Saint Antoine Residence

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - PROJECT ABSTRACT SAINT ANTOINE INTENDS TO APPLY FUNDS FROM CONGRESSIONAL DESIGNATED SPENDING FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION OF EXISTING SPACE PREVIOUSLY USED FOR SKILLED NURSING TO CREATE A UNIQUE MEMORY CARE ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAM FOR OLDER RHODE ISLANDERS. OUR NEW MODEL IS A MEMORY CARE ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF OUR FACILITY, IMPROVED COST-EFFECTIVENESS, AND THE ABILITY FOR RESIDENTS TO “AGE IN PLACE.” MANY SENIORS ARE CAUGHT BETWEEN ASSISTED LIVING AND SKILLED NURSING WHEN THEY DEVELOP COGNITIVE ISSUES. THIS MODEL WILL BRING ELEMENTS OF MORE SKILLED HEALTHCARE TO THE ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENT RATHER THAN TRANSFERRING THE RESIDENT TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE IN A DIFFERENT CARE SETTING. THE INTEREST AND NEED IN DEVELOPING A MORE INTEGRATED APPROACH TO CARING FOR THOSE WITH COGNITIVE DECLINE CAME FROM COMPELLING COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS (A RAPID INCREASE IN THE AGING POPULATION AND THE INCREASING PREVALENCE OF ALZHEIMER’S AND RELATED DEMENTIA). ONCE IN PLACE, THIS APPROACH OFFERS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A MODEL FOR ELDERCARE THROUGHOUT THE NATION. IN THE FALL OF 2020, SAINT ANTOINE RESIDENCE WAS AWARDED A $1M GRANT FROM THE RODE ISLAND EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES UNDER ITS LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS RESILIENCY PROGRAM. THIS INVOLVED THE DE-LICENSING OF 80 SKILLED NURSING BEDS AND RESERVING THAT SPACE FOR A NEW BUSINESS MODEL, A MODEL WHICH COULD TRANSFORM CARE AND SERVICES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, BEING MORE COST EFFECTIVE. UNDER THE GRANT GUIDELINES, SOME OF THE GRANT FUNDS WERE USED TO OFFSET LOSSES DUE TO COVID TO KEEP US WHOLE AND IN A POSITION TO UNDERTAKE A CRITICAL TRANSITION. THE DE-LICENSED SKILLED NURSING SPACE IS BEING RECONFIGURED TO CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD OF 24 SUITES. EACH SUITE HAS A PRIVATE BATHROOM WITH A SHOWER, AND A COMBINATION BEDROOM AND LIVING AREA. TWO APARTMENTS WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR COUPLES. COMMON AREAS WILL INCLUDE MULTIPLE DINING/LIVING/ACTIVI TY AREAS WITH A COUNTRY KITCHEN IN AN OPEN CONCEPT DESIGN TO CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITH SHARED MEALS AND ACTIVITIES IN A HOME LIKE ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE SEVERAL POSITIVES IMPACTS. FIRST, THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR A MEMORY CARE ASSISTED LIVING UNIT IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR SKILLED NURSING (SNF) AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES (ALF) TO MEET THE CURRENT MARKET NEED IS TO DEVELOP BROADER, MORE FLEXIBLE, MODELS OF INNOVATIVE MEMORY CARE. THIS CONVICTION CAME FROM OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL SNFS AND ALFS SETTINGS THAT THE OPTIMAL SERVICE PACKAGE FOR SO MANY MEMORY CARE CLIENTS LIES IN THE GAP BETWEEN THESE TWO LEVELS OF CARE. MANY OF THE MEMORY CARE RESIDENTS NEED THE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT OF AN ALF, BUT DO NOT QUALIFY BECAUSE OTHER NEEDS EXCEED THE LIMITS AND STAFFING OF TRADITIONAL ALFS. IN THESE CASES, THEY ARE PLACED IN SNF LEVELS OF CARE THAT ARE NOT THE BEST FIT. OUR PROGRAM FOSTERS CONTINUITY AT THE ALF LEVEL OF CARE BY BRING ELEMENTS OF MORE SKILLED HEALTH, REHAB AND BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE ALF RESIDENT RATHER THAN SHIFTING THEM TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE IN A DIFFERENT SETTING. SECOND, IT WILL SAVE MONEY FROM RHODE ISLAND’S MEDICAID/MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT FUND BECAUSE THE PROJECT MUST DE-LICENSE 80 BEDS AND THE NEW BUSINESS MODEL WILL BE COST EFFECTIVE AND SELF-SUSTAINING. THIRD, IT WILL PROVIDE A MUCH-NEEDED SERVICE IN NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND AS EVIDENCED BY THE ENDORSEMENT OF AREA HOSPITALS, HOME CARE AGENCIES, ELDER CARE AGENCIES, COUNCILS ON AGING, THE PROGRAM FOR ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE (PACE), THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, AND FAMILY MEMBERS. AND, FOURTH, IT WILL HELP TO MAINTAIN A VIABLE NETWORK OF ELDERCARE FACILITIES IN RHODE ISLAND BECAUSE WE AND OTHER NURSING HOME GRANTEES WERE ABLE TO RECOUP REVENUE LOST DURING THE PANDEMIC WHILE CREATING A NEW BUSINESS MODEL THAT IS COST EFFECTIVE AND DELIVERS SERVICES BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY.