To the Editor:
“As Gas Prices Soar, Elderly Face Cuts in Aid” (front page, July 5) demonstrates the dramatic effect that staggering increases in gas prices are having on our vulnerable elderly population.
As an elder care specialist, I have observed the quandary that the homebound elderly face when they must choose between the challenge of safely remaining in their homes and the potential risks that come with diminished services because of increased costs.
Dedicated home care workers, who earn low salaries, are being asked to pay almost 40 percent of their wages for gas. The ripple effect will lead to disaster for many of our elderly, making aging in place no longer an option.
The homebound elderly are being forced to organize makeshift plans to receive the proper care and food they require. While this may work for some of the elderly, what will become of those who have cognitive or physical limitations that prevent them from making these plans?
Teri Koff
New York
July 5, 2008
