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Wolf Announces Initiative To Improve Home Care For Seniors During Philly Visit

By John McDevitt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf was in Philadelphia today announcing an initiative to give those in their golden years choices and have fair access to quality long-term health care.

Governor Wolf announced the first step in a long-term effort that will do three things: provide choices to seniors, create stronger efficiency in home and community-based care delivery services, and increases protections for seniors by supporting a well-trained work force.

Wolf says in the upcoming budget, which will be announced on Tuesday, allocations to both the Department of Human Services and the Pennsylvania Department of Aging will be increased to enable more than 5,500 additional individuals to obtain care in their homes.

"If we take just 5,500 citizens out of institutionalized care and put them back into their home," Wolf says, "that saves over $2,000 a month to the commonwealth and the net savings is probably in the $130-million range, so this is actually going to save us money over time."

The governor also says there are plans to create an on-line registry to provide employment opportunities for workers, and information to help consumers find competent care.

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