Proposed cuts give seniors the short end of the stick

We are the voice for the elderly and it is our duty and responsibility to speak up on their behalf.

If the sick, elderly and disabled were able to organize and raise their voices high enough, the Legislature just might think twice about taking money from them.

The consequences of reducing Medicaid reimbursement rates and cutting wages for direct-care workers will dramatically impact nursing homes across Montana. It is already difficult to recruit workers in a rural community when restaurants and bars offer more competitive wages.

According to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, Montana is expected to experience a spike in baby boomers needing skilled care in five to 10 years. With proposed budget cuts, staff shortages, long wait lists and nursing home closures across the state, I fear our Montana elders will pay the ultimate price.

Some patients are fortunate enough to consider seeking care elsewhere, such as North Dakota or California. While this may sound absurd to people outside of the nursing home industry, believe me, it is a conversation that patients and families are having.

Budget cuts mean fewer staff on shift at any given time. With less staff to go around, patients get the short end of the stick. What does this mean? Well, they have to wait longer to receive pain medication. They wait longer to use the restroom. Residents get impatient and try to help themselves, which means more falls and injuries. And with less human contact and funding for arts and crafts and social activities, residents end up zoning out in front of the television or suffering from isolation and depression. This is real. It is heartbreaking. And it is wrong.

Every person who in their late 50s, 60s and 70s should pay close attention to the budget cuts being proposed by the 2017 legislature because, not too far into the future, you might be the person in the nursing home.

Patrick McNabb

Administrator

Glacier Healthcare Community