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Illinois elderly on their own following funding cuts

By Beau Ebenezer

Illinois elderly on their own following funding cuts

January 30, 2013 Updated Jan 31, 2013 at 11:36 AM CDT

PEORIA, Ill. -- Cuts in property tax grants and prescription drug assistance have hundreds of elderly Illinois Residents worried.

In July, the Illinois Department of Aging cut the drug assistance program, Illinois Cares RX and the property tax relief grant, Circuit Breaker, due to funding cuts.

Now, Central Illinois Agency on Aging officials say their phones have been ringing non-stop.

Hundreds of senior citizens have tried to re-apply in the past week for the programs, unaware of the elimination.

"It is sad because we have seniors that take over 20 different kinds of medicine, and we have been calling other agencies to see what assistance they have to help the senior citizens or disabled," said Agency on Aging Programs Manager Nancy Bell.

The Illinois Department of Aging now only provides one program called The Benefit Access Program.

It includes free transit rides for the elderly and disabled, along with state license plate discounts.

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