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| Lois Brown Dale - Speaking |
First it must be mentioned that there has been great hue and cry about Social Security, the cost, the possible bankruptcy of the system, the burden for the younger generation and on and on it goes -
No one bothers to remember that in the ealy 70's the Federal Goverenment tied three welfare programs into the Social Security System - Aid for Aged, Aid for Blind and Aid for Disabled. The Social Security System was in great financial shape up to that point. Now with the draining of S.S.I. and Medicare on the system - everyone is very concerned about how it all is to be paid for.
80% of Medicaid dollars, it is said, are now going to Nursing Home care - one of the fastest growing service businesses in the Country. We need to remember that most people paid into the Social Security System believing it was an insurance program - it is still called F.I.C.A. but it has been reduced in status and is talked about on all levels as a Welfare program and it is incorportated into the Federal Welfare budget. This is demeaning to persons who paid in good faith into an insurance program.
We spend millions for operating and for building schools in the Country. Senior Citizens pay those taxes along with the rest of the poplace. We spend millions and millions building sewer systems, water systems and roads in this Country - some local money - the rest of it Federal.
All this is being said to put into perspective our request for undergirding the service programs necessary to keep older persons out of Nursing Homes and to give some quality to life and "add life to years".
We come not as beggars extending our hands for alms but as tax paying citizens who feel that larger share of Federal tax dollars should be returned to the County and its older citizens.
This agency has a demonstratable record of using $120,000 local dollars $70,000 of it United Appeal - the balance from our County Commissioners ($50,000) to bring services to older persons that amounts to nearly a half million dollars.
All of us are most grateful for the way the County Commissioners have demonstrated their concern for the older citizens in Clermont County. They've provided manpower through C.E.T.A. They underwrote the costs of maintaining our first bus with Revenue Sharing funds. They have provided 80% of the local share for the Homemaker program.
The demand for services is increasing. We have had calls from Washington, Chicago and Columbus as well as other service organizations demanding we do more and more. Yet we know nothing happens without money.
This request is a most reasonable one. It will return nearly a million dollars in service. It will keep persons out of Nursing Homes whose cost runs now from $600 to $1200 a month. It will provide Family Home Care for at least fifty individuals. It will provide a Health and Hearing Screening program that will promote good health care. It will provide transportation service foe medical visits to social services agencies and for activities that keep the mind and spirit youn. It will feed the body and soul.
We know the value of all these servces to the persons receiving them. We know you do, too, from all your past help.
But the years fly fast and what we need to do, we need to do today.
We promise to return a minimum of $70 Federal dollars for every $30 you allocate to services for Older persons.
The intent of Federal Revenue Sharing (and the law is explicit) is to help persons obtain services by using those dollars to obtain more.
We ask you to look with favor on this request for money for services for our genergation.
