Homepage
-- Programs and Services -- Contact Information Inside Elder Services
The following letter was delivered to Senator Kennedy during his November visit to Pittsfield for the dedication of the Intermodal Transportation Center.
Senator
Edward M. Kennedy
2400 JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
Dear Senator Kennedy:
From 1990 to 2000, the number of Berkshire County residents age 75 and over grew by 16.5% while the overall countywide population declined by 3.2%. As the number of individuals age 75 and older continues to grow so will their need for Meals on Wheels, Home Care Services, and access to affordable prescription medications.
On behalf of Elder Services of Berkshire County, I ask your support for the following:
1. Help obtain adequate funding for the Older Americans Act nutrition program so that the increasing number of needy homebound elders will be able to receive the hot nutritious noon time meals they need to continue to live in their own homes with dignity and independence. Federal funding has not kept pace with either the growing need or the increased costs for this vital program.
2. Amend the Medicare Modernization Act drug benefit to eliminate the “donut hole” that will be a financial hardship for many elders. The Act should also be amended to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices for its members (as the V.A. now does) and to allow elders to re-import prescription medications from Canada.
3. Continue the social insurance compact between generations (whereby today’s workers help pay for today’s retirees) by protecting Social Security from any “privatization” proposal, which would allow today’s workers to “opt out” of the system.
Thank you for all that you do for the elders of Berkshire County and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Dean
Executive Director