Budget Cuts to Hit Low-Income, Elderly Residents

Low-income and elderly Muscle Shoals, Ala. residents who receive services through the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments (NACOLG) will be the ones to bear the brunt of cuts if the state Legislature and Gov. Robert Bentley can’t come to an agreement on how to solve the state’s massive budget deficit. “These cuts are going to hurt,” NACOLG Executive Director Keith Jones said Friday. “In 48 years of operation, this is probably our largest challenge ever that we will face beginning Oct. 1, if the general fund budget cuts take place.” Jeff Thompson, director of the Area Agency on Aging, said 2,520 senior citizens in Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Marion, and Winston counties receive hot meals five days a week through the agency’s nutrition program. A proposed 15 percent cut, Thompson said, would remove 378 seniors from the program beginning Oct. 1. Other programs that would be affected include the Medicaid Waiver Program for elderly and disabled residents, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman office. Read more.

Source: Florence (AL) Times Daily

David Wingate is an elder law attorney practicing in Frederick and Montgomery Counties, Maryland. The elder law practice consists of powers of attorneys, wills, trusts, asset protection and Medicaid.