Thousands of seniors, people with
disabilities,
their Caregivers and Senator Denise Moreno
Ducheny rally at Capitol; Tell Governor to
protect Home Care services!
Home Care providers and recipients turn
in more than 15,000 postcards calling on the
Governor
to follow legislators' lead, stop
devastating cuts to state Homecare Program
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 10 /PRNewswire/ --
Thousands of California Seniors and people
with disabilities, their family members,
home care providers and supporters rallied
and marched to the State Capitol building to
tell the Governor: "Protect Home Care
Services that Save Lives." Home care workers
and recipients will turn in more than 15,000
postcards to the Governor, to remind him of
the people whose lives will be affected by
his plans to drastically cut home care
funds. Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny also
spoke at the event.
The Governor has proposed slashing state
funding for California's in-home caregiver
pay to the minimum wage and eliminating
funding for health benefits. This proposal
will increase the already high turnover rate
of home care workers as they are forced to
leave their clients to find alternative work
to support their families. The supply of
home care workers will further diminish,
making it more difficult for the 380,000
Californians who rely on home care to remain
safely in their homes.
In addition to allowing seniors and people
with disabilities to remain in their own
homes, home care is a much more cost
effective alternative to institutions such
as nursing homes. Care for seniors and
people with disabilities forced to go into
nursing homes could cost taxpayers up to
five times more than in-home care.
Republican and Democratic members of the
legislature alike have already
overwhelmingly rejected the governor's
proposals to devastate the home care
program. However, the governor is expected
to continue pushing for these drastic cuts.