Has the Governor declared war on the state’s elderly?

Tucked quietly into last year’s blood bath of safety net budget cuts was the elimination of Alzheimer’s Day Care Resource Centers (ADCRC) and more than a 70 percent slash in Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs).

The human body count from this budget butchery was hardly complete before the Governor tossed 37,000 low-income elderly, blind and disabled in 327 adult day health care centers onto his “emergency” elimination list on Jan. 8. Elimination notices have started going out to thousands of working families struggling to keep loved ones out of more expensive nursing homes, off the streets, and out of over-crowded emergency rooms. The final decision will be made by the Legislature in the next few days.

We are not talking about the tragedy of what to do with a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s who like the governor’s father-in-law was fortunate enough to afford the finest care. The faces behind the Governor’s budget numbers are lower income working class people like Carman and her daughter.

Carmen is 82 years old. She suffers with Alzheimer’s. With adult day health care assistance four times a week, Carmen’s daughter was able to work part time. Without it her daughter will quit her part-time job to take care of her Mom. Carmen needs round the clock supervision and care.