News Release Home Care Rally

Malden - Senior Notes
Locals rally at State House for elder independence
Local seniors and members of organizations that support elder independence converged on the Statehouse on Tuesday, Feb. 26, to tell legislators that elders should have a choice when it comes to long-term care services.
The group of more than 300, including 25 people from the Mystic Valley area, said that the state continues to be overly reliant on nursing home care when most elders want to live independently in their own homes.
“We invest 66 percent of our MassHealth long-term care dollars in nursing homes,” said Mystic Valley Elder Services Executive Director Dan O’Leary. “Yet our official state policy is ‘Community First.’ It’s time to rearrange our budget to reflect what seniors want: care at home. Let the money follow the person back home.”
To emphasize the needed shift in funding, group members waved “Deval Dollars” in support of the governor’s plan to “rebalance” money from nursing homes to community-care programs. Legislators were urged to implement the Equal Choice law, passed in 2006, that guarantees seniors live in the “least restrictive setting” possible.
Silver Legislator Senate President Sally Hoyt also spoke about the importance of independence for elders. The rally took place while lawmakers prepare the Fiscal 2009 budget.
Attended by Mass Senior Action North Thanks to Mystic Valley Elders for transportation!!