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Today’s number: 3,203 seniors

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Illinois

* From the Southeastern Illinois Agency on Aging’s Facebook page…

Illinois Aging Network Alert

I4A Alert for Tuesday January 19, 2016 (Prepared by AgeSmart)

Since September 28, 2015 the Area Agencies on Aging have been providing a weekly alert addressing the impact of the budget Impasse. Reviewing those 15 alerts we are beginning to see the erosion of services to seniors in the State of Illinois. Below is a visual of the loss of services to seniors in Illinois.

Number of reported seniors who have lost:

Home Delivered Meals - 3203
Home and Community Based Services - 6104
Loss of Jobs (FTEs) – 90.5

Since October we have seen four senior centers close and many other organizations reduce the days they are open. In a network survey about the budget impasse conducted in the fall it was estimated that if there was no budget by the end of February 84,500 seniors will be without services.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 2:49 pm

Comments

This weirdness is just so depressing.

After that nonsense the governor released last week on the alleged ROI of his political agenda, how can anyone justify his misanthropic tactics?

Are you just in to that sort of thing, for kicks?

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 2:54 pm
And still the lights are on, the garbage is picked up, and the storm water is removed in Springfield. How long before the all the numbers of those affected by this “strategy” start to add up to 10% of Illinois’ population???

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 2:57 pm
Mike Madigan knows where to find an extra $100 million for a library. Maybe now he can help find an extra $100 million for the state or our seniors.

If he can count to 60 with a reasonable bill, he can help solve this tomorrow. He should not have to, but he can.

If he wants to, that is.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:05 pm
“Since October we have seen four senior centers close and many other organizations reduce the days they are open.”

And the governor of the state of Illinois does not care.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:08 pm
What’s 84,500 seniors without services matter when you’re talking about eliminating union protection to over 100,000 or so state and local public sector employees - now that’s priceless. faux Rauner

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:09 pm
7 days until the State of the State address. Someone better tell the seniors to “Hang in there!”

Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:12 pm
There should be at least one legislator willing to stand up and help Senior Citizens. Some senior have no family to help them. This is a disgrace for IL. The governor should be ashamed for the way he treats the citizens of IL.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:14 pm
Radogno? Durkin? Splain to me how you are winning?

Shameful

Comment by Langhorne Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:18 pm
Are there any politicians in Springfield willing to put their selfish concerns about re-election aside and advocate in favor of a much needed tax increase? No? Bueller?

Comment by Fusion Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:22 pm
More carnage. Every vulnerable community is feeling this madness. Rich, you should also excerpt from Dean Olsen’s good reporting today on Rauner’s Child Care cuts. (Sorry if I missed it…)

Time for those paying attention to start fighting back.

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:28 pm
==- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:05 pm:==

You don’t what you’re babbling about, so you should just shut up.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:28 pm
>And the governor of the state of Illinois does not care.

He cares enough to choose this population to suffer to help him advance his agenda. Many, many, and more effective, methods were and are available, and he chose this population.

Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:30 pm
Disregard the suggestion above. You got it, Rich. As usual.

My other argument stands. Budget austerity harms the poor and weak first.

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm
Just yesterday my coworker was talking to a customer in a raised voice. He only raises his voice if it’s somebody who is working his last nerve or if it’s someone who has hearing difficulty. “MA’AM YOU DON’T HAVE ANYONE WHO CAN HELP YOU FILL OUT YOUR FOODSTAMP REDETERMINATION? I’M SORRY MA’AM BUT YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TO FIND SOMEONE TO HELP YOU SINCE YOU’RE DISABLED AND CAN’T COME DOWN TO THE OFFICE. I WISH I COULD HELP YOU BUT THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO.” After wishing her well he hangs up. “Poor old thing, she’s got no one”, he mumbled. My coworker was quiet for a good while. These elderly are our fellow citizens. Many are poor and disabled. The lucky ones are the ones that can come into the office for help. I used get calls all the time from private social service agency social workers who were working with elderly customers. I haven’t gotten one for months. This is the damage that might not be able to be repaired.

Yet again “malignant callousness”

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:43 pm
Mama-State Rep Deb Conroy is trying to get funding for meals on wheels reinstated.

Comment by Cable Line Beer Gardener Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:43 pm
What’s the over/under on the State Fairs getting cancelled? How can the state withhold from our seniors and children, but put on a two week festival for livestock?

Comment by Bulbous1 Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:48 pm
I’ve lived long enough to see the most vulnerable people in our society treated shamefully for some financial agenda benefiting those that have the most.

I wonder how history’s great philosophers would analyze all this?

Off topic: Why do we even have a legislature if the top five people in state government have beaten them all into submissive, cringing agents. SB 1229 pretty much proved that listening to your constituency is the stuff of nostalgic statehouse cloakroom stories.

Comment by Stumpy's bunker Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:55 pm
MrJM - exactly correct - HE DOES NOT CARE!!!!!!!!

Comment by illini Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 3:57 pm
And I will continue to use those words, and they will always be capitalized when I comment on BVR and his Turn Around Agenda, especially as it relates to our Senior Citizens, Children and those that are not a part of the 1%

Comment by illini Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:02 pm
Thank you for sharing that vignette, Honeybear.

Another way to say it: “malicious neglect”

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:05 pm
Honeybear @ 3:43- Wow. What a catastrophic situation. The elderly, the disabled, the young and autistic…the list goes on. All of our most vulnerable residents are suffering in immeasurable ways. One uncaring narcissist is writing a potential death sentence for some these folks. Governor’s own budgets. Candidate Rauner told us he would be a compassionate Governor.

Comment by Former Hoosier Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:10 pm
Thank you - Honeybear - your passion, insights and appropriate comments on this site are greatly appreciated. Stay strong.

Just remember, as you know, Elections Have Consequences.

Comment by illini Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:12 pm
The reality is, Seniors in Illinois have enjoyed exceedingly generous services when compared to their counterparts in neighboring states. If seniors really want to help..blah..blah..blah..

Comment by GOP Extremist Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:14 pm
Illini, oh my oh my are elections going to have consequences. March and November.

And for the Superstars reading this: 1805 has not forgotten about the 5th District Appellate Court race. Oh no, we have not forgotten. Thought you’d sneak that in did you? 1805 will cover that flank with our trades sisters and brothers. We must protect the decisions of our favorite court venue of St. Clair.

Elections do have consequences.

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:27 pm
It isn’t just Rauner who doesn’t care, it is also his supporters, especially the ones defending Rauner here at Capitol Fax.

There is no political agenda more important than feeding and caring for our needy neighbors.

Every day this man harms Illinoisans is another day our government ultimately fails us.

Rauner is killing us.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:31 pm
“I don’t care!” faux Rauner

And, introducing the Office Grass Bowls singing “I don’t care.”

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 4:36 pm
VM, You are right. But in the 2014 campaign cycle, you were wrong. Elections Have Consequences.

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 5:10 pm
Honeybear - Ok, I know both Judges running in the 5Th Appellate - is there something more I should know?

I know this is not something to be discussed on an open thread.

Serious decisions to be made here - but Primary politics will prevail.

Keep me in the loop. Thanks.

And I must be missing something about 1805 - clue me in.

Comment by illini Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 6:37 pm
State Rep Deb Conroy - thank you for fighting for the elderly who need meals on wheels. Not everyone can afford to go to assisted living or a nursing home.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 8:29 pm
==He does not care==

Rauner is of the mindset that if you are not productive, you are a useless life…..hence no regard for children (never mind their potential), the elderly (never mind decades of past contributions) or anyone who is not full time, currently employed. Those in the category just described are drains and don’t need to be given anything. How does one change that value (or lack of) system?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 8:35 pm
==It isn’t just Rauner who doesn’t care, it is also his supporters, especially the ones defending Rauner here at Capitol Fax.==

VM, I don’t know or have any loyalty to Rauner, but I voted for him because Dems/Madigan have failed us. I still don’t understand why it is all Rauner’s fault and not the legislature as well. I’ve heard enough of the 60-30 OW stuff but sincerely believe there is fault with both Rauner and the legislature/Madigan/Cullerton.

Comment by justacitizen Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 9:07 pm
== I still don’t understand why it is all Rauner’s fault and not the legislature as well ==

Governors own.

It’s just that simple.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 7:52 am