Re: “Hoping to drive big issue home, Sept. 26 Denver & The West.
You are likely aware that a grant application from Senior Support Services wasn’t funded by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG).
Annually, DRCOG receives federal and state funds to allocate throughout the eight-county Denver region to senior service providers. DRCOG uses a clearly defined, established and representative process for doing that. Some 70 meals (at a cost of more than $136,000 annually) are served daily to older adults at SSS by Volunteers of America, which receives funding from DRCOG. SSS clients over 60 are also eligible for services from any senior organization funded by DRCOG.
DRCOG is federally mandated to fund services for seniors, 60 years of age and older, that include home-delivered and congregate meals; transportation; in-home care; legal assistance; programming for Native American Elders and health promotion.
Service funding categories are set by the federal government and organizations receiving funds are required to target service delivery to older adults who are of greatest economic and social need.
The publicity generated by this situation has helped call attention to the needs of the aging population and to a chilling reality: not now, nor in the foreseeable future, will there be sufficient funds to meet the needs of older adults. This year, DRCOG had $8 million to allocate, but received applications from 51 organizations totaling $12 million. As an example of the funding shortfall, Volunteers of America has a waiting list for seniors needing meals. While DRCOG directed even more funds to reduce that list this year, nearly 300 people have yet to be served.
This year’s funding was focused on allowable services needed for survival: meals, transportation to get meals, rides to the grocery store and doctor’s appointments, and other federally mandated programs.
While we believe the finger pointing at DRCOG is misplaced, we are grateful the plight of the region’s older adults is finally coming to the fore.
Jennifer Schaufele is executive director of the Denver Regional Council of Governments.
