22-05-2025
Alabama families fight to save vital services for 375,000 seniors — care, meals, and lives at stake
AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – For decades, local Area Agencies on Aging have provided a vital safety net for Alabama's older adults—delivering hot meals, offering caregiver relief, and advocating for the rights of nursing home residents. But now, advocates say the safety net is in danger of unraveling.
The proposed FY2026 budget calls for deep cuts to the Older Americans Act (OAA) and the dissolution of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the federal agency overseeing senior services. If enacted, the plan would eliminate or drastically reduce funding for multiple programs serving vulnerable seniors—putting an estimated 375,000 older Alabamians at risk of losing access to critical support.
At the Lee-Russell Council of Governments (LRCOG)—the Area Agency on Aging for Lee and Russell Counties—staff say the news was both sudden and alarming.
'We found out in March that the Administration for Community Living was being dissolved. One day, half the staff was laid off, and then we learned its programs would be split between other federal agencies,' said Jeanna Thomas, Area Agency on Aging Director at LRCOG. 'In April, a draft of the administration's budget came out, and it showed severe cuts to Older Americans Act programs—some zeroed out completely.'
Founded in 1967, LRCOG is a regional hub for transit, planning, and aging services. In FY2024, the agency served over 4,100 clients through its Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), delivered more than 48,000 hot meals, and helped residents save more than $221,000 in healthcare costs through Medicare counseling and case management.
'We're trying to make sure the community understands just how important these programs are,' said Thomas. 'They help people stay in their homes, support those with dementia and their caregivers, and ensure that residents in nursing homes are being treated with dignity and respect.'
That support is already stretched thin—and the proposed federal cuts would slash even deeper.
'We have seniors we visit who may not see another person all month except our case manager,' Thomas said. 'These programs are a lifeline.'
Among the services at risk if the budget is approved:
• ADRCs, which connect seniors and families to meals, in-home care, and benefits
• Ombudsman programs that advocate for residents in long-term care facilities
• Medicare SHIP counseling, which helps older adults select affordable insurance
• Preventive health programs, including fall prevention and chronic disease education
• Caregiver support and elder abuse prevention services
'In Alabama, it's 375,000 seniors who rely on these programs. Across the country, it's millions,' Thomas added. 'There are advocates working in Washington, but we need families at the local level calling their representatives and speaking up.'
'Optimistically, I want to believe these programs won't be cut—because I know how much it will hurt people,' she said. 'I can see the faces of those we serve. It's heartbreaking.'
LRCOG Executive Director Lisa Sandt said the agency's central mission is to help seniors live independently, with dignity and support.
'We get about 5,000 calls a year from people looking for help,' Sandt said. 'Whether it's through our agency or another community group, the ADRC guides them. But that's one of the programs on the chopping block. So where do people go?'
Sandt said the threat to services extends beyond seniors themselves.
'It's not just our older adults—it's their caregivers, too. The support we offer helps them keep their loved ones at home,' she said. 'Without that support, people will be forced to make impossible choices between food, medicine, and utilities.'
Asked how concerned she is on a scale from one to ten, Sandt didn't hesitate: 'A ten.'
As Congress prepares to debate the FY26 budget, aging advocates across Alabama and the nation are urging lawmakers to protect the Older Americans Act and preserve the infrastructure that keeps seniors safe and supported.
To voice your support for these programs, contact:
• Senator Tommy Tuberville: 202-224-4124
• Senator Katie Britt: 202-224-5744
For more information or to get involved, call the Lee-Russell Council of Governments at 334-528-9247.
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