East Windsor Residents Approve Help for At-Risk Seniors

East Windsor residents have overwhelmingly approved a proposal to hire a geriatric caseworker. The vote was 81 to 6 at the Wednesday, April 15^th Special Town Meeting.

Many residents who spoke in favor of the new position noted the difficulty in finding services for their ailing parents and other elderly loved ones. Many felt that having a local contact to connect them to elder care services, would be especially helpful.

According to state data, East Windsor’s population is twenty percent older than the state average. First Selectman Jason Bowsza says cuts in federal funding have put increased pressure on geriatric support services on the state level, causing delays in service and leaving “a clear hole in the social safety net intended to protect a very at-risk population.”

The funding for the position will be appropriated from the interest earned on the federal American Rescue Plan Act grant that the town received a number of years ago. According to Bowsza, the $50,000 in funding will be used to contract with a caseworker on an hourly basis, until the funding is depleted.

As Bowsza explains, “The funding will serve as bridge between the services the town already provides and referrals to services provided by Medicare and Medicaid to provide follow-up care after an initial identification of an at-risk client.”