-- Programs and Services -- Contact InformationHomepage
From the Director
Older Americans Month and the state budget debate
By Robert P. Dean
May is Older Americans Month. This year’s theme “Making Choices for a Healthier Future,” recognizes the need to ensure that older Americans are treated with dignity and respect, and have the opportunity to make the choices they desire to enjoy a healthy and rewarding life. When we discuss older Americans and choice, it is important that we recognize the overwhelming preference of older Americans to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
As you may know, the Governor has submitted his proposed budget for state fiscal year 2008, which begins on July 1, 2007, to the Massachusetts Legislature for its review and recommendations. The House made its initial recommendations in April. The Senate is expected to make its recommendations in May, at which point a conference committee comprised of House and Senate members will meet to reconcile any differences between the House and Senate versions. Once the House and Senate approve the revised budget it is expected to return to the Governor in June for his approval, or his veto of any recommendations that he so chooses. As the House and Senate continue their budget deliberations, we have an important opportunity to support the overwhelming preference of Massachusetts seniors to remain in their own homes and communities by encouraging the Legislature to provide an appropriate level of funding for the home and community based services seniors need, so that they will have a true choice as to whether they will receive their long-term care services at home or in an institution. As we consider this opportunity, we should keep in mind that it costs less to provide long-term care services at home than it does in an institution. The following budget priorities are designed to recognize the overwhelming preference of seniors to live at home and in the community for as long as possible. These priorities need to receive a sufficient level of increased funding if their preference is to be honored:
1. Elder Lunch Program - Meals on Wheels (line item 9110-1900). Last year Elder Services prepared almost 260,000 meals in our Lanesboro kitchen - an average of more than 1,000 meals a day Monday through Friday. Our Meals on Wheels drivers traveled over 224,000 miles to deliver more than 208,000 of these meals to homebound seniors - an increase of 5,000 home delivered meals from the year before. The remaining 51,000 meals were served at 14 lunch sites throughout the county. This program provides a lifeline for Berkshire seniors and has been under funded for years, while the cost of preparing, serving, and delivering the meals has continued to increase.
2. Home Care and Care Management (line items 9110-1630 and 9110-1633). The Home Care program provides in-home assistance with personal care needs such as dressing, bathing, and bathroom assistance, and with homemaking.
3. Enhanced Community Options Program - ECOP (line item 9110-1500). The ECOP program provides a higher or enhanced level of the in-home services provided by the Home Care program. Both programs serve lower income Berkshire seniors who are not yet financially eligible for MassHealth. The seniors served by the ECOP program are clinically eligible for a nursing home, but are able to remain at home and receive the long-term care services they need in their own home. Here in Berkshire County, we are serving more than 1,000 seniors a month in our Home Care and ECOP programs. Appropriate funding must be available to meet the need for these services and to avoid waiting lists. No one should have to wait to receive services for which they are eligible.
4. Councils on Aging - COAs (line item 9110-9002). Services provided by Berkshire County Councils on Aging include information and referral, transportation, outreach, food distribution programs, health education and screening, and fitness, social, and recreational opportunities. Under the current funding formula, each COA is allocated $6.30 per senior per year. It is hoped that this amount can be increased to at least $7.00 per senior per year.
5. Protective Services (line item 9110-0600). Elder Services is one of 24 agencies statewide that form a first line of defense for seniors by investigating allegations of physical and verbal abuse, financial exploitation, and self-neglect. This past year more than 13,000 allegations of elder abuse were reported in Massachusetts. This is an increase of 16.9% from the year before. Vulnerable, at-risk seniors must be protected.
6. SHINE - Serving Health Information Needs of Elders (line item 9110-1455). Statewide this past year, more than 400 volunteer SHINE counselors counseled 52,000 seniors, and provided an additional 75,000 people with information at educational forums. This represents a 37% increase in counseling contacts from the year before. There needs to be sufficient funding for full time SHINE Coordinators to train and oversee these SHINE volunteers.
7. Mental Health Services (line item 9110-1640). Twenty percent of seniors in the community experience symptoms of depression. Seventeen percent of seniors misuse or abuse alcohol or their prescription medications. Almost two thirds of seniors with a mental illness do not receive services. Seniors have the highest suicide rate of any age group, with persons age 85 or older having a suicide rate that is almost double the general population. Sufficient Mental Health services must be available to seniors who face debilitating often chronic mental health issues.
As we celebrate Older Americans Month this May, what better way to honor Massachusetts seniors than to provide adequate funding for the services they need to continue to live in their own homes and communities - which is where they truly want to be.
Robert P. Dean is Executive Director of Elder Services
Berkshire County State Legislators
• Rep. Daniel Bosley (1st District): 617-722-2370 & 413-663-7486
rep.danielbosley@hou.state.ma.us
• Rep. Denis Guyer (2nd District) 617-722-2400 & 413-684-0033
rep.denisguyer@hou.state.ma.us
• Rep. Christopher Speranzo (3rd District) 617-722-2080 & 413-447-7225
rep.christophersperanzo@hou.state.ma.us
• Rep. Smitty Pignatelli (4th District) 617-722-2879 & 413-243-5534
rep.smittypignatelli@hou.state.ma.us
• Senator Benjamin Downing, 617-722-1625 & 413-442-4008