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Graying
Population Strains Senior Services
By Liz Shepard, Times Herald
February 27, 2010
In a few years, the number of senior citizens in need
of services could outweigh the funding available for them.
The aging population in St. Clair County is growing at a rapid rate as baby boomers reach retirement age
and people are living longer.
Local officials developed a committee in 2007 to study the projected population and services
required to meet the need.
Tim Liberty, president and chief executive officer of the local Visiting Nurse Association Health Services
group and chairman of the survey committee, said
the area isn't alone in the quandary.
"We knew this was coming," he said. "There's a lot of national data. ... Everybody's afraid of it: What's it
going to mean and how are we going to afford it?"
The study projects an additional $2.02 million will be needed to maintain services levels by 2015.
"In terms of the availability of services going forward, it puts a big question mark out there,"
Liberty said. "There's certainly funding that's going to be available, but the question is: Will it be
enough?
"Because you have a growing senior population and you also have more people living beyond the age of
85 years ... Typically 85 and older is when demand
for care increases."
The senior population in the county will increase by 68% during the next 25 years, according to the
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.
The population of adults 60 and older is projected to increase from 34,292 residents in 2010 to
40,096 residents by 2015, according to the study.
The top service needing expansion by 2015 are personal care -- hands-on care such as assistance
bathing and grooming -- at a 21% increase. It is followed by home-delivered meals at 20%, and
homemaking/in-home respite -- which provides a caregiver to assist a senior who needs 24-hour care
or supervision in order for a family member to get a break from the responsibilities -- at a 19.58%
increase, said Jim McGuire, director of research, policy development and advocacy at the Area
Agency on Aging 1-B.
Along with an increase in seniors, the study showed a decline in revenue as a result of the weak
economy.
A 0.5 mill senior millage is generating fewer dollars each year because of dropping taxable values
throughout the county.
In 2009, the millage generated about $3.28 million, leaving a deficit of about $351,000, according to
the study. By 2014, the study projects the revenue
will drop to about $2.56 million, leaving a deficit of more than $1 million.
The combination of growing need and declining revenue could result in a shortfall of more than $3
million by 2015, according to the study.
That deficit could result in placing seniors on waitlists or in nursing homes because they wouldn't
be safe to stay at home without the services.
Port Huron's Carol Deaton, 65, is one of the many who receive Meals on Wheels from the St. Clair
County Council on Aging.
She said the meals are a huge help for her and her husband, who has cancer and emphysema. The
couple lives on social security benefits.
"We don't live on a very big income," she said. "That food means a lot to us.
"It is just a wonderful program. I am very thankful for it."
Laura Newsome, executive director of St. Clair County Council on Aging, said the news is
"definitely reason for concern."
"Clearly there will not be enough money to go around to maintain that quality and quantity at the
current level," she said.
That is why Newsome plans to keep area residents aware of the situation and eventually try to increase
the senior millage.
"The community will have to make some decision on how they value their elderly," she said.
McGuire said most seniors want to stay at home.
"The desire to age in place is kind of a universal preference for many older adults," he said. "Our
whole services system is moving toward helping people stay at home as long as possible as long as
they can do it safely."
The committee that conducted the survey recommended asking for just a renewal of the
current millage in 2010 because of the failing economy, but Liberty said he disagrees.
Liberty said they should not wait to ask for the increase and should put two questions on the
ballot: Do voters support renewing the millage, and do voters support increase the millage.
"I totally oppose the recommendation as the chairperson for this committee," he said. "My feeling was it really ought to be left up to the voters to decide. We need the increase, we have the data to
support it, we have the time to educate them now.
"We have to say to our voters and our community there's a need ... Do they want to support that?"
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