TLHA Awarded a Grant through Minnesota Department of Human Services to Launch ‘Care Well ’

Marketing August 25, 2014

BELLE PLAINE, MINN. August 25, 2014 — The Lutheran Home Association (TLHA) has been awarded a grant through the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Division, Performance-based Incentive Payment Program (PIPP) grant program for $251,380. The grant program is designed to implement time-limited quality improvement projects to improve the quality of life of HCBS participants in a measurable way and deliver quality services more efficiently.

TLHA’s project entitled, Care Well, was developed for the purpose of supporting the caregiver and enhancing service quality for older adults.

“The Care Well initiative reflects TLHA’s ongoing commitment to developing effective strategies that support caregivers and enhance services for older adults.  Our grant program provides the necessary funding to pilot these innovative strategies for improving care and service quality,” said Catherine Berghoff, Director of Grant Resource Development and Program Administration.

The Care Well initiative will provide an innovative model of evidence-based and technology-driven caregiver strategies through enhanced training, technology tools and wellness support programs.  Care Well is designed to effectively reduce caregiver turnover which can have a direct impact on service quality. 

The overall goal of Care Well is to improve the quality of life, care and efficiencies for older adults by significantly improving caregiver retention.  Examples of these strategies include Alzheimer’s Association certified HealthCare Interactive CARES® training modules, technology tools to improve caregiver efficiencies, interactive social engagement and therapeutic technology, caregiver mentorship roles and wellness support program. 

Partners and supporters of the Care Well initiative include, but are not limited to: University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Center on Aging,UniversityofMinnesotaInstitute on Community Integration,NationalRuralHealthResourceCenter, Avera Health and HealthCare Interactive.

“The use of technology to ensure that caregiver training is more easily accessible and personalized is exciting and has real potential to reduce the problem of staff turnover in residential care,” said Joseph Gaugler, PhD, University of Minnesota  School of Nursing, Center on Aging.

Care Well is supported, in part, by a Home and Community Based Services Performance-based Incentive Payment Program grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN-DHS). Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official DHS policy.

About The Lutheran Home Association
The Lutheran Home Association is a not-for-profit ministry dedicated to providing for the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of people in our care. We offer a wide variety of health care, housing and spiritual outreach services with campuses in several states and congregational programs serving seniors and individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities nationwide. Services and programs include senior living, skilled nursing care, memory care, disability services, rehabilitative therapies, chaplaincy, Bible classes, worship services and property management services. Learn more at www.tlha.org, follow @TLHAword on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook.

###