LTSS Center researchers are helping a nonprofit health plan understand the unique needs of affordable senior housing residents.
The LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston is working with Fallon Health and Acumen Marketing Research to understand the unique needs of older adults living in affordable senior housing in Western Massachusetts. The project is funded by a grant to Fallon Health from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
Fallon Health is a not-for-profit healthcare services organization that is both a payer and provider of care. Founded in 1977, the organization strives to be a leading provider of government-sponsored health insurance programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly). Acumen Marketing Research has been conducting qualitative and quantitative research since 2002.
The project’s primary goal is to identify significant barriers that Fallon Health members and other housing residents encounter when accessing needed services and supports. Researchers will develop strategies to bridge existing service gaps and recommend innovative solutions to optimize local support systems.
“This partnership provides the opportunity to target resources to fill gaps where there is most need—based on the research—and tailor the services we provide to help older adults in Berkshire County,” says Deb Daviau, Fallon Health’s vice president of Medicare and executive director of its NaviCare program. “We look forward to sharing the findings with policymakers and encouraging collaboration among local stakeholders that will lead to a sustainable impact on the lives and well-being of the community.”
PROJECT FOCUS
The Fallon Health Place-Based Services Housing Research and Development Project builds on findings from a pilot study that helped Fallon Health identify potential needs experienced by its members who live in affordable senior housing communities in rural communities across Berkshire County. Those needs encompass a range of challenges, including:
- Limited access to nutritious food.
- Lack of public and affordable transportation.
- Unaddressed behavioral health and substance use issues.
- Difficulties navigating healthcare systems.
- Technology disparities.
- Insufficient legal and financial assistance.
- Lack of awareness about available resources and how to apply for and access benefits.
- Limited access to fitness classes and well-being activities.
The project will focus on 11 affordable housing communities in various regions in Western Massachusetts. The housing communities vary in size and have different levels of access to community resources and support from resident service coordinators. During the study, the research team will:
- Document each participating site’s current senior housing infrastructure.
- Conduct a resident survey and use the results to assess the demographic characteristics of affordable housing residents, their needs for healthcare and long-term services and supports (LTSS), their interests in wellness-related programming, and their unmet needs.
- Convene focus groups with resident service coordinators and property managers to help researchers understand the region’s existing healthcare, LTSS, and social services landscape; identify barriers to supporting older adults; and propose potential solutions.
DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS
LTSS Center researchers will use the information they collect to develop recommendations for improving services and supports for affordable housing residents. They will share those recommendations with the Fallon Health team and its stakeholders, including housing organizations, community agencies, managed care plans, and state and federal agencies.
“Through this collaborative research effort, the LTSS Center team will foster a more holistic and supportive environment for older adults in Western Massachusetts, ensuring they receive the care and resources they deserve,” says Natasha Bryant, the LTSS Center’s senior director of workforce research & development. “This project underscores the commitment of Fallon Health and its partners to enhancing quality of life for older adults living in affordable housing by addressing their unique needs and ensuring access to essential services and supports.”