I am a mother of 3 and a home care worker with 9 clients, who also takes care of her aging father on the side. Our clients depend on us caregivers for basically all their needs like cooking meals, dressing and hygiene, grocery shopping and getting to doctor’s appointments. The services that we provide to our clients may seem simple, but they are vital to the seniors and disabled adults we care for. Our clients cannot afford to live in a retirement community, and they cannot live on their own without help.
The $420 million state budget cuts to Health and Human Services put their care and their lives at risk. If they lost their services 7 out of 9 of my clients would pass away and I would lose my job and the ability to provide for my family.
The budget crisis affects more than just our seniors. If these cuts go through rural health clinics like ours could be forced to close their doors. So I’m asking our elected leaders to go back to the Legislature and explain to their colleagues how important these services are for our community. Revenue funding needs to be raised so we can continue to help our community – parents, grandparents and children.
Brandy Mattoon
Hamilton