01/30/09 Losing social services

Many of the social services Idaho senior citizens rely on face uncertain futures because of recent state and federal budget cuts. The Elderly Opportunity Agency in Emmett serves seniors in eight counties, and is prepared for deep cuts of 6 to 7 percent to its senior meal programs and others in 2009. The agency will also see a 48 percent cut to health promotion programs. Bottom line, this is going to affect seniors who live and work in farm communities. Executive Director Donna Waters describes what they provide:" Congregate meals, participants come in and sit down and enjoy socialization and a hot meal. We provide meals on wheels, senior transportation, and health promotion activities: exercise classes, flu clinics, hearing clinics, blood pressure checks, a whole range of services. What'll happen in these rural communities is that our seniors won't have access. The population that we serve are seniors age 60 and over. We target those seniors that are rural, that are minority, and that are low income." And that includes migratory workers? (Waters) "It does." And anybody else who relies on such services in Idaho's farm country. Here's to a healthy stimulus package.