One hundred seniors last Wednesday celebrated the Jane Addams Senior Caucus' recent victory, the funding of a program that will provide services to help seniors move out of nursing homes and back into their own homes in the community. Joining them were Charles Johnson, Director of the Illinois Department on Aging, and Joyce Gallagher, Commissioner of the Chicago Department on Aging.
Despite a near universal reluctance of older adults to go into nursing homes, about 85,000 Illinois seniors get their care in nursing homes. It is estimated that 20 percent of these seniors should not be there; they would be able to have their care at home, which they may prefer, if only funding permitted that option. In addition, nursing homes cost seven times as much as homecare. The Community Reintegration Program has been successful in bring people with disabilities home again, saving Illinois taxpayers $10 million last year alone.
The celebration, held in the Ruth Shriman Building community room at 4040 N. Sheridan Rd., was organized by the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, an organization of older adults in Chicago fighting to keep seniors in their own homes and communities through decent homecare and affordable housing. |
