A Missouri-based national nonprofit that promotes healthy aging is in full-blown panic mode over proposed federal budget cuts.
Juliet Simone is the Chief Program Officer for The Oasis Institute, which is based in St. Louis. She told KMOX Radio that the Trump Administration is threatening to gut core programs, like health and wellness classes, home and community-based caregiver support, transportation, Medicare navigation, and chronic disease management.
“There are threats to weaken Americorps, which is where most of Oasis’ tutoring program is funded through,” Simone said. “We and many other organizations that serve all kinds of people, but especially older adults right now, are feeling in peril.”
The proposed cuts would target programs overseen by the Older Americans Act, which Simone said would directly impact the programs that Oasis offers.
“There are going to be many cases where older adults will be sort of forced to enter some kind of facility that they don’t want to be in. No one wants that to be their first choice, and these cuts are going to make that inevitable,” she said. “But the kicker is the programs that are proposed to be cut or eliminated are extremely cost effective.”
Simone recommends that Oasis clients contact their federal lawmakers and voice opposition to these proposed cuts.
KMOX Radio’s Maria Keena contributed this report
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