Johns Hopkin’s CAPABLE study is reaching out to 800 low-income residents of Baltimore to gather data on whether simple interventions can allow people to remain in their homes longer. The CAPABLE project – which stands for Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders – was created by Sarah Szanton, a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and focuses on simple home modifications and strategies for completing activities of daily living.
The research project will bring handymen, occupational therapists and nurses to residents’ homes in order to investigate their needs and create custom interventions. The cost is about $4,000 per participant, while the average cost for nursing home care in the U.S. is $6,700 a month. Keeping people in their homes longer can have huge economic benefit and healthcare benefits, which is why the study is being funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services along with the National Institutes of Health.