March 15, 2007

I'll Speak for Them

I'll Speak for Them

The Director of Cambridge and Somerville Elder Services (CSES), one of thousands of non profit corporations funded by taxpayers speaks for all elders. He thanks politicians for their largess with taxpayer funds. (John O'Neill, "Thanks to pols, elderly have a choice," Letter, Cambridge Chronicle, August 24, 2006) There is no questioning why relatives toss their parents and siblings into nursing homes. "I don't have time to care for the elderly."
The costs of caring for the elderly can be reduced by allowing them to live in their homes. It is cost effective to stop denying freedom and liberty to elderly persons. Institutionalized denial of freedom is acceptable in Cambridge where the best and the brightest live. "But it is cheaper to allow them their freedom!"
The best and the brightest say, "Groovy let's save money." There was never any concern by CSES employees that I ever spoke with about the basic rights of elder persons. Here, as with persons with disabilities, elder persons are considered a health care issue. Elder persons and persons with disabilities are thought of as clients, consumers, and subjects for human experiments.
Human services corporations are the largest contributors to the legislature's campaign funds. Professional care givers, drug companies, academic researchers, the human services corporations and all of their PR flacks, control the public discourse and how laws are written concerning how elders and persons with disabilities are to be treated. Who besides Mr. O'Neill denies to elders their voice to say what they want and to tell how they are treated? Are no elder persons capable of speaking in sentences?
Why are elders (and persons with disabilities) treated as if they were incompetent, ignorant and unable to speak? Is it because of the way that politicians think of them? "I don't want to be bothered speaking with elder persons. Is it campaign season? OK, then I'll go to their dinners. What are they serving?"


--
Roy Bercaw, Editor
ENOUGH ROOM
Cambridge MA USA

Thanks to pols, elderly have a choice As the executive director of Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, I am intimately familiar with the problems facing older people and people living with disabilities. These groups face so many unnecessary hurdles in their attempts to get health care and other supportive services.
They must struggle with incomprehensible bureaucracies. They must shoulder exorbitant costs. To add insult to injury, they have to deal with outright discrimination that is written into law. I am happy to report, however, that because of the hard work of our local legislators, one of those hurdles has been removed.
For years, MassHealth has effectively forced people into nursing homes with a set of discriminatory rules which made it far more difficult to receive care at home. With the recent passage of Equal Choice legislation, this regrettable era is coming to an end. Older people and people with disabilities will now be able to choose the setting where they receive care. According to the Romney Administration, this will save the commonwealth $134 million in the first five years after implementation.
I am deeply thankful to the legislators who represent Cambridge. Without their unanimous support, Equal Choice would not be a reality: Senate President Robert Travaglini, Sens. Jarrett Barrios and Steven Tolman and Reps. Timothy Toomey, Byron Rushing, Martha Marty Walz, Alice Wolf, Rachel Kaprielian and Anne Paulsen.

JOHN O'NEILL Executive Director Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services

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