Alzheimer's advocates urged legislators Wednesday to support efforts to ask the governor to restore respite care funds to a previous allocation of $450,000.
"These funds mean everything," said Stacy Tew-Lovasz, president of the St. Louis chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. "They mean living."
Under Gov. Eric Greitens' proposed budget cuts, $275,000 will be allocated to Department of Health and Senior Services for respite care in fiscal year 2018.
"For the past four years, allocations for respite care have been set at $450,000," according to Jacob Simburger, communications and public policy specialist of the Greater Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
Advocates want the governor to know more than 110,000 Missourians will be affected by those cuts.
"We are a voice for those who are suffering from Alzheimer's who cannot do this on their own," Heather McCreery, an attorney at Turnbull and Stark, said. "I know a lot of families personally who have taken advantage of this grant to keep their loved ones at home."
Added Lonni Schicker, a St.-Louis-based advocate and an Alzheimer's patient: "We're here in Jefferson City to let these legislators know that there are a lot people doing a lot and that we need help and your support."
Pat Etienne, member of the national early stage advisory committee from Columbia, told the News Tribune she wouldn't have been able to care for her brother who had been diagnosed with vascular dementia without the respite care funds.
Etienne said she was diagnosed six years ago with early-onset stages of dementia, after recognizing the symptoms while taking care of her brother.
Now, Etienne said, she is completely dependent on the services through the Alzheimer's Association, and they are completely dependent on the funds they get from the Legislature.
Newly elected Lt. Gov. Mike Parson stood alongside advocates Wednesday as they gathered in the Rotunda.
"You don't have to be a senior to go through this," Parson said. "At the end of the day, it's about doing everything you can to make sure that those people with dementia can enjoy the time they have left to live."
During his speech, he told the audience his own father had battled with dementia.
Linda Fisher, ambassador to Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, R-4th District, told the News Tribune her husband had been diagnosed at the age of 49.
Fisher said Alzheimer's respite funds were the only support they had because her husband was too young for Medicaid.
"Respite funds helped me keep him at home for at least six more months than I could have," Fisher said. "These funds save the state money, because when people can stay in their homes, this is a lot less expensive than when people go into the nursing home on Medicaid."
Tew-Lovasz said the goal is to give people the choice to stay at home.
"We all want to stay at home," Tew-Lovasz said. "If I can get services, care and support at home, we can stay at home longer."