Help from the House

Home care advocates were startled when Governor Romney vetoed $2.4 million from home care upon receiving the budget several weeks ago. That veto would have prevented 866 disabled elders from receiving home services for an entire year. However, the House of Representatives, spurred by calls and e-mails from concerned advocates, voted 151-0 to restore the funds.

The House vote was unusually symbolic because it also marked the maiden speech of freshman lawmaker Rep. Barbara L’Italien (D-Andover). L’Italien once worked as a home care case manager, and is one of a few lawmakers who have directly worked in the elderly home care field.

“I am a mother of four young children,” L’Italien said on the floor of the House, “and have been doing that for the last ten years. I was a home care worker prior to that. I understand this topic quite well. We have an opportunity to buy independence for some of our seniors. We need to understand what these dollars mean to seniors. We can maintain elders in their community, which is what they want. They want choice.”

L’Italien noted that Massachusetts spends only 10% of its Medicaid long term care budget on home care—the rest goes to institutions. She noted further that federal law requires disabled people to receive care in “the least restrictive setting.”

“We really need to put money into community-based placement,” L’Italien concluded. “This is the most caring and compassionate way to approach our seniors. In the words of the late elder advocate Frank Manning, putting an elder on a waiting list is like calling 911 and being put on hold.”

Hopefully, the Senate will be as supportive of elders when they receive the budget amendments.

The commitment of our legislature and advocates has helped home care stand tall in the face of many possible setbacks. We can continue to help elders live safely in the setting of their own choice. And, when all the votes are in, this is what matters most.