Support for in-home care discussed during JFC hearing

Advocates of in-home care spoke Feb. 25 during a Joint Finance Committee hearing on the need for more support.

“This is what residents want, and it is much cheaper to do so with reliable care,” said Candace Esham, founder of the Delaware Eldercare Advocacy Coalition.

Adrian Jones, executive director of Aveanna Healthcare’s Delaware office, a private-duty nursing provider for in-home care, said they offer a service that helps people stay safely in their homes, but flat-rate increases for in-home care are forcing nurses to leave and find jobs elsewhere.

“I ask you to see the people. Nurses and caregivers are the backbone for our healthcare system. They’re the ones holding the patient’s hand in the final moment, comforting the families in crisis and ensuring that our most vulnerable loved ones receive the dignity and care they deserve,” Jones said. “Yet despite their sacrifices, many struggle to make ends meet.”

Esham also questioned money that has gone toward skilled nursing facilities, specifically $30 million in previous funding, in which no specifics were given on how the money was spent, she said.

“Having effectively a blank check for $30 million doesn’t serve anyone,” she said.

Easham recommended that the Department of Health and Social Services spend more resources on allowing people to age in their own homes – a topic discussed last year with no further action, she said.