03/03/2026
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https://fastdemocracy.com/campaigns/e3kXBPUDs/Save-our-Senior-Centers
West Virginia’s nonprofit senior agencies have supported the state’s elderly and frail for decades. Centers efficiently provide nutritional services, in-home health care, transportation, and social activities for senior citizens in even the most remote areas of West Virginia. Often, staff from a senior center is the only physical interaction seniors throughout WV experience.
WVDSCS members are not interested in preserving CON simply for financial reasons. We fear that eliminating CON would increase risks and vulnerabilities for senior centers and jeopardize the infrastructure they provide. Without question, dismantling an existing system that works for rural seniors would create unforeseen problems.
Senior center providers’ roles include a continuum of care and services, which include:
*Welfare checks
*Meal deliveries
*Assisting seniors in their homes with daily chores such as changing a light bulb or even unclogging a toilet
Senior providers provide transportation to doctor’s appointments and for essential errands (such as grocery shopping, prescription pickup, and banking needs).
*They socialize with individuals who are isolated and unable to meet their basic needs.
Our centers are committed to helping seniors live their best lives in their own homes and avoid nursing home care, which imposes extraordinary costs on taxpayers.
While private providers contribute to the care of the elderly and frail, they often do not offer the same level of personal care as senior center providers. Private companies tend to focus on fulfilling contractual obligations, whereas senior service providers approach their work with longstanding compassion and dedication. They care for people who may live in remote communities and need love and support because they are alone or disconnected from their families.
Private providers may claim to offer the same services, but they do not. They often leave seniors to fend for themselves regarding meals and transportation. For example, senior citizens are not prepared to carry heavy boxes of canned and shelf-stable goods into their homes. Senior centers are equipped to deliver freshly prepared meals to seniors’ homes. The personal touch and genuine care from senior providers make a significant difference in the lives of those they serve.
Senior Centers are ultimately a “one-stop shop” for our seniors, and for the reasons listed above, this is why it is crucial that the CON remain in place to protect the interests of Senior Centers throughout our great state of West Virginia!