LOUISVILLE, Ky. – State Senator Lowe Finney (D-Jackson) was honored this week with the SE4A State Aging Impact Award from the Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging for his work on expanding home health care to thousands of Tennessee seniors.
“I’m incredibly grateful to receive this award, because it shows that people are noticing the work we are doing for seniors in Tennessee,” Finney said. “We are leading the region in providing affordable, quality health care for seniors, and I am hopeful that others will follow in our footsteps.”
The competitive award is given to the most outstanding leader in the eight-state Southeast region in improving the quality of life of older adults. Finney received the award for his work on the Long-Term Care Community CHOICES Act of 2008, which Finney sponsored and has since worked to expand.
Under CHOICES, seniors choose who gives their home care and how it is given. The care providers work for the patients, who can hire, train and schedule the workers. Seniors are able to hire people they trust, at a lower cost to the state and no additional cost to the patient.
CHOICES services include help doing everyday activities like bathing, dressing, preparing meals or doing chores. Other services include pest control, household errands and even minor home modifications like wheelchair ramps.
CHOICES enrollment has expanded from an initial target of 7,500 to 9,500 this year, and is expected to serve 11,000 Tennesseans (including turnover) by the end of this year.
“Lowe has just always been open and a great listener, and he reaches out,” said John Bucy, executive director of the Northwest Tennessee Development District, which oversees the Area Agency on Aging for Carroll and Gibson Counties.
“He has been very closely in touch with [seniors] ever since he has been in the Senate, and he obviously took an interest in aging issues from the outset of his career.”
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