Truth and Consequences at the Department of Elder Affairs

By Gema G. Hernández

The Florida Department of Elder Affairs is going through reorganization. It appears that every time there are potential lawsuits against the Department or the Secretary, the department is reorganized, erasing traces of any potential evidence in favor of the lawsuits. This time the department would like to modify its looks and as such only non Hispanic whites are allowed to retain positions of power. Even loyal minorities are relegated to a second level. The same criterion applies to age. The new look is much younger and whiter. While on the subject of age, it is sad to see that under the new leadership, the department is willing to settle out of court by offering more money and more perks in the several cases of sexual harassment than in the age discrimination suits. Are elders less valuable and less politically important than other individuals?

This reorganization is meeting two purposes, one it diverts the blame for holding 12 million dollars worth of services to elders to the department heads in charge of the community based and monitoring activities, and second, it gives the Secretary the opportunity to bring home loyal troops to the senior management level. The names of the divisions and units have also changed. One division has been created for the sole purpose of supporting the administrative or executive decisions. This division is very important because it will be responsible for moving elders from the existing service delivery system and Medicaid waiver programs to Managed Care. In doing so, this division will also be responsible for preparing the Department and all AAAs to merge with AHCA.

Another division will be dealing exclusively with Communities for a Lifetime© and while it is true the department continues to plagiarize published work and copyrighted names it is also true that copying someone’s work is the highest form of admiration and for that I thank them. This is in my opinion the most important division and the only divisions that may survive after Managed Care absorbs the other functions of the Department. It has been my belief that unless we improve the infrastructure in our neighborhoods, look at alternative transportation options, change zoning laws and invest to create tax exempt disaster savings account we will not be able to deal with mass longevity nor are we going to have a big enough budget to pay for the care of elders and frail individuals.

While all these changes are taking place and distracting the public this is not the most important change that elder affairs is initiating. I admire their ability to create virtual reality, at all times focusing the attention of the public on superficial issues while the critical ones are kept under wraps. To make this point clear let me underline the following: The same agencies that Secretary Green was quoted in the Ft Myers press as being fiscally irresponsible are the same agencies that she wants to protect by changing the language of Chapter 430. All of the changes to Chapter 430 are connected to the Medicaid reform but also to the ultimate demise of elder affairs as it becomes a shadow of AHCA. There is of course nothing wrong with this change unless of course we remember that the people of Florida voted to create in the State Constitution the Department of Elder Affairs and the Department of Veteran Affairs.

If one of the outcomes of the real reorganization is to eliminate the AAA, by the time we notice it will be too late. If another one of the outcomes is diluting the power of elders by merging them with frail adults the need to change Chapter 430 becomes paramount in the process. The changes will not be opposed by agencies claiming to advocate for elders because this represents more money to them. They are now able to tap into another government pocket and because of that, the agencies will quietly change their mission statement, reprint their brochures and justify the move unless of course the move impacts their budgets and a bigger fish comes to eat their bait.

More to come. Happy Holidays to all. 2006 is going to be a great year.