The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Seniors coalition fights cuts

Group asking residents to voice support for programs that serve older Ohioans

Coroner confirms identities of three men killed in arson
11/7/09
Threats prompt school lockdown; suspect charged
11/6/09
Mason woman heard Fort Hood gunfire as husband hid
11/6/09
No Ohio Guard members injured at Fort Hood
11/6/09
Proton Therapy confirms talks to build center in Miami Twp.
11/6/09
> More headlines

By Linda Ebbing, Staff Writer 12:35 AM Thursday, July 2, 2009

HAMILTON — The Ohio biennial budget is still in the works and “anything can happen during these final days of discussion,” said Jane Taylor, state director of AARP Ohio, one of a number of statewide associations that make up the Ohio Aging Network Coalition.

With that in mind, members of the coalition — which includes the Ohio Association of Senior Centers, the Ohio Council for Home Care and the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging — is asking Ohio residents to voice their opinions regarding cuts in programs that serve older adults by making calls to key state elected officials.

“We want to educate people that they could still make a positive impact on behalf of their grandparents and older neighbors,” said coalition member Steve Schnabl, who is chief executive officer of Partners in Prime that serves seniors in southern Butler County.

Gov. Ted Strickland is mulling $2 billion in cuts that would slash in-home care, health care and other safety net programs for low-income and disabled Ohioans.

Officials say cuts likely include state programs and the Medicaid PASSPORT program that allows low-income adults 60 and older to receive care in their homes instead of in a nursing home.

The suggested cuts are meant to help close a more than $3 billion shortfall in the two-year state budget.

“We know that there are hundreds of thousands who rely on home services, like Meals on Wheels, homemaker care and transportation supports to their physician and other medical appointments,” Schnabl said. “And these are at a disproportionately high risk. Elected officials need to understand how many voters and their families are enraged by the current proposal to cap PASSPORT and reduce the state’s Senior Community Services Block Grant by 30 percent.”

The latter, Schnabl said, also automatically makes Ohio lose millions more in federal dollars.

“We feel like our common mission is to be sure that families and consumers have the choice to live in the community as independently for as long as possible,” Taylor said. “We never want to feel we didn’t do every thing possible to make our case up to the very last minute of the negotiations.”

taff

iter Tiffany Latta contributed to this story.

Contact list

Members of the Ohio Aging Network Coalition are sending e-mails to Ohio residents asking them to make calls to key state elected officials in regards to a current proposal to cap PASSPORT and reduce the state’s Senior Community Services Block Grant by 30 percent.

Gov. Ted Strickland: (614) 466-3555

Senate President Bill Harris: (614) 466-8086

House Speaker Armond Budish: (614) 466-5441

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

For all the bleeding hearts reading this story just remember that AARP is part of the "AARP Global Alliance", where 90% of the employees are lobbyist and CEO's that drive expensive cars and live in Manhattan penthouses all in the name of caring for seniors.

senior too
1:52 PM, 7/2/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Payyourway....our seniors have "paid their dues" all their lives. This country treats their seniors terribly....taking away their dignity to live independently is a crime. I feel sorry for your parents and grandparents if you feel they are owed nothing for helping build this country.......shame on you.

ashamed of you
10:28 AM, 7/2/2009

REPORT ABUSE

What's up with the Journal-News?, is this a story or an info-commercial for AARP by putting the special contact numbers for State officials. Seniors get more than anybody, homested exemptions, county levies, free buildings to use and much, much more.

payyourway
10:04 AM, 7/2/2009

REPORT ABUSE

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.