen and help with the move.  This program can be a great avenue for helping a loved one move to a less restrictive setting.

The East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging is a good place to start on the way to exploring your options and with the use of the above programs, a move could be easier than you think!

Call Vicki Seems at (785) 242-7123 ext.107 or (800) 633-5621 if you have questions about using these programs to help answer the question "CAN I REALLY LEAVE THE NURSING FACILITY?"