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Full Life Care (formerly ElderHealth Northwest) 

Description

Full Life Care is on the leading edge of an effort to reduce dependence on nursing homes as a primary source of long term care.

Full Life has created a community-based care network with an array of services including:

  • Health care at adult day health centers
  • Rehabilitative therapy
  • Home care and chore service
  • Supported housing
  • Skilled case management
  • Meals
  • Visiting volunteers
Mission Statement

Full Life Care (formerly ElderHealth Northwest)* is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for frail elders and people with chronic or terminal illnesses and disabilities. We respect the dignity of our participants and provide for them with care and compassion. We are committed, through our program of health and social services, to the independence and well-being of all participants and providing respite for caregivers.

*ElderHealth Northwest has undergone a transformation in name only. We did not merge with another organization, and continue to offer our innovative array of programs and services under the same management and board of directors. Our new name better reflects our organization, its history and the population we serve. We are Full Life.  

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Full Life Care (formerly ElderHealth Northwest)
800 Jefferson St Ste 620 
Seattle 
WA
98104 
(206) 224-3749 

Nora Gibson 
Executive Director 

Programs

Full Life Care (formerly ElderHealth Northwest) Programs

Adult Day Health Centers provide a place where frail elders and individuals with serious disabilities can come for skilled health care and rehabilitative therapy that helps to maintain their independence. Without these services, many participants would need to rely on institutional care. Adult day health centers also foster a supportive social community that helps preserve participants dignity and quality of life.

Home Care (chore) services helps to keep people living in their own homes as long as possible. This service is delivered by skilled home care aids who provide assistance with a wide variety of everyday tasks such as cooking, shopping, cleaning, laundry, bathing and transportation.

Full Life has distinguished itself as a provider of mental health services. Over 1/3 of the individuals we serve have mental illness ranging from depression to schizophrenia. Treating mental health conditions often has a direct impact on individuals’ physical health and quality of life. Mental illness is an often-overlooked problem in the elder population in particular. Mental illness is often accepted as a normal part of aging yet it is as treatable in elders as in any age group.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Marian is 78 and has a variety of diagnosis including cirrhosis, respiratory disease and heart disease. She attends one of our adult day health programs where she receives health care and medication management from our nurses, gets meals, therapy and participates in the community that the day center fosters. She also gets help from Full Life at home with cooking, shopping, medication reminders, bathing and household chores. Without these services Marian would require nursing home care.

With cuts in government funding and reductions in foundation funding, Full Life is working harder than ever to raise funds to help pay for the care that we provide to our lowest income participants. Our greatest need right now is financial support to help pay for the health care and rehabilitation that we provide our clients every day.

Evaluation


Full Life Care provides community based long term care to individuals with chronic or terminal illnesses or disabilities. Their focus is to reduce dependence on nursing homes as a primary source of long term care.

Proven Success
Community-based long-term care provides a cost effective alternative to institutionalization or in-home nursing care. The annual cost of a nursing home, for example, is typically over $60,000. The average annual cost of adult day health services at Full Life is about $7,000.

The care that people receive at Full Life focuses on proactive health management, which helps to reduce the need for costly emergency hospital care. Too often the health care that elders receive, especially those who are low-income, is in response to a health emergency or setback.

60 – 70% of the overall population Full Life serves is nursing home eligible and might otherwise be living in an institution. 100% have a chronic illness, terminal illness or serious disability and 100% are living in non-institutional settings. 98% of those they served last year were able to maintain their independence and their health.

Use of Best Practices
Full Life uses a new evidence-based exercise program that has been proven to be successful in helping maintain the strength, balance and functioning of participants. This program is the foundation of their exercise programs that clients use on a daily basis.

The agency has hired their own mental health specialists and is able to dedicate time to clients with mental health challenges.

Sustainability
Full Life has been recognized nationally as an innovative leader in the field of adult day-health care and have been selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Brookdale Foundation, among others, to serve as a model for new programs that are starting up across the country.

Financial Health
About 85% of their funding comes from government sources such as Medicaid. Government funding does not cover the full expense of the care that they provide. In 2010 they weathered large budget cuts by consolidating programs, and increasing their efforts in event fundraising. They continue to reach out to private donors for support and work to attract clients who have the capacity to pay privately for the care they receive.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
12/10/2011 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/10/2010 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/10/2009 $25,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/14/2006 $35,000.00support facility renovation for a new adult day health center in South King County and improvement upgrades to the location in Columbia City.
12/16/2004 $25,000.00support facility renovation for a new adult day health center.

Financials

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