How Meals on Wheels cuts endanger US seniors: ‘life and death implications’ | Trump administration
R.he Trump administration‘s Cutting For the Ministry of Health and Humanitarian Services, it threatens meals on the wheels, the famous program for combating senior Hunger And isolation. Despite decades of support from the two parties, meals on wheels are now facing attacks by Republicans who pave the way the budget plan for the deep discounts of nutrition and other social safety network programs as a way to pay for them Tax discounts For the wealthy.
It is a step of anti -anti -Ovilian supporters and policy experts who warn against having catastrophic repercussions on millions of older Americans who depend on the program to eat every day.
“It is not over to say that we will leave people hungry and that this literally has the effects of life and death,” said Nicole Yorouche, the head of the call and campaigns in the campaigns. Generational careIt is a non -profit institution that calls for the old age of Americans, disabled people and their sponsorship. “This is not only a nice program to ascend. These programs are necessary in the lives of the elderly around this country.”
Although it is still unknown exactly what will be reduced, the scheme paves the way for the possible disposal of A grant to prohibit social services (SSBG), a major source of financing for local meals on wheel programs in 37 states, and serious discounts for the additional nutrition assistance program (pop) Medicaid, which would increase food insecurity, hardship and high demand for meals on wheel services. All employees who supervised SSBG were already FiringAccording to reports.
If Congress acquires SSBG financing and weakens other programs, the elderly who depend on home delivery or meals in society and the higher centers to survive, will get fewer assistance, as community service providers will have to reduce services, add people to the waiting stabbing or face a distant hunger. Some program operators who are already making difficult options about those who serve because of the tense budgets and the increasing need, as if they were “playing God.”
Elie Hollande, President and CEO of Meals on the wheels of America. “Some of our programs are already working on delicate shaving budgets and withdraw from their reserves. [If funding goes away]This may lead to some programs to close their doors. “
In the United States, one in four Americans is 60 years old, and about 13 million elderly people are threatened by hunger or hunger experience. The meals on Wheels Americana, a network of 5,000 community programs that feed more than two million Americans each year, have a partnership between the public and private sectors for more than 50 years. the Urban Institute It is estimated that the number of elderly people in the United States will exceed duplication over the next forty years.
The largest nutrition program for Americans (OAA), which supports the health and well -being of the elderly through nutrition services, is the main source of the federal finance network, which covers 37 % of what it requires to serve more than 250 million meals every year. The exact mixture of local, state, federal and private financing differs from meals on thousands of community programs on the wheel ground from provider to supplier.
Under orders Elon Musk-Secretary of the Unofficial Government Efficiency Management (DOGE) and Humanitarian Services (HHS) Robert P. Kennedy Juniorand 20,000 HHS people have lost their jobs in recent weeks, including at least 40 % Among the employees of community life management, which coordinates federal policy on aging and impotence. Since many of these employees helped meet critical jobs to serve the elderly Americans through OAA, some meals on wheel programs are concerned about financing payments, reporting data, losing knowledge and institutional experience.
HHS has He said The ACL will be reorganized to other HHS agencies, although how this happens is clear. The participating presidents of the cooperative deficit and aging, which consists of 62 organizations, said partially focused on aging and disability, recently. statement: “This sabotage change threatens to increase rates of institutionalization, homelessness and long -term economic hardships.”
Since the experience of several strikes, it was perceived and at risk of falling, Dierdre Mays has relied on meals in Yolo County to provide meals that are the main source of nutrition, 64 years old. “I really feel a prosperity from the meals I get,” said Mays, one of Woodland, California, who is also receiving $ 20 a month in food stamps, which I use to buy water. “The best part of this is that I do not have to go anywhere to get it.” For Mayes and other older Americans at home, the program is the lifeline.
The uncertainty about meals on the future of the wheels causes the elderly people who are concerned about how federal cuts, the layoffs of workers and the definitions of daily delivery operations. Unbarmed institutions Feedmore WNYWho serves the elderly heading to the home in Niagara provinces in New York, they said they hear from the aged agents, who are afraid as another word recently. Discounts Circular in the news.
Catherine Chic, Director of Public Relations at Feedmore WNY, said that she serves 4,775 unique meals on wheel agents last year, and the demand for their nutrition programs increased by 16 % from 2023 to 2024, a trend they expect to continue. She said: “Any reduction on any funding that has a direct impact on individuals who depend on us to obtain food aid and any discounts that come at a time when we know that food insecurity is high.” “We need constant support for all levels of government, as well as society, to be able to fulfill our mission.”
In addition to providing healthy and nutritious food, it offers meals on wheel drivers, who are volunteers in the first place, a set of other valuable services: they can search for signs of health changes or other health changes. They can also process safety risks at home or provide pet support services, as well as provide important social ties because drivers are often the only person that the elderly may see on a specific day or week.
It has been shown that delivery operations help maintain the health of the elderly, their homes, societies, and outside the costly institutional places. Republicans In the House of Representatives and the Senate, they said their goal is to reduce federal spending, but experts say programs that help finance organizations such as meals on wheels will instead increase federal health care spending and long -term care expenses for the elderly Americans.
“If people are unable to stay in their homes, they will be” high origins “in hospitals and admit prematurely in the care homes of the elderly,” Holland said, and all of this cost both taxpayers billions of dollars annually in exchange for providing meals on the wheels for one year to the same cost to be necessary in the hospital for one day or 10 days in the nursing home. “
Experts agree that even before the cuts, the meals on the wheels of America were suffering from a lack of funding. Defenders and researchers say Oaa did not keep pace with the rapid growth of the population, and the high costs of food or inflation. One in three local programs has already has waiting lists with many programs that already feel the extension to its borders. For more than 60 % of meals on wheelfields across the country, federal financing represents half or more of its total revenues, confirming the grave damage that can be done if discounts or changes in politics are made in any capacity.
“It seems to be a large number of attacks on the programs that the elderly depend on to be safe, independent and healthy in their homes,” Goroyk said of attention across generations. “Everything from discounts to meals on wheels to discounts to medicaid, all these things that are suggested and actively working on implementation, are a real threat to the security of the elderly Americans.”
