Marshall and UC Davis Health Partner with AKT Development to Launch Pilot Program for Older Adults in Georgetown

Project will inform efforts for future “Community for Health and Independence.”

Placerville, California(November 29, 2023)–Marshall, in partnership with UC Davis Health have announced plans for a pilot program in Georgetown to learn how utilizing home-based healthcare technology can help older adults and people with disabilities live healthier, more independent lives and better manage their health conditions at home. The program is made possible by a $175,000 grant from Sacramento-based AKT Development.

“Our Georgetown residents experience many of the same healthcare disparities seen across the country with rural populations and older residents in particular,” says Dr. Martin Entwistle, Associate Chief Medical Officer and VP Population Health and Ancillary Services at Marshall. “While the use of this type of technology has been implemented successfully in other communities and patient populations, Marshall can expand the use of technology to better support individual health needs specific to the Georgetown community – which can also help advance the health of older adults in many other communities in our region and nationwide.”

The project aims to equip providers, patients, caregivers, and lawmakers with tangible data that supports using technology to better manage health disparities for residents including chronic disease, issues with mobility, and other socioeconomic barriers to care.

"It is wonderful to see this exciting pilot program in Georgetown,” says Lori Parlin, County Supervisor for the district. “Residents often say that they want to stay in their existing home to live out their golden years and this type of technology could assist those with medical needs do just that: age in place.”

Participants in the program will be supported by way of check-ins with a Marshall provider to help keep on track with health goals and to address other needs such as timely medication refills, appointment reminders, and help with transportation. The program will make use of technology capable of direct two-way dialogue between provider and patient that can help collect other useful information such as activity, appetite, and pain measurements.

“I applaud Marshall, AKT Development, and UC Davis Health for collaborating on this innovative pilot,” says Wendy Thomas, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for El Dorado County. “Through strategic technology and this collaborative partnership, just maybe we can help our residents live longer in a place they love while helping them stay safe and healthy throughout their lives.”

AKT provided funding for this project, as they are a critical partner in understanding aging in place. For example, a future “Community for Health and Independence” development planned by UC Davis Health and AKT will be a first-in-the-world community that will benefit from pilots like this in the Georgetown community.

“That university-planned community will allow older people and people with disabilities to live independently in technology-enabled homes designed with healthcare in mind,” said AKT spokesperson Bill Romanelli. “This pilot program in Georgetown with Marshall will deliver valuable information to help with designing a community for people to live longer, healthier lives.”

UC Davis Health’s role is helping evaluate the project's effectiveness through the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, led by Dr. Courtney Lyles, PhD. With support from graduate student Pauline Martinez, CHPR and the team at Marshall will assess the project using human-centered design approaches, and help identify opportunities and technologies that offer the most promise in assisting with the development of a healthy living community.

Organizers of the pilot cite the need to serve a growing aging population across the country with more dynamic options for care. In the Sacramento region, the adult population aged 60 years and older is projected to increase by 78% in the next decade. Those turning 65 years old between 2015 and 2019 are expected to live an average of 23.6 years, with 4.5 of those years spent with one or more activity-of-daily-living (ADL) limitations. The development and design of the planned residential community will consider lessons learned from the program to inform best practices and identify potential challenges.

The pilot program is currently in the preliminary stages of identifying and training staff, with a formal launch anticipated in early 2024.

About Marshall

Marshall is an independent, nonprofit community healthcare provider located in the heart of the Sierra Foothills. Marshall includes Marshall Hospital, a fully accredited acute care facility with 111 beds in Placerville; and several outpatient facilities in Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills and Georgetown. Marshall has more than 220 licensed practitioners and 1,500 employees providing quality healthcare services to the residents of El Dorado County.