Support Services Lead to Reduction in Frequent Emergency Calls
A collaborative effort between the Santa Monica Fire Department and Wise&Healthy Aging to combat the growing challenge of non-emergency 9-1-1 calls from aging residents has proven successful since its pilot launch in 2023.
Now in full bloom, the goal of the program is to reduce strain on emergency services and improve the quality of life for older adults with chronic health issues, social isolation and other complex needs.
By co-locating a part-time WISE care manager at the fire department, emergency responders can identify and refer adults that need short or long-term health management services;to proactively manage the frequency these individuals need to call emergency responders.
“During the pilot, we found our paramedics who were engaging with these folksneeded services from our community partners,” said Patrick Nulty, SMFD’s Emergency Medical Services Battalion Chief, “WISE became a very strong partner of ours to provide dedicated, nuanced services that connect folks with services they need.”
To measure success, SMFD identified a group of 40 people in need of support services that frequently called 9-1-1 over a six-month period. They found that six months after receiving direct case management from WISE, there was an 86% reduction in calls from those individuals.
“This has been a missing piece of the puzzle for us at the fire department providing emergency medical services in our community. This tool is widely accepted by our paramedics who especially appreciate that they can go into a person’s home and have a solution for them,” Nulty said.
The reduction in non-emergency 9-1-1 calls is a big win. Dr. Anat Louis, PsyD, Vice President of Care Management at WISE says that collaborating with the Santa Monica Fire Department has helped identify and find the right services for vulnerable individuals before their living situation becomes unsustainable.
Other core objectives of this program include preventing homelessness by addressing the root causes that lead to housing instability such as chronic health issues andsafety at home to avoid hospitalization,as well as hoarding that can lead to eviction, which ultimately reduces health and medical costs.
“With this partnership, we connect people to proper support within WISE and the community and help them maintain aging in place independently for as long as possible without them getting hurt,” Louis said.
As the partnership continues, positive results have driven vulnerable people to receive support, sometimes in ways they didn’t know they needed it.
“Sometimes people aren’t aware they are depressed or anxious or have isolated for as long as they have. Whether that be because their spouse passed away, or because they are having mobility issues. Through WISE, they’re able to receive support and socially engage through activities, boosting their overall mental and physical state,” Louis said.
In the future, the fire department and WISE hopes others adapt this model to help support aging and improve the quality of life for vulnerable older adults.
“I hope this becomes a standard of care in more communities because you can really bridge the gap for a lot of people in need,” Nulty said.
Wise&Healthy Aging serves more than 20,000 older adults per year and is committed to improving the quality of life for seniors through services such as its Adult Day Center for older adults with memory loss and The Club, their senior center that provides a variety of social activities and classes to help older adults stay engaged and connected – and more.
To learn more about WISE, visit wiseandhealthyaging.org.
