Introduced Version
House Resolution 34 History
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HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 34
(By Delegates Campbell, Proudfoot, Perdue, Pino,
Fragale, Spencer, Stephens, Argento, Pethtel, Fleischauer,
Manchin, Rowan, Evans, Hamilton, Border, Moye,
Hatfield, Wysong, Azinger and Poling)
[Originating in the Select Committee on Senior Citizens Issues]
Urging the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services to allow only
county aging programs to administer the Lighthouse program,
while also providing them more discretion in the use of monies
provided by LIFE awards.
W
HEREAS
, West Virginia's senior population aged 60 and over is
362,795 (20.1% of West Virginia's population) with projected
numbers through 2018 being 467,235, causing a substantial need of
added in-home assistance and community services; and
W
HEREAS
, The Lighthouse program, which began statewide July 1st,
2007, addresses this need by expanding senior services throughout
the state and is designated to assist those seniors who have
functional needs in their homes; and
W
HEREAS
, Eligibility requirements for this program are seniors
60 and over years of age, medically eligible based on functional
evaluation by the provider's RN and is not eligible for Medicaid;
and
W
HEREAS
, seniors receive a variety of supportive assistance
through the program are able to remain in their communities and
continue to live in the comfort of their own house; and
W
HEREAS
, The Lighthouse program provides up to 60 hours of
support in personal care (grooming, bathing and dressing), mobility
(getting in and out of bed and walking), nutrition (meal
preparation, eating and grocery shopping) and environment
(housecleaning, bed changing and laundry); and
W
HEREAS
, The costs of these services depends upon the eligible
individual's income and the fee is determined by a sliding fee
schedule; and
W
HEREAS
, These services are provided by a caregiver employed by
a county aging provider (senior centers); and
W
HEREAS
, County aging programs also need more flexibility and
individual discretion on where to use Legislative Initiatives for
the Elderly (LIFE) awards in delivering programs and services; and
W
HEREAS
, Currently, these monies are becoming more restricted
with directives or earmarking certain amounts of nutrition,
transportation, etc.; and
W
HEREAS
, Each county needs are unique (e.g. some counties
provide ample public transportation while others struggle with
arduous outreach destinations many miles into their service areas,
while more urban areas may have a much larger nutrition programs by
virtue of their greater population thus experiencing budget shortfalls); therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature urges the West Virginia Bureau of Senior
Services to allow only county aging programs to administer the
Lighthouse program, while also providing more discretion by county
aging programs in the use of monies provided for by LIFE awards.;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is
hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the
Governor of the State of West Virginia and the Commissioner of the
West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services.