The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Senior citizens, call your legislator





To the Editor :

Governor Steve Beshear has proposed cutting the state budget to make the books balance. His proposed cuts include some $3 million for home-based services caring for Kentucky’s senior citizens. Unless members of the General Assembly put the money back in, these cuts could limit personal choices for aging parents and relatives and force many into nursing homes.

If state lawmakers think it would be foolhardy to spend more money on human services that enable the elderly and disabled to continue to live in their homes and communities, consider this: the annual cost of nursing home care under Kentucky Medicaid is $50,000 per person. Helping seniors live in their home and community costs an average of $4,759.00 per year. Funding home- and community-based services for seniors saves millions of taxpayer dollars.

Call your state lawmakers (1-800-372-7181) and ask them not to balance the budget on the backs of seniors and ask them to restore the proposed cuts for seniors’ home services.
BERMA MATTHEWS
Letcher



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