Advocates for elderly worry over state merger proposal

When Bob Fabry needed assistance at home caring for his wife, who has dementia, he turned to a state program that helps elderly Pennsylvanians remain in their homes — without entering far more costly nursing home care.

Despite applying in April of last year, it took until February before home health aides were in their Venango County home to help care for his wife.

“The paperwork is overwhelming,” Mr. Fabry recalled, who also had the assistance of an attorney throughout the process.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposal to unify the state’s Department of Aging, Health, Drug and Alcohol Programs and the Department of Human Services into one Department of Health and Human Services promises to save money and provide better services to people like Mr. Fabry.

But advocates for the elderly say they are concerned about the loss of Pennsylvania Lottery funds that now pay for senior services, the loss of a senior “voice” without a Cabinet secretary at a time when the number of older Pennsylvanians is growing, and past missteps in trying to merge services last year.

More than 2.1 million Pennsylvanians are over the age of 65 and that number is projected to grow as baby boomers age.

Advocates say they are concerned that an early attempt at another agency handling aging services, such as those Mr. Fabry applied for, resulted in enrollment delays and problems for seniors, and they worry that would get worse in a bigger bureaucracy.

Since April 2016, elderly Pennsylvanians seeking in-