Senior advocates want better funding for homecare

BOSTON (WWLP) - Seniors are asking lawmakers to end the waiting lists for homecare.

Right now in Massachusetts, advocates say that there are more than 1,000 seniors on waiting lists to receive homecare; leaving them without help to do chores, laundry and cooking.

A coalition of senior groups is lobbying the Governor Deval Patrick, House Speaker Robert Deleo, and Senate President Therese Murray for more homecare funding.  The state has reduced spending on MassHealth homecare by more than 30% over the past 12 years. As a result, they say more seniors are waiting for homecare, and those that receive it don’t get enough time with their homecare worker.

“We want homecare workers to get more hours, because you cannot do anything in one or two hours,” Deloris Anderson of the Mass Senior Action Council. “They need more time, at least four hours, at least.”

Al Norman, the Executive Director of Mass Home Care, says that investing more in homecare can ultimately save the state money.

“No elder should have to wait to get homecare in their home, and it keeps them out of nursing homes, saves the taxpayers a lot of money; millions of dollars,” Norman said.

They are asking legislative leaders to increase funding by about $17 million, for a total of about $215 million in this year’s state budget. 

Governor Deval Patrick is scheduled to release his 2014 state budget proposal next Wednesday.