"CARING FOR OUR SENIORS IS PERHAPS THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE. THOSE WHO WALK BEFORE US HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH AND MADE POSSIBLE THE LIFE WE ALL ENJOY."
JOHN HENRY HOEVEN III, GOVERNOR OF NORTH DAKOTA 2000-2010
Oregon’s budget reflects our values as a state. That's why Better Care Oregon is working to protect the funding and essential services Oregon seniors and people with disabilities deserve.
Better Care Oregon is bringing Oregonians together to remind elected officials that behind every budget line item, there are real people who will experience real world consequences depending on the choices that get made in Salem.
Families across Oregon struggle to afford the quality care that is best for their loved ones. At the same time, caregivers need raises to keep up with the high costs of living. The state must ensure seniors and people with disabilities have the support they need to live comfortably and with dignity, and provide fair wages to caregivers to keep up with the high cost of living.
Join with us in standing with Oregon seniors, disabled citizens, caregivers and their families.
OUR GOALS
PROTECT OREGON’S SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND THE MEDICALLY FRAGILE FROM CUTS TO CRITICAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
Oregon voters believe funding for care communities and other critical care services for people with disabilities and seniors should be the state’s top priority.
Preserve crucial health and support programs.
If Oregon cuts funding for essential services, many seniors could lose a lot more than care services - they could lose their ability to live in their communities or their homes.
PROVIDE OVERDUE COST OF LIVING INCREASES NEEDED TO ENSURE FAIR WAGES FOR QUALITY, SKILLED WORKERS.
Oregon needs quality, skilled workers to care for our citizens, and care workers need fair wages to keep up with the high cost of living.
"CARE IS A STATE IN WHICH SOMETHING DOES MATTER; IT IS THE SOURCE OF HUMAN TENDERNESS."
ROLLO MAY
WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Because every line item in the budget is tied to impacts on real people, even seemingly small changes in the budget can make a big difference in the lives of those affected.
We agree with Oregon voters, funding for care communities and other critical care services for people with disabilities and seniors should be the state’s top priority:
- Families need more affordable care options and better information, not higher costs.
- There is a growing demand for caregivers to meet the demand of our aging population. Oregon’s care workforce must be given the training and compensation necessary to provide the quality care services all Oregonians deserve
- All seniors and people with disabilities should have access to affordable, high quality long term care and be treated with dignity and respect.
- Oregon’s seniors and people with disabilities should receive quality care that is most appropriate for their needs, whether that’s in their home or joining a care community near their family.
Oregon lawmakers must make seniors, people with disabilities, and the people who care for them, a top priority.
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ANY PROPOSED CUTS TO STATE MEDICAID FOR SENIORS OR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE UNACCEPTABLE.
We understand there are limited resources, but we must keep the budget from being balanced on the backs of those least able to afford it.
DID YOU KNOW?
* The first residential care community in the United States opened its doors in Oregon in 1985. [1]
* Each day, over 70,000 Oregonians receive care in long term care communities across the state, and that number will grow as Oregon’s population continues to age. [2]
* 2,000 Oregonians have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia. [3]
* Nearly 83,000 Oregonians are employed in the long term care service sector. [4]
* 59% of patient care in skilled nursing facilities is paid for by Medicaid – the largest payer source. [5]
[1] Wilson, K.B. (2007), “Historical Evolution of Assisted Living in the United States, 1979 to the Present.” The Gerontologist. 47 (3): pp 8-22.
[2] Oregon Health Care Association (2016). OHCA Long Term Care State Report 2016, pp 4. Accessible here: https://associationpublications.com/flipbooks/ohca/Report_16/index.html
[3] Alzheimer’s Association (2016). 2016 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Accessible here: https://www.alz.org/documents_custom/2016-facts-figures.pdf
[4] Oregon Health Care Association (2016). OHCA Long Term Care State Report 2016, pp 10. Accessible here: https://associationpublications.com/flipbooks/ohca/Report_16/index.html
[5] Oregon Health Care Association (2016). OHCA Long Term Care State Report 2016, pp 14. Accessible here: https://associationpublications.com/flipbooks/ohca/Report_16/index.html
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