Intermountain Healthcare Launches New Life Care Model for Seniors at HLTH 2018

Intermountain Healthcare is entering into a partnership with Minneapolis-based Lifesprk to launch a new life care model for seniors that is designed to keep them healthy and living fuller, more independent lives while significantly reducing emergency room and hospital visits. The partnership between Intermountain and Lifesprk, known as Homespire, will include private-pay home care options like non-medical services that are essential to daily living outside of a care facility. Homespire will be available in the Salt Lake Valley starting this month and will expand throughout Utah over the next year. 

“As the total number of seniors in our area increases significantly and the number of family members that are care givers continues to shrink, we’re anticipating a gap in the care we’re able to provide our aging population,” said Kim Henrichsen, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Executive for Intermountain Healthcare. “Lifesprk, which is a 14-year old company that’s served more than 14,000 clients in Minnesota, has a proven model that delivers on our mutual vision of enabling seniors to remain in their homes longer by living healthy, independent lives.” 

Lifesprk has proven to reduce emergency room visits by 47.8 percent and hospital visits by 56.8 percent, which translates into significant cost savings for each senior over their lifetime. 

“What we have statistically proven is that providing care that encompasses the whole person, not just their medical condition, is the key to helping them achieve their healthiest self,” said Joel Theisen, founder and CEO of Lifesprk and President and CEO for Homespire. “It’s shifting the health care paradigm from sick care to well care. This model is about rethinking the overall delivery of care for our aging population and surrounding them with a community of people who advocate and anticipate their needs so we can prevent or minimize health crisis.” 

Homespire will execute the Lifesprk model which assigns each client a Homespire Life Care Manager who is a registered nurse and serves as a trusted advocate in the home for the individual. The Life Care Manager, who offer 24/7 on-call coverage, works closely with the client, the family, and with Intermountain care management teams to develop and execute a Life Plan that consists of the seven essential elements of well-being. 

• Health and wellness
• Social supports
• Purpose and passion
• Thinking and memory
• Home and safety
• Finances
• Identity 

“Data shows that 90 percent of the factors that cause a re-hospitalization are outside of the scope of the medical model,” Theisen said. “There’s really no source in the community anymore that helps address those outside factors on an ongoing basis. That’s why our Life Care Manager role is so important and has been critical to driving the successful outcomes for our clients. Our Life Care Managers are highly trained in developing a Life Plan that tackles life challenges and adds purpose and passion so each person can live what we call a sparked life."

While Utah remains one of the youngest states in the nation, according to state data in the next 25 years, the 65-plus population will double both in number and as a percentage of the state’s population. In addition, the 85-plus group in Utah grew 60 percent from 1990 to 2000 and is expected to grow 800 percent from 2006 to 2050.

“We truly believe a program like Homespire meets the Utah 2030 plan and Intermountain’s vision to keep the aging population engaged, involved, and contributing to the community,” said Henrichsen. “As the total number of seniors in our area increases significantly and the number of family members who are caregivers continues to decline, this service will fill an important need for our community.”

Homespire, using the Lifesprk model, will be one of the only private-pay providers in the nation measuring outcomes and providing proven results that are transforming the industry.

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About Intermountain Healthcare

Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, 180 clinics, a Medical Group with some 1,500 employed physicians, a health plan called SelectHealth, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare through high quality and sustainable costs. For more information about Intermountain, visit intermountainhealthcare.org.

About Lifesprk

One of the fastest growing companies in Minneapolis, Lifesprk is the leading provider of Life Care services in the country and has become a national catalyst for change in the post-acute / senior services arena. As a premium home care provider, Lifesprk excels at providing short- and long-term care with a focus on sparking lives wherever seniors call home. Their proven whole person senior care model goes beyond traditional home care options to dramatically reduce ER and hospital visits, translating into significantly lower long-term costs and improved outcomes for clients. For more information about Lifesprk, visit www.lifesprk.com or call 952-345-8770.

About Homespire

Homespire is a partnership with Intermountain Healthcare and Minneapolis-based Lifesprk to offer Life Care services with private-pay home care capabilities. The Homespire Experience offers a whole person senior care approach that goes beyond traditional home care to transform care for seniors and families to help seniors thrive at home, reduce the need for care, lower long-term costs, and live a sparked life. For more information, visit www.HomespireHealth.com or call 801-503-3200.