Elder Care Community Testifies Before State Legislators on March 7th at Monroe Community Hospital

ROCHESTER, NY (03/05/2008)(readMedia)-- The Greater Rochester Area Partnership for the Elderly (G.R.A.P.E.) will sponsor a Legislative Town Hall on March 7, 2008, for service providers, businesses, organizations and agency departments to testify before State Legislators about elder care issues. The Town Hall provides a forum for State Legislators to share their positions and concerns about possible consolidations, restructuring, and reallocation of local and state resources that impact the quality of life for the increasing aging population of Monroe County, NY. Over 125 senior service organizations will be in attendance as well as key legislators including: Senator Joseph Robach, Assemblymembers Susan John, Joseph Morelle, Bill Reilich, and Joseph Errigo.

Thirteen per cent (13%) of Monroe County’s residents are over the age of 65 years, and that number is growing as the population ages. A culturally diverse population, it cannot be expected to age in what has been considered traditional ways. In the same way that their circumstances have differed in their lives past, so will they continue to be diverse into the future and offer unique challenges to those who provide services to them. The challenge to legislators is to enact policies that ensure a quality of life for a growing elderly population, while at the same time addressing rising health care costs.

The Annual Legislative Town Hall event attracts speakers from advocacy organizations, government departments, businesses and service providers, including: AARP, Monroe County Office for the Aging, Home Care of Rochester (HCR), Lifespan, Visiting Nurse Service, Catholic Family Center, and the Ibero-American Action League.

The March 7th event will be held in Auditoriums A, B, and C at the Monroe Community Hospital, 435 East Henrietta Rd., Rochester, NY. A full breakfast sponsored by MedAmerica Insurance Company begins at 8:15 am. Testimony starts at 9:00am. Cost for attendance is $10.

To RSVP attendance for this event, contact the G.R.A.P.E. Office at 256-4351. To register as a speaker, contact Paul Caccamise at Lifespan, (585) 244-8400. Those testifying are asked to bring 20 copies of their testimony, three-hole punched, to the event on March 7th , where booklets will be prepared for area legislators.

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