Budget cuts hit elderly

It's the problem that many community help programs are facing these days.  There's too many people needing their services and there's less and less money to go around.  A group in charge of local Alzheimer's daycare homes was left out of the state budget and now they're relying groups like the United Way to bail them out.  Claudet Mitchell remembers the day her husband's mind lost sharpness, he needed a second home.

Mitchell said, "I walked out and he was clapping and walking around with the people and that was it."

Her husband Whitney needed help with his dementia, the staff insisted on keeping his mind busy.

"He really felt like he was working here," said Mitchell.

Claudet credits the Alzheimer's Community Care center here in Jensen Beach for the dignity in her husband's final years. He would never know his beloved facility was in financial turmoil.

Mary Barnes, with the care center said, "It makes me angry because we are so cost effective."

Barnes is the regional president of 11 care centers similar to this one in Martin County. She says state funding was trimmed over the past few years by tens of thousands of dollars. Last month a bombshell. Not one penny would be coming from Tallahassee this year.

"Our organization is experiencing a $500,000 cut over the past three years." said Barnes.

She says the waiting list will get longer for people who need the free meals and the free care most in our communities.

Barnes added, "We don't build buildings, it's not about brick and mortar, it's about people."

Claudet's husband has passed away but her final memories of him are happy ones.

She said, "Here he could be himself, and everybody understood him."

The center's president says expect fewer stories like this and more empty chairs.

"We are not going to be able to help the families to the degree that we have the space and room for," said Mitchell.

For more information about how to get your loved one into this center call (772) 692-6981.