Legislature Must Listen to State's Advocates

From: Senior Digest , June 2008

As the new Executive Director of the Senior Agenda Coalition, I am pleased to have the opportunity to continue Jessica Buhler's column and share our perspectives on issues that are important to Rhode Island 's Seniors. The theme of May 2008's Older Americans' Month was "Working Together for Strong, Healthy and Supportive Communities." Supportive communities provide seniors with the help they need to remain independent and living at home. These services include: transportation for those who can no longer drive, senior center activities to help keep seniors healthy and engaged, informational programs that help seniors understand health coverage and available benefits, and home and community-based services that enable seniors to avoid nursing home placement. Over the years Rhode Island has carefully built a strong foundation of these community support services for seniors-- often referred to as the "aging network".

Earlier this year Governor Carcieri announced his plans to reform Rhode Island 's long term care system. His goal is to reduce the state's high reliance on nursing homes and to promote home and community-based care. The Senior Agenda Coalition has been working in support of such reform for a number of years, and we strongly support that goal. Unfortunately, a careful look at the Governor's total budget package reveals a number of other budget proposals that are inconsistent with this reform agenda. Current year spending cuts have already placed dozens of frail homebound elders on a waiting list for home care and adult day services. As a result they are at great risk for deteriorating health and unnecessary admission to hospitals and nursing homes. In this case modest short-term budget savings will be dwarfed by resulting long-term costs of the state's share of nursing home care for them. Other proposed budget items will also undercut seniors' ability to remain living independently. New fees for senior transportation will be a hardship for seniors who lack other means of getting to medical appointments. Fifty percent cuts in state funding for senior centers may well force some to close. Severe cuts in respite care for seniors will cause families to struggle to arrange for care during those periods when the family is unavailable.

While the proposed cuts to senior support services are but a small fraction of the proposed $6.9 billion state budget, their impact will be huge. Many seniors will lose the supports they need to remain living at home. Rhode Island has a higher percentage of persons age 65 years and over (14%) than the nation, and we rank fourth highest in percent of persons age 85 years and over. At a time when our older population is expected to increase fifty-nine percent over the next two decades, we need consistent public policies that will foster supportive communities for seniors. This is not the time to unravel our aging service network. We hope that the General Assembly will oppose these shortsighted budget proposals that will undercut our goal of keeping more seniors living independently.

Bill Flynn, Executive Director of the Senior Agenda Coalition, a diverse coalition of activists and groups that advocate for elder issues, organized to develop a common agenda to improve the quality of life of older Rhode Islanders