Papa, CDPHP team up to provide social assistance to New York’s vulnerable populations

ALBANY, N.Y. » Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. (CDPHP) is collaborating with Papa — a curated platform of companionship and support for older adults, families, and other vulnerable populations — to address the social needs of its members.

The joint effort offers a new approach to combating loneliness and isolation and its significant impact on health.

As of Jan. 1, 2022, Papa’s companionship and care services are available to all 48,000 CDPHP individual and group Medicare Advantage members.

CDPHP and Papa are both committed to supporting the distinct health needs of adults over 65 who want to live independently at home.

CDPHP aims to provide its Medicare Advantage members with nonmedical assistance to support both physical and mental wellbeing by addressing social isolation, loneliness, transportation barriers and gaps in care.

This new collaboration with Papa is an example of the CDPHP commitment to addressing the social determinants of health and their effects on members’ physical and mental wellbeing. In addition, with seniors spending more time at home due to the pandemic, CDPHP partners with Landmark Health, whose clinical services seek to address the needs of elderly, chronically ill members via house calls by medical professionals. The addition of Papa’s services to these existing efforts are meant to reduce the social isolation homebound individuals feel each and every day.

Nearly half of all United States seniors described themselves as lonely in a survey by researchers at the University of California San Francisco, and one quarter described themselves as socially isolated in research done by the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine.

Beyond the stereotype of the lonely older adult, there are health consequences to loneliness and social isolation for many populations.

To address this, Papa pairs its trained workforce, called “Papa Pals,” with older adults and others who stand to benefit from companionship and everyday assistance, meeting needs that promote one’s health, but are non-medical in nature — ranging from technical assistance, meal preparation, light housework, transportation, and, of course, social interaction. This support also lessens the stress on family caregivers.

“Perhaps more than any other condition, loneliness and isolation widen the gap between healthy, independent living and the marginalization that leads to health challenges,” Papa founder and CEO Andrew Parker said in a press release. “Through our relationship with CDPHP, our Pals can assess firsthand social determinants of health needs and help address these far too common barriers to health and vitality. CDPHP is a leader in providing high-quality, affordable and accessible health care, along with innovative solutions that enable their members to live their healthiest lives. We’re proud to be a part of their members’ health care journey.”

CDPHP’s president and CEO John D. Bennett, MD, added, “After nearly two years of a global pandemic that has changed life as we all know it, the loneliness and isolation felt by our community’s seniors is palpable. Collaborating with Papa will enable us to impact members’ lives in a significant way by addressing those concerns, plus transportation barriers, gaps in care, and so much more. I applaud Papa for their innovative approach to ensuring our seniors can continue to live healthy, meaningful, independent lives.”

Papa will consult with members to learn about their individual needs, and in which ways a Papa Pal can provide the most help.

More information about Papa is available online at papa.com.