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State deals huge blow to senior advocacy group |
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Wednesday, 08 October 2008 |
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By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
10-7-2008 At least one local health-care agency expecting restored funding when the California budget was passed nearly 90 days overdue in late September has been thrown for a major loop.
Expecting a small, yet significant budget cut, the local Ombudsman/Advocacy Services program was shocked to see a 100 percent reduction in state funding allocations last week, according to Executive Director Kathryn Williams.
This is a huge blow to a county with a quarter of its population over 60 years of age.
“For us, the real effects are now a nightmare,” Williams said.
Williams said that earlier in the year, Ombudsman programs were told a funding reduction would be close to 4 percent, or $3,600. This would be a substantial cut for the local program with a $65,000 budget. Then word went out last week that the cut would be $25,300 – the entire state allocation.
Williams added that all Ombudsman programs statewide would receive similar funding cuts.
The Ombudsman program in Bishop has been advocating for and protecting the rights of seniors living in long-term care facilities for the past 18 years. The service’s goal is to protect residents’ dignity and ensure their quality of care at the Bishop Care Center, Sterling Heights and Southern Inyo Hospital Skilled Nursing Facility.
The service also provides information and referral services to family, friends and consumers, conducts elder abuse education and prevention classes, and provides training and education opportunities to facility staff and community members in Inyo and Mono counties.
One of these services, available in only three California counties, is the Money Management program offered in coordination with AARP.
Suzanne Cook, director of the Money Management Program, said Monday that she’s unsure what will come of her program or any of the other services that are provided at no cost to the client.
“Even if we volunteer our time, we need money to buy supplies and rent office space,” Cook said, adding that the Ombudsman program office she’s in now, behind Dr. Denton’s office on West Line, has just been sold.
The 2008-09 California Budget calls for an $11.7 million dollar reduction for the Department of Aging, $3.8 million of which would be cut from the Long-term Ombudsman program, $2.5 million from the multi-purpose Senior Services Program, $569,000 from the senior home-delivered meal program, $416,000 from Alzheimer’s Day Care and another $1.2 million from “Various Miscellaneous Programs.”
The 2000 Census data shows that 24 percent of Inyo County residents are over the age of 60, the fourth highest percentage in California. The California average is 14 percent.
Ombudsman/Advocacy Services is now wondering what they will do next.
“If there are cuts in services, frail and elderly seniors will once again be vulnerable, unprotected and without an advocate,” Williams added.
Williams is urging the public to contact state representatives and ask them to restore funding to this and other senior programs.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 November 2008 )
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