NORWICH – Not only did the Chenango County Area Agency on Aging find enough leftover money in their budget this year to purchase about 50 new medical alert buttons for seniors, but the county’s financial leaders agreed they could spend it.
The decision, however, came with a lot of discussion about departmental priorities, the value to taxpayers from offering the devices free to seniors, and whether to use end-of-the-year funds that would otherwise fall into surplus.
Department Director Deb Sanderson suggested $32,400 from seven budget lines could be used to purchase new units. The amount, plus $11,000 approved previously, should be enough to buy new ones and replace 40 used Lifelines that will become obsolete by the end of the year, Sanderson said.
The alert buttons, manufactured by many companies, are worn around the neck and automatically connect seniors to emergency health services. About 120 of Chenango County’s senior citizens are currently on a waiting list for them.
“I know that this is more than the Finance Committee was thinking of spending, but all of the members of Health & Human Services believe this is what should be spent,” said Supervisor Richard Schlag, D-German, who is a member of both committees. “There is something special going on here. Many of their units will be out of service. The company can’t repair them anymore. We will lose units, and slowly but surely watch the whole program dwindle. This is a chance to do this. If not now, why not?”
Finance Committee member Alton Doyle, R-Guilford, said the Agency began providing lifelines 12 years ago. “It was a nice idea, and has been working quite nicely for people, but it was never in the budget,” he said.
The agency has also asked that $10,000 be budgeted for the devices next year. Money donated from community organizations such as the Lion’s Club and Rotary have traditionally help afford new units. However, Sanderson said financial participation in the program had recently “dwindled.”
“Obviously there would be no surplus to defray expenses on down if everybody did this,” Schlag said. “We wouldn’t want to see this become a long-term thing by this or any other department.”
Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown said he questioned spending the department’s surplus money because an earlier infusion of state cash was used, instead, to raise staff members’ salaries. “It’s a question of prioritizing,” Brown said. “Raises were more important than Lifelines earlier in the year. Why is this suddenly so important?”
Committee Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, R-Oxford, said he was unsure what it was worth to taxpayers overall to give away something for free to a specific segment of the population.
“It obviously keeps people in the home and out of assisted care,” he said. “There is a savings. That’s what drives any decision to do this. But what it’s worth, I’ve asked before. I don’t know.”
“It’s worth a life,” Doyle said.
“It will be an ongoing local cost,” Wilcox said.
“There are ongoing costs for getting older,” said Harry W. Conley, R-Sherburne, before making a motion to transfer the line items. Doyle seconded the motion. It carried unanimously.