Guest guest Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Read this and tell me if it sounds like a familiar story -- except take out 'senior citizens' and insert 'adults with disabilities'. Shouldn't we somehow be partnering with the folks who are advocating for seniors to stay in their homes??? This article is by Bonnie Rubin and also appeared in today's Chicago Tribune. State budget pressure threatens to cut senior support services Critics: Pared program may force more elderly into nursing homes After leaving an adult day center, Darsee Fortner, 89, heads for home with her son Karl. She lives with her daughter, Marjorie. (Tribune photo by Terrence / October 7, 2009) By Bonnie Rubin Tribune reporter October 13, 2009 Marjorie Fortner brings her 89-year-old mother to Addus Adult Day Center in Homewood every morning. For the mom, the program means someone will make sure she has a hot meal, takes her medication and socializes with others. For Fortner, it means that she can go to work every morning, knowing her mom is safe. " Without it, I couldn't earn a living, " said the lawyer, whose mother suffers from Alzheimer's and congestive heart failure. " She can't be left alone. " But starting next month, both may lose that sense of security. Under pressure to slash costs, the Illinois Department on Aging needs to reduce $18 million from a program that allows seniors to stay in their communities, either through adult day programs or with hired homemakers who help with meal preparation, laundry and other chores. The scaling back of support, advocates say, will send senior citizens to nursing homes, ultimately costing taxpayers more money. " Thousands of elderly depend on the state to provide these services so they can remain in their own homes, " said Vinkler, associate state director for AARP. " We're looking too narrowly at how we do long-term care in Illinois. " The Community Care Program assists 57,000 seniors statewide, and no one argues that these support services ( with a state reimbursement rate of $860 a month) are more cost-effective than a nursing home ($3,525 a month). Research shows that when government funding for such community-based programs is reduced, participants end up using more expensive alternatives. But the program's budget is $553 million -- about $18 million short of what the Department on Aging requested. " Given the economic times, " said Director D. , " I think we did about as well as we could do. " Still, the department sent out e-mails to more than 300 providers last week, alerting them to potential program changes that could be implemented by Nov. 1 and prompting AARP to set up a hot line, urging families to contact the governor's office. understands why the thought of losing a single dollar for vulnerable citizens is upsetting, but stops short of calling any proposed revisions a " cut. " " What we're trying to do is create some efficiencies in the program ... and be consistent across the state, " said , who has met with families and other consumer groups. To be eligible for Community Care, seniors must meet income and health criteria showing that they are sufficiently disabled to qualify for institutional placement. Currently, many clients receive the maximum amount of services even though their need may be less; for example, five hours of personal assistance when three or four would suffice. Re-evaluating how help is allocated would allow the program to stretch resources to accommodate a burgeoning population. " We're not going to do anything that puts people in danger ... or in a nursing home, " said. But advocates are not so sure. Whitfield, director at the Homewood facility, said it doesn't take much to send one of her 82 clients -- who struggle with a wide range of physical and cognitive impairments -- into a downward spiral. A van driver might be the first to notice that " Mrs. doesn't look right today, " or one of the on-site nurses may keep a cold from turning into pneumonia, Whitfield said. Her observation was confirmed by a recent University of Michigan study. " Cutting funds to home care programs can increase utilization of other more costly services, thus offsetting potential health care savings, " according to the findings, published in the journal The Gerontologist. Even before the state's fiscal woes, Community Care was already underfunded, said Whitfield, adding that any further reductions might require her to trim staff or hours of operation. Ernie Pilnikov, co-owner of Forever Young Adult Day Services, predicts an even more dire scenario. After reviewing the numbers, his income would drop by 44 percent, he said. " This is very shortsighted, " he said. " We'd have no choice but to close our doors. " Pilnikov's two sites in Wheeling and Lincolnwood serve 700 senior citizens, mostly from the Russian community who speak little or no English. While there's plenty of medical care and food, the interaction with peers is the most nourishing, said Leonid Gross, who has arthritis and early-stage Alzheimer's. " I used to be able to drive, to go places ... but not anymore, " the 80-year-old said through an interpreter. A widower, Gross is at the Lincolnwood facility just once a week -- to play billiards and go to the park -- but losing even that small amount of social time would compromise his quality of life, he said. " Without the center, I don't know how I'd cope, " Gross said. " This is where my friends are. " brubin@... , Chicago Tribune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Read this and tell me if it sounds like a familiar story -- except take out 'senior citizens' and insert 'adults with disabilities'. Shouldn't we somehow be partnering with the folks who are advocating for seniors to stay in their homes??? This article is by Bonnie Rubin and also appeared in today's Chicago Tribune. State budget pressure threatens to cut senior support services Critics: Pared program may force more elderly into nursing homes After leaving an adult day center, Darsee Fortner, 89, heads for home with her son Karl. She lives with her daughter, Marjorie. (Tribune photo by Terrence / October 7, 2009) By Bonnie Rubin Tribune reporter October 13, 2009 Marjorie Fortner brings her 89-year-old mother to Addus Adult Day Center in Homewood every morning. For the mom, the program means someone will make sure she has a hot meal, takes her medication and socializes with others. For Fortner, it means that she can go to work every morning, knowing her mom is safe. " Without it, I couldn't earn a living, " said the lawyer, whose mother suffers from Alzheimer's and congestive heart failure. " She can't be left alone. " But starting next month, both may lose that sense of security. Under pressure to slash costs, the Illinois Department on Aging needs to reduce $18 million from a program that allows seniors to stay in their communities, either through adult day programs or with hired homemakers who help with meal preparation, laundry and other chores. The scaling back of support, advocates say, will send senior citizens to nursing homes, ultimately costing taxpayers more money. " Thousands of elderly depend on the state to provide these services so they can remain in their own homes, " said Vinkler, associate state director for AARP. " We're looking too narrowly at how we do long-term care in Illinois. " The Community Care Program assists 57,000 seniors statewide, and no one argues that these support services ( with a state reimbursement rate of $860 a month) are more cost-effective than a nursing home ($3,525 a month). Research shows that when government funding for such community-based programs is reduced, participants end up using more expensive alternatives. But the program's budget is $553 million -- about $18 million short of what the Department on Aging requested. " Given the economic times, " said Director D. , " I think we did about as well as we could do. " Still, the department sent out e-mails to more than 300 providers last week, alerting them to potential program changes that could be implemented by Nov. 1 and prompting AARP to set up a hot line, urging families to contact the governor's office. understands why the thought of losing a single dollar for vulnerable citizens is upsetting, but stops short of calling any proposed revisions a " cut. " " What we're trying to do is create some efficiencies in the program ... and be consistent across the state, " said , who has met with families and other consumer groups. To be eligible for Community Care, seniors must meet income and health criteria showing that they are sufficiently disabled to qualify for institutional placement. Currently, many clients receive the maximum amount of services even though their need may be less; for example, five hours of personal assistance when three or four would suffice. Re-evaluating how help is allocated would allow the program to stretch resources to accommodate a burgeoning population. " We're not going to do anything that puts people in danger ... or in a nursing home, " said. But advocates are not so sure. Whitfield, director at the Homewood facility, said it doesn't take much to send one of her 82 clients -- who struggle with a wide range of physical and cognitive impairments -- into a downward spiral. A van driver might be the first to notice that " Mrs. doesn't look right today, " or one of the on-site nurses may keep a cold from turning into pneumonia, Whitfield said. Her observation was confirmed by a recent University of Michigan study. " Cutting funds to home care programs can increase utilization of other more costly services, thus offsetting potential health care savings, " according to the findings, published in the journal The Gerontologist. Even before the state's fiscal woes, Community Care was already underfunded, said Whitfield, adding that any further reductions might require her to trim staff or hours of operation. Ernie Pilnikov, co-owner of Forever Young Adult Day Services, predicts an even more dire scenario. After reviewing the numbers, his income would drop by 44 percent, he said. " This is very shortsighted, " he said. " We'd have no choice but to close our doors. " Pilnikov's two sites in Wheeling and Lincolnwood serve 700 senior citizens, mostly from the Russian community who speak little or no English. While there's plenty of medical care and food, the interaction with peers is the most nourishing, said Leonid Gross, who has arthritis and early-stage Alzheimer's. " I used to be able to drive, to go places ... but not anymore, " the 80-year-old said through an interpreter. A widower, Gross is at the Lincolnwood facility just once a week -- to play billiards and go to the park -- but losing even that small amount of social time would compromise his quality of life, he said. " Without the center, I don't know how I'd cope, " Gross said. " This is where my friends are. " brubin@... , Chicago Tribune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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