Stop cuts to home care services: AARP

AARP IllinoisOct 1 2009

Older individuals needing long term care services find themselves between a rock and hard place: not only are some Illinois nursing homes ranked among the worst in the nation -- the state is threatening to cut home care services for thousands of residents. Today, AARP and other advocate organizations took to the phone lines, sending a strong message to Governor Quinn: stop the cuts and ensure critical home care services are not depleted.

"Thousands of older Illinoisans depend on home care services provided by the state so they can age independently and with dignity in their own home and communities," said AARP Illinois Director of Advocacy and Outreach, Nancy Nelson. "But if those services are cut, thousands of individuals may be forced into costly institutional care. With recent revelations about safety concerns at some Illinois nursing homes, AARP urges the Governor to stop cuts to the state's home care services."

The Illinois Department on Aging recently sent out notice that in-home care for older adults would be significantly reduced. Nearly 20,000 older Illinoisans will be immediately impacted as the cuts are slated to go into effect in November.

Simultaneously the Department of Public Health announced it will cut funds by $350,000 for the state's Ombudsman program. Thousands of older Illinoisans living in nursing homes depend on this program to protect them against cases of abuse and neglect.

AARP and an alliance of home care service agencies today led a "Telephone Lobby Day", urging members and volunteers to call the association's Home Care Services Hotline, toll-free at 1-888-616-3322, to connect directly with the Governor, and urge him to act on this issue.

The action came on the heels of troubling newspaper reports that pointed out to serious quality concerns regarding several nursing homes in Illinois. The Chicago Tribune reported on a series of problems at a number of homes, ranging from erroneous background checks, to cases of drug violations, assault, or rape.

Separately, Crain's Chicago Business quoted a federal report placing Illinois as the state with the nation's second-highest number of nursing homes that have been flagged as having poor quality of care. Forty-seven Illinois homes made the list.