WRI Past Projects . . .

Aging and Adult Services

Evaluation of the Older Refugee Demonstration Project — Based on its experience in case management for refugees, WRI evaluated a special employment project for entrants whose age posed a barrier to employment. Recent immigrants from certain regions included an increasing number of older people, and those aged 45 or older who faced unique problems in adjusting to American society. Such problems included high unemployment rates and a large proportion on public assistance. To address this situation, the State Department of Social Services funded a number of voluntary agencies in New York City to provide an array of special services to older refugees. In 1989, WRI served as project monitor and evaluator of these service programs.

Growing Older in New York City in the 1990's — WRI staff worked closely with production staff from the New York Community Trust and with researchers from Fordham University and Columbia University to organize, standardize, and complete a set of research reports based on a survey of New York City elderly in 1990. Published in September 1993, the five-volume study examined older New Yorkers in terms of demographics and economics, quality of life, impact of health problems, family and community support systems, and life space, environment, and crime in New York City as a place of residence.

Training to Optimize the Use of Medicare by Skilled Nursing Facilities — To identify Medicaid eligibility of patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in 1989 the New York State Department of Social Services contracted with the Hospital Association of New York and WRI to provide comprehensive training related to Medicare eligibility to 3,000 SNF staff. Using a variety of training approaches, the project sought to enhance staff's abilities to identify Medicare-eligible patients, document that eligibility, and prepare cases for appeal when federal support is denied.