On April 1, 2012, the Adult Day Care Centers in Alabama received a letter saying effective May 1,2012, that the elderly and handicapped DHR clients would no longer be sponsored for day care services.

Please know that the day care is not just a place of socializing. It plays a vital role in the well being of our clients. We provide them with a hot breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack daily. We also provide transportation to town to buy groceries, pick up mail and prescriptions. We transport them to their local doctor’s appointments. Families depend on the day care to provide a safe, structured environment for their loved one while they work. Day care is more cost effective than other means of care. Rep. Mike Jones recognized the importance of the day care program to the elderly and handicapped communities. He went above and beyond his duties as our representative to find funds that would help the day cares continue to operate until the end of the fiscal year. He kept in touch with us through the days in which we did not know if we would be able to stay open. We owe Rep. Jones our sincere thanks for all his hard work and persistence on our behalf.

We are now facing the same dilemma. There is an amendment to be voted for on Sept. 18, 2012. If it is not passed we will be forced to close our doors. Our clients live on a fixed income and could not afford to pay for day care services. This is not the only program for the elderly and handicapped that will be affected if this amendment doesn’t pass. Please vote YES on Sept. 18, 2012.

 

Rita Willis, Director

Tri County Adult Day Care