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Day Programs for Seniors and Alzheimer’s Patients May be Eliminated
By Sandy Kleffman, Contra Costa Times
June 7, 2009
Caregivers throughout California are up in arms over proposed state budget cuts that would eliminate day programs for seniors and those with Alzheimer's disease.
Closing such programs, where many families obtain care for the frail elderly while they work or take brief breaks, could drive more people into nursing homes at higher costs to taxpayers, supporters argue.
"It would be quite devastating," said Richmond resident Martha Pitts, whose 85-year-old mother attends the Guardian Adult Day Health Care Center in El Sobrante twice a week.
"This is something that we would hate to see taken away from her," Pitts said.
"Alzheimer's is a profound illness. This helps us support her to continue to keep her at home and not send her away where she's away from family."
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed eliminating adult day health care programs, for an estimated general fund savings of $117 million annually, as part of his plan to deal with the state's $24 billion deficit.
Also on the chopping block is the Multipurpose Senior Services Program, which provides case managers and social services with the goal of enabling the elderly to remain in their homes.
It is not clear whether the Legislature will back Schwarzenegger's proposals.
"The governor understands how difficult these cuts are going to be," spokesman Aaron McLear said last week. But he noted that the governor has had to make a number of difficult choices to deal
with the staggering revenue shortfall.
Senior advocates argue that despite the state's financial difficulties, cuts should be made elsewhere.
"Let's not balance the budget on the underserved and the frail old people," said Micheal Pope, executive director of Alzheimer's Services of the East Bay. "I have an issue with that."
The proposed cuts would have ripple effects throughout the East Bay, including:
• The Mt. Diablo Center for Adult Day Health Care in Pleasant Hill would cease to exist, said Executive Director Debbie Toth. It has been in operation since 1982 and serves 270 seniors.
• Alzheimer's Services of the East Bay, with centers in Berkeley, Oakland and Hayward, would probably have to close at least one of its sites, eliminate all medical care and sharply curtail its hours. "I don't know if we could even do that safely," Pope said.
• The Guardian Adult Day Health Care Center in El Sobrante would be in jeopardy.
• Lifelong Medical Care Adult Day Health Center in Oakland also would be threatened. Its supporters converged on Sacramento last week to lobby against the proposal, arguing that 36,000 elderly and disabled people statewide "will be thrown into absolute turmoil."
Shawn Farnham cares for both her 76-year-old mother who has Alzheimer's and a child who has autism at her Concord home. For three days a week, her mother attends the Alzheimer's program at the Mt. Diablo Center for Adult Day Health Care in Pleasant Hill.
"They're so positive and caring," Farnham said. "It's nice to go to work and know that she's being taken good care of. She's safe, plus she's happy there.
It's a great place.
"If we do lose that program," she added, "a lot of people are going to be in nursing homes. What else are families going to do?"
Seniors sang and danced to upbeat piano tunes at the Mt. Diablo Center one day last week. At other times, they engage in such activities as bocce ball, wheelchair volleyball, bingo, arts and crafts, movies and a balloon bash.
Programs are available in Russian, Farsi, Spanish and English.
A locked section provides special activities for those with dementia.
"People are here because their health is in jeopardy if they're not here," Toth said.
The center has a nurse, physical therapist, psychologist, occupational therapist, social worker, speech therapist, activity coordinator and other specialists.
Some caregivers may have to quit their jobs if the program closes so they can care for their loved ones full time, Toth said. Many of the program's clients require constant supervision to avoid wandering off or leaving a stove burner on, for example.
"There's no leaving them at home for five minutes," Toth said.
The Mt. Diablo Center also oversees the local Multipurpose Senior Services Program. Toth estimates that it costs about $9,000 per person per year, compared with about $30,000 if people are institutionalized.
It is ironic, she said, that these programs were originally set up to save the state money by keeping people out of nursing homes. Once such services are lost, she added, it will be extremely difficult to ever get them back.
"The travesty is that elimination of these programs will force massive closures in the nonprofit world in senior care," Toth said. "The negative impact will be felt in future generations."
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