NSMC News Releases

SALEM, MA – Salem Hospital, through collaborations with AgeSpan and Greater Lynn Senior Services (GLSS), will benefit from a $150,000 grant that aims to expand the state’s hospital to home program.

The funds, announced by the governor’s office earlier this month, will be used to provide specialized expertise to Salem Hospital that will support discharges directly to a patient’s home, rather than to a skilled nursing facility or other long-term care setting.

“These funds will be a huge benefit to our patients, hospital, and the community,” said Lee Ann Baldini, director of case management at Salem Hospital. “Not only will more patients be able to return directly home, instead of being sent to a skilled facility, but we will also be able to discharge them faster – allowing greater access to other members of the community who need their beds.”

The money is intended for AgeSpan and GLSS to hire personnel who work with Salem Hospitalto connect patients and their families with resources and services that ensure appropriate supports are put into place in their homes upon discharge. The grant money was part of $1.1 million in awards announced this month for acute care hospitals and Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs), like AgeSpan and GLSS, across Massachusetts.

“This grant provides community-based organizations, such as AgeSpan, an opportunity to strengthen our relationships with hospital systems and assure patients receive a well-coordinated discharge plan that supports their needs in community-based settings”, said AgeSpan CEO Joan Hatem-Roy.

There are 24 regional ASAPs throughout Massachusetts that provide programs and services designed specifically to support older adults in the community. The organizations provide support and assistance with healthcare options, food security, housing, financial wellness, transportation, and safety, among others.

Funding for the grant was provided by the American Rescue Plan Act.