ElderHealth Northwest, the largest provider of community-based care centers for elderly people in Washington, has been forced to lay off nearly 40 people as a result of state budget cuts.
The agency plans to close two of its six centers, which serve 800 seniors and disabled people, in the next few weeks.
"Aside from my sadness that skilled and dedicated caregivers are losing their jobs, it is painful to make these cuts, because it will directly impact the quality of care that our seniors receive," said Nora Gibson, executive director of ElderHealth. "But we have no choice. The state has all but abandoned the vulnerable population we care for."
ElderHealth's centers provide medical care, case management, rehabilitation therapies and opportunities for social interaction for senior citizens. The agency estimates that about half of the seniors it serves will lose coverage beginning July 1, when a 70 percent cut in Medicaid funding for low-income seniors takes effect.