Pennsylvania Department of Aging Comes To Town
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging is coming to West Chester and they want us to know it. As the fifth in a series of seven 2008 Town Meetings being held throughout Pennsylvania, West Chester University will host the gathering at its Sykes Student Union Building, Theatre-Ground level, 110 West Rosedale Avenue on March 14 from 9:00 am until 12 noon.
The Department of Aging in its announcement available at www.aging.state.pa.us stated “We want your ideas…” “The Pennsylvania Department of Aging seeks your input on our new State Plan on Aging. Secretary of Aging, Nora Dowd Eisenhower, wants to hear from interested people, advocates for older people, and service providers.” The department noted that there is no charge to attend the meeting but reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the numbers indicated. The West Chester R.S.V.P. should be made to Lois or Marilynn at (610) 344-4546.
You may also provide written testimony or comments. This can be mailed to Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Division of Systems Planning and Consultation, 555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101 or sent by e-mail to [email protected] or complete the survey at www.aging.state.pa.us.
Here is some background. Services for seniors in Pennsylvania and throughout the country, are provided through a combination of funding from the federal government and the State with local agencies known as Area Agencies on Aging handling administration on the local level. Our local Area Agency on Aging is the Chester County Department of Aging Services.
Under a federal law originally passed by Congress in 1965 and since expanded, the Older Americans Act, a State Plan is required to be submitted to the federal Administration on Aging so that Pennsylvania will continue to receive federal funds. The Plan will cover the period October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2012. These funds concern such programs as the Caregiver Support Program, Senior Centers, transportation, and Home and Community Based (Medicaid At-Home) Waiver services. Governor Rendell has gone on record as stating that one goal of his administration is to fund additional at-home care and to reduce the percentage of the overall budget going to nursing homes. Since there are no current plans to dramatically increase the State budget for senior health care, this inevitably will mean eventual cuts in funds to nursing homes.
To get an idea what a State Plan looks like, check the State Department of Aging web site at www.state.pa.us and scroll down to 2004-2008 State Plan for the current Pennsylvania Plan. To get a clearer picture of the questions the
Pennsylvania Department of Aging is looking to answer, download or print the “2008 PA Department of Aging State Plan Town Meeting Discussion Guide” also available on the web site.
Here are the State’s goals and some Key Items for discussion as stated in the Meeting Discussion Guide.
Goal #1: Empower older Pennsylvanians and their families, including those from diverse communities, to make informed decisions on their health care and long-term living options. Key items for discussion include health care options, long-term living options, health insurance, public awareness, cultural inclusion, and advance directives.
Goal #2: Enable older Pennsylvanians, including those from diverse
communities, to remain in the setting of their choice, improve their quality of life, and to take individual economic responsibility via the development of needed infrastructure and provision of home and community-based services, including supports for family caregivers. Key items for discussion include ability to live where you choose, quality of life, individual economic responsibility, infrastructure (transportation, housing, etc.), home and community based services, family caregivers, developmental disabilities, and cultural barriers.
Goal #3. Empower older Pennsylvanians, including those from diverse communities, to stay active and healthy. Key items for discussion include healthy living, exercise and fitness, volunteerism/ civic engagement, socialization/ senior centers, senior employment and health brain aging.
Goal #4. Ensure older Pennsylvanians, including those from diverse communities, are free from abuse, neglect, exploitation and abandonment. Key items for discussion include abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment, behavioral health, suicide, emergency planning, supports for family caregivers, grandparents raising grandchildren.
This may be the time to sharpen your pens and let the government know what you think.
About the Author Janet Colliton
Esquire, Colliton Law Associates, P.C. Janet Colliton has practiced law for over 38 years, 37 of them in Chester County, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Her practice, Colliton Law Associates, PC, is limited to elder law, Medicaid, including advice, applications and appeals, and other benefits planning including Veterans benefits, life care and special needs planning, guardianships, retirement, and estate planning and administration.