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Keeping Things in Balance
A Long-Term Living Reform Agenda For Pennsylvanias New Governor




N
                       ow that Pennsylvanias
                       gubernatorial election
                       is over, organizations
                                                        Home and
                       around the state are
                       clamoring for                    community-based
                       Governor-elect                   services for seniors
                       Corbetts attention to
their public policy agendas. The transition             and adults with
period between administrations presents a               disabilities save
pivotal opportunity for advocacy groups to get
their issues before the new executive as he
maps out his priorities for the next four years.
                                                        $15,210
                                                        in public spending
One issue of vital importance to JEVS
Human Services, and more than 4,000                     per participant.
individuals with disabilities who rely on the                  - AARP Public
agency for community-based assistance, is                     Policy Institute
continued reform of Pennsylvanias system
of long-term services and supports (LTSS).
Specifically, consumers, providers, and
advocates are concerned with the
Commonwealths efforts to expand access,
quality, and choice, and to develop a system         for people with disabilities. However, for            (including Pennsylvania) that spent more
with greater balance between institutional           seniors and persons with physical disabilities,       than 75 percent of their Medicaid LTSS
and community options.                               the definitive measure of a balanced1 system        funds on nursing homes.
                                                     (a 50-50 split between community and
Nationally, considerable progress has been           institutional spending) has been achieved by          Despite these figures, Pennsylvanias recent
made to improve community living options             only six states; in 2009, there were 23 states        history in this regard is encouraging. In 2003,



                                                                                 dementia, which is not as severe as Alzheimers. She doesnt know
Home-Based Services, My Way                                                      what day of the week it is. She doesnt realize the danger of things.
In-home Care With a Personal Touch                                               But she knows when she is not in her own home.

                                                                                 Then about a year ago, the county told Sarah about a new program
           arah Deluigi, who is taking care of her 91-year-old mother in




S
                                                                                 called Services My Way and put her in touch with JEVS. We receive a
           Beaver County, Pa., doesnt know what she would do without
                                                                                 monthly budget which we can spend as we see fit. We can buy adult
           Services My Way from JEVS Supports for Independence.
                                                                                 diapers and medical equipment. We choose to spend our allotment on
           Her mother, Catharina Spinelli, had a stroke two years ago.
                                                                                 personal care hours for my mother.
           After her stay in the hospital, she was sent to a rehabilitation
hospital for two months. The rehabilitation staff told Sarah that her            Catherina still stays with Sarah during the week and now is able to go
mother could not live by herself anymore. She could not go home.                 to her own home on the weekends, with around-the-clock personal
                                                                                 care assistants. Sarah and her siblings (her sister lives nearby and
My mother does not want to go to a nursing home, emphasized                    shares the care of her mother; her brother lives out of state) are able to
Sarah, a retired school teacher. Sarah brought her mother home to live           provide this personal care for their mother with Services My Way for
with her. But her mother could not return to her own home (which is              some of the hours and with private pay for the rest.
still in the family) and this made her unhappy. My mother wanted to
sit on her own porch. She wanted to putter around in her own kitchen.            Its hard, said Sarah about her time that she spends caring for her
She didnt understand why she couldnt go home.                                 mother during the week. But shes my mother and she took care of us
                                                                                 for years. Without Services My Way, the amount of caretaking that we
After Sarah moved her mother into her home, she received county                  would have to do for my mother would be impossible.
respite services, which provided her with a few hours of personal assistance
care a week. The respite program specified that Catharina could not                  For more information
live in her own home. Sarahs mother, Catherina, has progressive                 Supports for Independence/ 267.298.1364

INSIDE JEVS         P G . 2  FA L L 2 0 1 0

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  • 1. Keeping Things in Balance A Long-Term Living Reform Agenda For Pennsylvanias New Governor N ow that Pennsylvanias gubernatorial election is over, organizations Home and around the state are clamoring for community-based Governor-elect services for seniors Corbetts attention to their public policy agendas. The transition and adults with period between administrations presents a disabilities save pivotal opportunity for advocacy groups to get their issues before the new executive as he maps out his priorities for the next four years. $15,210 in public spending One issue of vital importance to JEVS Human Services, and more than 4,000 per participant. individuals with disabilities who rely on the - AARP Public agency for community-based assistance, is Policy Institute continued reform of Pennsylvanias system of long-term services and supports (LTSS). Specifically, consumers, providers, and advocates are concerned with the Commonwealths efforts to expand access, quality, and choice, and to develop a system for people with disabilities. However, for (including Pennsylvania) that spent more with greater balance between institutional seniors and persons with physical disabilities, than 75 percent of their Medicaid LTSS and community options. the definitive measure of a balanced1 system funds on nursing homes. (a 50-50 split between community and Nationally, considerable progress has been institutional spending) has been achieved by Despite these figures, Pennsylvanias recent made to improve community living options only six states; in 2009, there were 23 states history in this regard is encouraging. In 2003, dementia, which is not as severe as Alzheimers. She doesnt know Home-Based Services, My Way what day of the week it is. She doesnt realize the danger of things. In-home Care With a Personal Touch But she knows when she is not in her own home. Then about a year ago, the county told Sarah about a new program arah Deluigi, who is taking care of her 91-year-old mother in S called Services My Way and put her in touch with JEVS. We receive a Beaver County, Pa., doesnt know what she would do without monthly budget which we can spend as we see fit. We can buy adult Services My Way from JEVS Supports for Independence. diapers and medical equipment. We choose to spend our allotment on Her mother, Catharina Spinelli, had a stroke two years ago. personal care hours for my mother. After her stay in the hospital, she was sent to a rehabilitation hospital for two months. The rehabilitation staff told Sarah that her Catherina still stays with Sarah during the week and now is able to go mother could not live by herself anymore. She could not go home. to her own home on the weekends, with around-the-clock personal care assistants. Sarah and her siblings (her sister lives nearby and My mother does not want to go to a nursing home, emphasized shares the care of her mother; her brother lives out of state) are able to Sarah, a retired school teacher. Sarah brought her mother home to live provide this personal care for their mother with Services My Way for with her. But her mother could not return to her own home (which is some of the hours and with private pay for the rest. still in the family) and this made her unhappy. My mother wanted to sit on her own porch. She wanted to putter around in her own kitchen. Its hard, said Sarah about her time that she spends caring for her She didnt understand why she couldnt go home. mother during the week. But shes my mother and she took care of us for years. Without Services My Way, the amount of caretaking that we After Sarah moved her mother into her home, she received county would have to do for my mother would be impossible. respite services, which provided her with a few hours of personal assistance care a week. The respite program specified that Catharina could not For more information live in her own home. Sarahs mother, Catherina, has progressive Supports for Independence/ 267.298.1364 INSIDE JEVS P G . 2 FA L L 2 0 1 0