Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has approved eleven applications to advance towards certification in the Supportive Living Program for Dementia Care Settings. This program serves as a Medicaid alternative, offering services at a lower cost than traditional nursing homes and aims to delay or prevent the need for such care.

Operating under a Home- and Community-Based Services waiver approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the program allows Medicaid funds to cover assisted living services for eligible participants who might otherwise require nursing home care. The initiative provides seniors and individuals with physical disabilities an independent lifestyle option, featuring personal apartments equipped with bathrooms and kitchen facilities.

Medicaid covers some or all medical care costs for eligible residents within the Supportive Living Program. Residents can choose their services and set their schedules, which include meals, housekeeping, laundry, medication management, assistance with daily activities, social activities, emergency call systems, wellbeing checks, and routine nursing assessments. Housing costs are covered by residents using Social Security or other personal income sources.

"The Supportive Living Program offers a set of assisted living-type supports to serve our customers in more home- and community-based settings," said Theresa Eagleson, Director of HFS. "We are proud to be able to further expand critical and specialized dementia care services to meet the need in several communities that will help improve the quality of life for our customers, and their families."

The program's Dementia Care Settings are designed for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. These settings aim to provide personalized supportive services that enhance independence, dignity, and quality of life for those aged 65 years or older with such diagnoses. Enhanced staff oversight and additional nursing assessments are part of these settings' offerings.

Currently, there are 157 operational Supportive Living Program settings across Illinois with over 13,000 apartments available. Among these are 12 operational Dementia Care Settings housing over 300 apartments. The newly approved applications will add locations in Cook, DuPage, Lake, St. Clair, and Winnebago counties.

The selected applicants include:

- Allure Active Living of Zion

- Asbury Court Senior Living SLF/MCU

- Bridgeway of Bensenville Supportive Living

- Grand Regency of Rockford

- Knollwood Dementia Care

- New Day at The Pointe at Kilpatrick

- Plum Creek Supportive Living

- Prairie Green at Dixie Crossing

- Reflections Memory Care at Waterford

- Tinley Court Supportive Living & Memory Care

- Victory Centre of Roseland

These applicants must meet departmental requirements within 180 days to become certified participants in the program's Dementia Care Settings.

For further details on the Supportive Living Program or inquiries about participation requirements, interested parties can contact HFS via phone or email provided on their official website.