The Edmond Sun

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January 8, 2009

Experts warn of budget cuts for elderly health services

James Coburn

The State Council on Aging presented Stand up for Seniors Thursday afternoon at Oklahoma City University, with the concern that the nationwide recession will adversely impact the elderly.

“Now is the time to dialogue. Now is the time to express our enthusiasm and our support for aging services,” said Lance Robertson, director of the Aging Services Division of the Department of Human Services.

There were more than 661,000 Oklahomans older than 60 in 2007, according to DHS. Fourteen percent of these seniors live in poverty, Robertson said. This number is expected to spike to more than 1 million in next 24 months due to the aging baby boomer generation, he added.

There will be a greater financial demand on aging services, including mental health, adult day health, developmental disabilities, home- and community-based services and nursing care.

“Acknowledging that some very tough budget times are just around the corner,” Robertson said, “and given the massive and growing pressure on our programs, that those services grow exponentially, how will we (handle) the devastating effect of budget reductions of any magnitude?”

State lawmakers will have the difficult challenge of dealing with the issue as the need increases in Oklahoma, said Howard Hendrick, director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

“I suspect that by the end of this month, we will have more Oklahomans on food stamps than any other time in the history of the state,” Hendrick said. The reality is everybody will have to give more, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, to help the state’s elderly, Hendrick said.

The average life expectancy in the United States is 78 years, said Dr. Mike Crutcher, commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health. It is vital that these seniors receive pneumonia and flu vaccines.

“In budget cutbacks, immunizations are often looked at very closely as where the savings can come,” he said.

Crutcher said the state’s routine ability to meet the demands of nursing home inspections is already not being met because of funding.

In addition, he said Oklahoma ranks 49th or 50th from year to year in the numbers of people who die of heart disease, Crutcher said. Disease prevention linked to a lifestyle of smoking, alcohol consumption and poor nutrition remains a challenge for Oklahomans if they want to live a long, healthy life.

jcoburn@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 114

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