Homepage
-- Programs and Services -- Contact Information
From the Director: Older Americans Month and the Budget Debate
by Robert P. Dean, Executive Director
May is Older Americans Month. This year’s theme, "Aging Well, Living Well", is in recognition of the many older Americans who are living longer, healthier, and more productive lives. The fact that many older Americans are enjoying increased longevity and health is something to celebrate.
Statistically, the elder population is very different now than it was forty-one years ago when the nation first recognized May as Older Americans Month. In 1963, there were 17 million Americans age 65 or older. Today, there are 44 million Americans age 60 or older, and 35.6 million age 65 or older, a 100% increase from 1963. In Berkshire County, 22.4% of the overall population is age 60 or older, while the number of people age 75 or older grew by 16.5% from 1990 to 2000.
By the year 2000, more than 2 million older Americans a year (5,574 a day) were celebrating their 65th birthday. The average life expectancy of a man or woman who celebrates a 65th birthday today is projected to be 81 years for a man and 84 years for a woman.
As we salute those who live and age well, we must not forget that many other older Americans need assistance to continue to live with dignity and independence. These people should be able to receive the level of service they need to continue to live in their own homes if that is their preference. Recently, Elder Services Legislative Liaison Committee sent a letter to Senator Nuciforo, and to Representatives Bosley, Kelly, Larkin, and Pignatelli. This letter, which appears on page 3, asks them to support five measures during the upcoming budget debate. Each of these measures honors an elder’s preference to remain in his or her own home. For example, the Dollars Follow The Person Bill (H.1302)(S.767), will give an eligible elder the choice of where to receive his or her care by guaranteeing that the money that pays for the care will follow the elder to wherever the elder is served. Another measure seeks to raise the income and asset levels of the Commonwealth’s Medicaid community-based waiver program to the federal level. Currently, the waiver program is available only to a limited number of lower-income elders who need a high level of in-home services to remain at home. By adjusting the state’s income and asset levels for the community-based waiver program to the higher federal level, additional elders will be eligible for this higher level of in-home services, and the state will receive 50% matching federal funding for the higher level of in-home services each additional elder will receive. Elders will be well served by each of these proposals.
As the Legislature continues its budget deliberations throughout the month of May, there will be discussion regarding these proposals and many other issues which relate to elders and the services they need. The manner in which our Commonwealth provides long term care services to elders ultimately affects us all. Now is the time to look at the menu of services currently available. Are you satisfied with what you see? Now is the time to make your voice heard.
Happy Mother’s Day.