As the economy in California struggles and the state government working with limited funds, Governor Schwarzenegger is facing some challenges to make ends meet and one area that is on the chopping block is the state’s senior housing programs. The governor’s cuts include proposals to shut down the state’s adult day care centers that provide services for seniors who still live at home and would eliminate programs that fund Alzheimer’s care at these facilities as well. Industry workers in California fear that these cuts for seniors that live at home could create a rush of entrants into the state’s nursing homes and cause further pain for the state’s budget and the overall levels of care in those homes. Other senior housing programs facing cuts are those that provide in home care and assistance and funding for various agencies that provide ancillary services to help California’s aging population. But in order to solve the state’s $24.3 billion budget deficit, it must either increase its revenues or slash and burn programs. Taxation in California has never been a popular idea and propelled many people to move there during the past 30 years because of the lower tax burden but those days seem to be fleeting. Higher taxation or reduced support services don’t make senior living in California look any more appealing right now.
