Programs helping elderly with housing and healthcare, and other letters

Regarding the recent online Guest Commentary “Addressing the nexus of housing and healthcare” (ModernHealthcare.com, June 17), the work being done by the Bipartisan Policy Center's Health and Housing Task Force is on target. As CEO of InnovAge, a provider of health and housing services to older adults, I see the need every day, from the lack of safe and affordable community housing to inexpensive fixes for an older adult's own home to the necessity and ability to wrap healthcare services around aging adults no matter where they live. The demand exists.

Bringing the services together remains a challenge; the way the nation cares for the elderly is disjointed at best. But through the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly at adult day centers like ours, we've been able to bridge the gap to some extent by wrapping participants in critical-care coordination services while they continue to age in place. We provide medical and dental care, rehabilitation, meals, transportation, activities and much more. It's a step in the right direction, but we still have a way to go to serve all the elderly who need our help.

Maureen Hewitt

About the recent Vital Signs blog post “The devil is in the details of mental health laws” (ModernHealthcare.com, June 17), lawmakers working together is good news. But they need to work faster and more collaboratively and not self-serve by injecting biased legislation. They need to ask themselves about the core issue and focus only on that.

Many might not know this unless they experience it within their own families, but people with mental illness also frequently experience devastating physical illnesses, which can profoundly affect families. Along with these illnesses, the cost to our country alone, if ignored, will be equally devastating. We can't revel in the fact that our lawmakers are finally working together. It's not enough, but it's a start.

Howard Mann