Seniorlink’s Structured Family Caregiving Program is Exceedingly Valuable for Family Caregivers and Their Loved Ones, Survey Finds

A survey of thousands of family caregivers and the people in their care – typically older adults and individuals with disabilities (referred to as “consumers”) – found that participants in the technology-enabled Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) program delivered by Seniorlink were extremely satisfied with the services received in 2020. The program consists of caregiver education, coaching and other supports for family caregivers. Satisfaction remained consistently high despite the additional challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented for family caregivers.

• The survey, administered by SPH Analytics, a National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)-certified and CMS-approved HEDIS Survey partner, was sent to caregiver/consumer pairs, enrolled in a Seniorlink program at least 60 days.
• 92.3 percent of consumers and 88.3 percent of family caregivers in the program said they were very happy with the help they received from Seniorlink.
• Additionally, 94 percent of family caregivers indicated that they were able to provide care at home longer than would have been possible without Seniorlink’s support.
• 99 percent of family caregivers felt more confident in talking with medical professionals about the person they care for.
• 93 percent of family caregivers stated that Seniorlink is very helpful in addressing common daily struggles and financial challenges.
• 98.3 percent of family caregivers said they were very likely to recommend Seniorlink to other caregivers.

Seniorlink operates in 10 states, contracting with State Medicaid agencies and their managed care organizations, to offer a model of care that connects family caregivers with a dedicated team of expert care management and coaching professionals, proprietary HIPAA-secure technology, Vela, and a financial stipend – all to ensure that their loved ones can receive care in the comfort of their home. In 2020, Seniorlink’s Caregiver Homes Structured Family Caregiving program was awarded three-year Accreditation for Case Management with Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Distinction from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest level of achievement given by the organization. Caregiver Homes was the first home- and community-based service organization in the U.S. to receive this NCQA accreditation when it was originally awarded in 2017.

The survey also demonstrated that Seniorlink services helped to improve both coordination of care as well as social determinants of health (SDoH). These results were particularly important given the isolated environment in which many families lived during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic because of restrictions limiting access to extended family, friends and other activities previously found enjoyable. Notable among the survey results:

• 92.7 percent of caregivers reported that Seniorlink was very helpful or somewhat helpful in addressing social determinants of health.
• 96.6 percent of caregivers indicated that Seniorlink was very or somewhat helpful in coordinating the services and supports needed in the home.

“We are delighted with the results from caregivers and consumers, and we are grateful to our compassionate care teams who provide care management to families in our program,” said Katherine Tardiff, Senior Vice President, Clinical Programs and Services. “Given the technology we had in place before the pandemic, we were able to pivot to a fully remote model during COVID-19. These results prove the resilience of a care model that engages family caregivers who are critical to the delivery of care. This November is National Family Caregiving month, and it represents an opportunity to pay homage to the 53 million family caregivers across the U.S. who dedicate themselves to caring for loved ones at home.”