Governor Rell Signs Innovative Legislation Initiated by Seabury - Enabling Seniors to Stay At Home

Seabury is establishing a "Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) Without Walls", to provide a comprehensive package of coordinated long-term-care services for seniors who would prefer to stay in their own homes as they age. As part of Seabury’s mission, the development of Seabury At Home will also offer a more affordable option to area seniors, who may not be able to afford to move into a life-care community.

The Continuing-Care-At-Home concept is not new, nor does it vary in any significant way from a traditional CCRC. Like a traditional CCRC, the at-home program offers a continuum of services and housing, which are centrally planned and administered. Members pay a membership fee (entrance fee) as well as a fixed monthly fee, depending on the particular plan they select. In exchange, they receive geriatric care coordination in their home, transportation and meal services, emergency response systems, and home safety checks. Members have access to the activities on Seabury’s Bloomfield campus. Home health care and companion services are also available. If the need for facility-based health care services arises, members are provided these services at little or no additional cost to them, again depending on the plan they select. If Members leave the program or die, a portion of the membership fee may be refunded, also based on the plan selected. They continue to pay the same monthly fee regardless of the level of services required. The at-home program is virtually identical to Seabury’s existing CCRC, except that services begin while members are still in their own home.

Seabury hired Third Age, Inc., a consulting firm, to assist with the comprehensive market feasibility study that included a telephone survey and focus groups with 145 participants. The positive results of the preliminary and primary research support the development of a continuing care at-home program by Seabury. Seabury recognizes a strong need and interest in a CCRC-Without-Walls program in Connecticut and has demonstrated its extensive experience in health-care management and delivery. Seabury is confident that this program will be successful and will benefit the State by keeping people off Medicaid.

Seabury At Home supports the Mission of Church Home of Hartford/Seabury to utilize resources and expertise of the organization to serve older people in Connecticut in affiliation with the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. Seabury At Home is designed to bring affordable health care to the people it serves.

Seabury initiated legislation enabling CCRCs to provide a comprehensive program of coordinated long-term care services for seniors who prefer to stay in their homes as they age. We are delighted that the Connecticut General Assembly has passed Bill 665, an Act Concerning Continuing Care Facilities and Continuing Care at Home. This new legislation is effective October 1, 2008.