[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 3 (Friday, January 5, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E30]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CIRCLE OF ELDERLY CARE

                                 ______


                          HON. MARTIN R. HOKE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 5, 1996

  Mr. HOKE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention 
of my colleagues an exciting new program that has been established in 
northeast Ohio.

       The Circle of Elderly care represents an innovative, model 
     program of private and public community-based enterprises 
     working together for our senior citizens. After two years of 
     developing this program, Bertha (Betty) Villanueva, an owner 
     of Indian Hills Senior Community, Inc., one of the largest 
     privately owned, low income, senior community living 
     complexes in the United States, has accomplished a creative 
     and successful working network of programs and services for 
     senior citizens to benefit from available local community 
     resources.
       Mrs.Villanueva identified the need for a comprehensive 
     program of services to suit the unique needs of our senior 
     citizens, such as medical, social and transportation 
     services. She then initiated efforts to bring together public 
     and private entities to develop a network of quality services 
     for senior citizens. The result is the Circle of Elderly 
     Care.
       At the center of the CIRCLE is Indian Hills Senior 
     Community, located in Euclid, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland) 
     consisting of 37 acres of land, and an unsubsidized apartment 
     complex which includes 10 residential buildings. Its 1,574 
     units are designed for senior citizens (55 and over) who can 
     live independently. Not only does Indian Hills provide 
     housing to its residents, but also a broad spectrum of 
     services including health, security, transportation, social 
     and entertainment services. The Indian Hills complex also 
     includes Silverpointe, located in one of the Indian Hills 
     buildings, which is an assisted-living facility, with three 
     levels of assisted care available, thus providing residential 
     alternatives for those senior citizens who cannot live 
     totally independent. Across the street from the Indian Hills 
     residential complex is Indian Hills Plaza which consists of 
     several retail stores, including one of the largest drug 
     store chains, a restaurant, medical center, ambulance service 
     and senior day care, all of which are completely accessible 
     to Indian Hills residents.
       Now, due to Mrs. Villanueva efforts, over a dozen different 
     entities participate in the Circle of Elderly Care including:


                             city of euclid

       The City of Euclid has sponsored a seniors' program for its 
     residents including a program at the Emeritus House, a multi-
     purpose senior center located in the center of the Indian 
     Hills apartment complex. The program includes daily lunches 
     and meals for the homebound (sponsored through the Western 
     Reserve Area on Aging pursuant to the Older Americans Act), 
     recreational programs, free transportation to stores, 
     doctors, etc., social activities, income tax preparation 
     assistance and a senior employment program (sponsored through 
     AARP), among others. These services are offered at no charge 
     to Indian Hills residents.


                      indian hills nursing center

       The Indian Hills Nursing Center is a nursing home managed 
     by Integrated Health Services, Inc. and is located across the 
     street from the Indian Hills complex. It provides short and 
     long-term care for senior citizens, and works with Indian 
     Hills to assist Indian Hills' residents requiring a stay at 
     the Center to return to independent living at Indian Hills, 
     or assisted-living at Silverpointe. For example, Indian Hills 
     will hold an apartment open if a resident needs a short stay 
     in the Center.


               aetna senior choice, an aetna health plan

       Aetna Senior Choice, a heath maintenance organization, 
     offers an alternative to Medicare and has a specific 
     representative designated to Medicare and has a specific 
     representative designated to work with Indian Hills 
     residents. This plan offers seniors no monthly premiums, 100 
     percent hospitalization coverage, no deductibles or co-
     insurance, 100 percent payment for well services, and a $5.00 
     physician in-office co-payment.


                   healthways, family medical centers

       HealthWays is a for-profit medical center affiliated with 
     Aetna, located in the Indian Hills Plaza which provides 24-
     hour emergency care, outpatient surgery, and comprehensive 
     medical care services offering a team approach to health 
     care. Not only does it accept the Aetna Senior Choice Plan, 
     but all other insurance as well including Medicare, and is 
     conveniently accessed by the Indian Hills residents.


                   university hospitals of cleveland

       This world-renowned medical facility has designated 
     geriatric social workers to assist Indian Hills residents 
     requiring medical treatment at University Hospitals. If an 
     Indian Hills resident is treated at the University Hospitals 
     emergency room, a University Hospitals social worker will 
     contact the Indian Hills nurse to coordinate the resident's 
     return from the hospital to his or her residence at Indian 
     Hills along with follow-up services. Additionally, University 
     Hospitals provides on-site seminars to Indian Hills residents 
     on seniors issues and provides various testing such as blood 
     pressure screenings, etc.


                        benjamin rose institute

       The Benjamin Rose Institute is a nationally recognized non-
     profit, Medicare/Medicaid certified agency providing services 
     to senior citizens on a sliding fee scale. BRI works with 
     Indian Hills to provide home health care for its residents 
     and also provides social services, counselling and mental 
     health services to enable senior citizens to maintain their 
     self-sufficiency  and independence. BRI has an office located 
     at Indian Hills staffed by social workers.


                      mt. sinai health care system

       This nationally recognized medical facility (named the 
     number one hospital by Cleveland Health Quality Choice) works 
     with Indian Hills to provide on-site lectures by physicians 
     on geriatric related issues, and various medical screenings. 
     A specific emergency room physician has been designated at 
     Mt. Sinai to treat all Indian Hills residents to foster close 
     contact between Mt. Sinai as the medical provider, and Indian 
     Hills as the residence of the patient.


                visiting nurse association of cleveland

       The Visiting Nurse Association of Cleveland is a non-profit 
     agency providing home health care to residents of Indian 
     Hills. The VNA has a social worker at Indian Hills two days a 
     week to assist in coordinating home health care, mental 
     health, social services and rehabilitation therapies. This 
     social worker serves as the primary coordinator for Indian 
     Hills residents with all of the other programs described 
     here.


                        tri-city ambulance, inc.

       This for-profit entity is located at Indian Hills Plaza and 
     rovides 24-hour emergency medical transportation staffed by 
     licensed Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. In 
     addition, it has a wheelchair van service which offers 
     transportation to Indian Hills residents for dialysis and 
     other medical needs, and it offers Indian Hills residents a 
     reduced price for its transportation services.


                          laurelwood hospital

       This non-profit psychiatric hospital provides in-patient 
     care and outpatient counseling to senior citizens. Laurelwood 
     Hospital has opened an office on Indian Hills' premises which 
     is staffed by two geriatric psychiatrists. The psychiatrists 
     provide psychiatric treatment for Indian Hills residents 
     whether at the resident's apartment, or in the office, 
     thereby providing complete accessibility to the senior 
     citizens of Indian Hills.


        cuyahoga county department of senior and adult services

       This Medicare/Medicaid certified program sponsored by 
     Cuyahoga County, Ohio, provides adult protective services, 
     and skilled home health care services including nursing, 
     physical and speech therapy and nutrition counselling. The 
     County has designated a specific person to coordinate its 
     available services with Indian Hills residents.


                         other medical services

       Indian Hills also has a dental office on the premises 
     staffed by a dentist offering free dental exams, apartment 
     calls and a discount to Indian Hills' residents. 
     Additionally, it has a podiatrist with an office onsite 
     offering discounted podiatry services to Indian Hills 
     residents at their apartment or the office.


                           american red cross

       The American Red Cross provides CPR and first aid training, 
     disaster planning and blood pressure screenings on-site for 
     Indian Hills' residents.
       This comprehensive model of care reflects the innovative 
     networking of community agencies/services working towards a 
     common goal--to give our senior citizens a choice of 
     affordable, quality services and the ability to retain their 
     dignity and independence. The Circle of Elderly Care, with 
     Indian Hills as its focal point is a novel and workable 
     concept utilizing available community resources to serve our 
     senior citizens.

  I urge all my colleagues to give this information wide dissemination 
in their own districts.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

                          ____________________