Dear Editor,
On Wednesday I had my tasty pulled pork lunch at the Great Bend Senior Center.
While there I visited with the other seniors and shared information about the budget cuts coming to the Senior Care Act in 2017. Many of our local senior citizens are able to stay in their own homes through in-home programs administered by the South West Kansas Area Agency on Aging (SWKAAA). These in-home services include house cleaning, shopping, cooking, personal care and assistance going to medical appointments.
Older Kansans on the Senior Care Act pay towards the cost of their services. This is not welfare or Medicaid. It is based on a physical need, not how much money you have or make. With just a few services under this program senior Kansans are able to stay out of hospitals and nursing homes. With assistance they can remain healthy in their OWN homes.
Great Bend has a branch office of the SWKAAA on 19th and Washington. There a Programs Manager and licensed Social Worker cover three counties, Barton, Pawnee and Rush. I understand that over 40 letters have been sent out to these counties notifying seniors of in-home service reductions. These proposed cuts are harmful to older Kansans and distressing to their family caregivers. I am going to contact my representatives in the Great Bend area to tell them that I am against cutting these services and I hope others will, too. Elected officials to call are:
Senator Mitch Holmes, BT (620-234-5834),
Rep. John Edmonds, BT (620-792-4121),
Rep. Greg Lewis, PN (620-458-3541).

Janice Walker
Great Bend
Barton County Volunteer
Silver-Haired Legislature