NASW-MI Sends Letter Requesting Increased Funding For Aging Services

The Honorable (Representative or Senator) [Last Name],

I am writing to ask for your support of the Silver Key Coalition’s request for $5 million to support in-home services for seniors in Fiscal Year (FY) 2017. There are more than 7,000 seniors across the state of Michigan on wait lists for basic services that help to keep them healthy in their own homes. These services, such as home delivered meals, care management, personal care, homemaking, minor chore and home repair, medication management and personal emergency response systems, enable seniors to age in place instead of in more costly institutional alternatives. 

A recent study in southeast Michigan found that those who languished on wait lists and never got help were five times more likely to enter a nursing home than their counterparts who went on a wait list but did receive services. They also had a much higher mortality rate and extracted a significant burden on their family caregivers. 

The Michigan Legislature made a strong commitment to Michigan’s vulnerable older adults by appropriating $5 million for FY 2015 to serve the 4,500 older adults on wait lists for services in 2014.  The Aging Network in Michigan over-delivered on their promise to serve 4,500 older adults by actually serving 6,212 more seniors in 2015, a 10.5% increase.

We recognize that you have difficult choices to make in the budget process.  Please remember that there over 2 million Michigan seniors, and more seniors than there are school age children in Michigan.  Please support a $5 million increase in the FY 2017 Health and Human Service Budget for the Aging and Adult Services Agency to support the 7,000 seniors waiting for in-home services in Michigan.