Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

LOS ANGELES – A state budget panel has spared the elimination of Adult Day Health Care centers, at least for now.

The California Legislature’s joint budget conference committee rejected Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to eliminate Adult Day Healthcare Centers and the Healthy Families children’s health insurance program as part of an effort to lessen the state’s $24 billion defi cit, according to the LA Times.

Schwarzenegger had proposed to eliminate adult day healthcare programs, saying it would reduce state spending by $170.5 million.

Instead, the committee voted to approve $70 million in cuts to the program’s budget, hoping that donations from philanthropic groups or other organizations would cover the drop in state funding, according to the California Healthline.

Many Filipino seniors were worried about the closing of adult day centers when they heard the governor’s proposal earlier this week.

"If they close the center, what’s going to happen to us? It’s going to be hard for us seniors. Many of our kids are working and we are usually home alone," said 79-year-old Magno Dacayan during a press conference at the Silver Lake Adult Day Healthcare Center in Historic Filipinotown earlier this week.

Silverlake ADHC Administrative Director Angelo Pinto said that the closing down of ADHC’s statewide would be catastrophic. She said that the governor’s plan to cut spending temporarily would actually result to more spending by the state later on.

"People with Alzheimer’s and mental issues will end up in Psychiatric wards and require more hospitalization," said Pinto. "The ADHC’s are small businesses or non profits and if these people are out, the employees would also lose their jobs and they will basically be eligible for unemployment and that would increase the economic crisis."

She added that if the ADHC closes, many seniors would be forced to stay in nursing homes for care and cost the state four times more money than an adult day center.

Silver Lake ADHC Program Director Mila Koger said that this center is more than just a place for seniors to receive care. She said, to many Filipino seniors, it has become a second home.

"This is the only program where they can come here be with friends, be able to have good times and have their health monitored," she said. "It is the best program I’ve seen in America. To have it cut means, how are we going to take care of our elderly?"

"This is their second home," she added. "When they are outside, they are prone to loneliness, sadness and depression. When they are at home, they are all alone because their children go to work so they are alone most of the time watching TV. What kind of life is that? But when they come here, they are filled with energy. They see their friends, they can dance, they sing so this is home to them."

Flor Garcia has only been going to the Silver Lake ADHC for only two months. The 63-yearold FilAm was in a serious car accident six years ago that left her disabled.

Unable to work, she was homebound and spent her days lonely and depressed.

Her family registered her to Silver Lake ADHC and has seen a tremendous change in her health.

"It’s been amazing. It’s been a great two months," said Nina Garcia, Flor’s 23-year-old daughter. "We really saw her improve and it’s really sad to learn that something like this might be taken away."

Flor said that she noticed the change immediately once she enrolled.

"I got strong. I got healthy. I’m not stressed anymore and I go everywhere. I can walk and go shopping alone. Before, I couldn’t do that," she said.

"If the center will close where will I go? At home again, to be sad again, to be lonely to be stressed. That’s why I beg the governor to not close this center. This is important to us, especially the senior citizens."