Illinois Aging Network Alert

A report of the impact of the state budget impasse on Illinois Seniors and Community Programs on Aging, from I4A - Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging Contact: Jon Lavin 708-383-0258 (I4A President)

Thank You!

The Illinois Area Agencies on Aging offer our gratitude to you for enacting a state budget, on time, and with clear support for older Illinoisans, especially those challenged by health, social isolation, physical, financial, and emotional barriers. But the budget you enacted also recognizes the value of older persons to Illinois as a resource, a connection to our past, as builders of our communities and supporters of many positive efforts to improve the lives of their neighbors, friends and relatives.

As July 1 approaches, the community based senior service network is preparing:
• To initiate Self Neglect Services under Adult Protective Services programming;
• To increase access to information on benefits, services and programs through our Aging and Disability Resource Networks with your granting of new funding for Planning and Service Grants for Area Agencies on Aging;
• To expand delivery of meals (both home delivered and in congregate settings) with both Illinois and national support;
• To offer respite and other supports to unpaid family caregivers of older persons with additional federal funding;
• To enroll additional older persons in Medicaid to assure Illinois receives a high levels of Medicaid reimbursement;
• To deal with the impact of Social Isolation as the statewide initiative of Area Agencies on Aging and the Department on Aging – more to come on our planning, the impact on health and family that loneliness, isolation and lack of sensory stimulation takes on older persons.

Now we need your attention and support to find ways to sustain Adult Day Services in Illinois. Without an increase in rates, vital centers of day services will continue to disappear – please place that on your 2019 “must do” list.
Bottom line – You can #ILOlderAdults with accomplishment and pride! You came through for your District and Illinois’ older population!

Jonathan Lavin
Chief Executive Officer
AgeOptions

Illinois Aging Network Alert
A report of the impact of the state budget impasse on Illinois Seniors and Community Programs on Aging, from I4A - Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Contact: Jon Lavin 708-383-0258 (I4A President)

April 16, 2018
For Your Older Constituents

In the proposed 2019 budget, the community based senior service network, which is traditionally supported through Planning and Service Area Grants to Area Agencies on Aging, is slated for a $1,050,000 increase.

Last year (October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017), this line item in combination with federal funding, helped to reach and serve 492,396 people. Those older persons, age 60 and over, and their unpaid family caregivers, are asking Illinois for assistance. In 2017, recipient agencies provided 9,735,281 incidents of direct support even with diminished capacity due to late or non-existent state payments.

The rationale for the proposed $1,050,000 increase is the State mandate to offer unfettered access to information, support and services through community based senior service programs.

The extensive information and support requested as part of Answers on Aging “No Wrong Door” information network originate from:
• Those entering Managed Care;
• Those who need meals in Congregate and home settings
• Those who have no way to transport themselves to medical and other destinations
• Those who are totally isolated without access to social connections and activities
• Those grandparents who are the sole care providers for grandchildren
• Those in need of legal guidance
• Those providing all of the care for a loved older family member
• Those who are in abusive or neglectful settings
• Those waiting for benefits applications to process by overburdened Department of Human Services regional offices.
• Families that are beginning the planning process for obtaining assistance as they age,
• And the lingering effect of community agencies working day to day without knowing if funds would ever arrive.

Please support in the final FY 2019 Appropriation the Illinois Department on Aging community based network with full funding of $6,203,073 for Planning and Service Area Grants. Your community agencies will know that you came through for them!

(Our thanks to Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging, Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, AgeSmart Community Resources and East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging for their assistance in preparing this Alert)

Distributed for I4A by:
Jonathan Lavin
Chief Executive Officer
AgeOptions

Illinois Aging Network Alert

A report of the impact of the state budget on Illinois Seniors and Community Programs on Aging, from I4A - Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Contact:  Jon Lavin 708-383-0258 (I4A President)

#ILOlderAdults

How Fitting? May is Appropriations and Older Americans Month!

 

The Illinois Aging Network is asking you to encourage full 2019 funding for the Illinois Department on Aging and to report back to us on your success!  To help you, please reference our Hash Tag - #ILOlderAdults

 

The Aging Network, which is made up of the 13 Area Agencies on Aging and 235 community based senior service agencies, reached 492,396 people in the 2017 Federal Fiscal Year that ended September 30, 2017.  Many of the agencies and staff persons in these organizations will be asking their clients, family members and others to communicate the importance of community based services by using the hash tag - #ILOlderAdults

The measurement of an effective budget appropriation for Illinois seniors includes the award of the following current funding (except as noted) through the Illinois Department on Aging:

$    8,600,000 for Area Agency on Aging Planning and Service Grants (an increase of $1,051,700 from $7,548,300 currently appropriated)

$    21,800,000 for Home Delivered Meals that increase the effectiveness of the federal support for meals.

$      4,500,000 for an increase to the Illinois Long Term Care Facilities and Home Care Ombudsman programs which work because of the participation of local organizations, identified by area agencies on aging, that are involved in the lives of nursing home or isolated home care clients.  This is combined with the $2,600,000 funding from the Ombudsman Fund which is supported by a variety of special state funds.

$   22,900,000 as requested in the Budget proposal for Adult Protective Services which for the first time will include Self Neglect funding for the entire year.

$  69,600,000 as requested in the Budget proposal for the Illinois Care Coordination Unit System - supporting organizations in your districts to reach and assist the 80,000 plus individuals who are assessed for the Community Care Program (with approximately half served by Managed Care) and guiding thousands of people to quality home care alternatives to unnecessary nursing home placements in the Choices program).

$924,000,000 for home care and Adult Day Services for the CCP clientele who remain in the Illinois Department on Aging program. This should include appropriate wages and health care for current home care workers, increases in Adult Day Services rates, allowances for clients moved to Managed Care and program growth. This request is $170,000,000 more than the Governor’s proposed $754,000,000. The additional dollars pay for Home Care FY18 rate increases, FY19 rate increases, and FY19 adult day rate increases. 

$     1,751,200 for AAA Grants for Community Based Services with equal allocations to each of the 13 planning and service areas in Illinois.

               $        273,800 for Long Term Care Systems Development through area agencies on aging.

$    1,800,000 for the Senior Health Assistance Program (SHAP) which is a major Illinois complement to the federally funded $2,500,000 State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

               $       190,000 for Senior Employment Specialist assistance to older workers through the Area Agencies on Aging.

And ongoing support for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren recommended at $300,000; RSVP at $551,800; and, Foster Grandparents at $241,400.

 

Our Ask – Look at the 2019 Appropriations Legislation – if the above numbers are there, tell us all that we are “OKAY” in #ILOlderAdults  - Your Constituents, their families and the staff of community agencies will learn directly from you that Illinois cares about community based senior services.

 

Illinois Aging Network Alert

A report of the impact of the state budget crisis on Illinois Seniors and Community Programs on Aging, from I4A - Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging (prepared by the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, Inc.)

The East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging asked their home delivered meal clientele to tell them what the service means to them.  

Illinois General Revenue Funds (GRF) for Home Delivered Meals constitutes an estimated 67% of what is needed to respond to the escalated demand for home delivered meals.  In late January, the Comptroller released 1/9 of the budgeted state funds for Meals in State Fiscal Year 2018.  

What home delivered meal clients in Illinois value in the service

During FY 2017, of the 3,300 East Central Illinois home delivered meal participants who were surveyed reported the following startling statistics (based on a 10% survey response sample):

• 55% of nutrition meal participants indicated the meal provided is their main source of food.
• 66% of home-delivered meal recipients think their health has improved and indicated they feel better.
• 17% do not always have enough money or financial assistance to buy food.
• 13% in the past have had to choose between buying food and paying their medical bills and another 12% have had to choose between buying food and paying their utility bills.
• Nearly 10% indicated they had to skip meals because they had no food or money.

Illinois home delivered meal participants are our most vulnerable population.  Without reliable, consistent and current funding, the home delivered meals program stops, and home delivered meal participants face the risk of nursing home admission.   If we calculate a conservative estimate of 25% of home delivered meal participants facing nursing home admission only in East Central Illinois, the cost of nursing home care to the clients, the families, and Illinois tax payers would add up to over $56 million.  (Based on the Illinois median cost of nursing home care at $187/semi-private room.)   

Plus - An Added Threat at the Federal Level!

Area Agencies on Aging also are facing the continued threat of a shutdown of the federal government!  This will stop the federal funds we receive that are helping us pay the costs of the all the services we and the community agencies provide for older adults and their caregivers. Many of Illinois community based programs will face difficulties staying open!

Our Message! Thank you for supporting meals. Please assure that Illinois has the cash to keep the program going!

Please contact Susan Real, Executive Director of the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging in Peoria for information on the programs and survey reported here: 

Distributed for I4A by