Seniors citizens and the disabled who qualify for long term care services under MassHealth will now have an "equal choice" of care at home or care in a nursing facility under legislation unanimously passed by both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate and scheduled to be signed by Governor Romney on August 4th.

This law is an important civil rights protection that allows consumers to seek care in their homes and in community care programs. It also establishes a "pre-admission counseling" program to ensure people are aware of community alternatives before they finalize a care decision.

According to the Romney Administration, the equal choice statute will save state taxpayers $134 million the first five years after implementation. Today, approximately 75% of the MassHealth funding for long-term care goes to nursing facilities. Massachusetts ranks only 25th in the nation for the percentage of MassHealth funding spent for home and community.

Peggy Munro, the Chair of the Program and Advocacy Committee at North Shore Elder Services noted, "Elder and disabled persons want to be cared for at home as a first option. This legislation gives them the choice to live independently in the community. This law is a win-win. It keeps people living in their own homes in the community where they want to be and it saves tax dollars as well."

Every member of the state legislature representing North Shore communities had endorsed the bill. We thank them for their active and effective leadership on this issue. Our gratitude to also extended to the scores of North Shore elder care advocates who made telephone calls and sent emails in support of the legislation.

To learn more about "Equal Choice" and how it may effect the long term care you or a family can receive, please contact North Shore Elder Services Information Services Department at 978 750 4540 or nselder@nselder.org.

North Shore Elder Services is selling raffle tickets as part of our Hazy Crazy Summer Days Fundraiser. Tickets run $1 a piece, $5 for 7 or $10 for 15 and are available at our office as well as the Councils on Aging in Danvers, Marblehead, Middleton, Peabody and Salem. All proceeds benefit the nutrition program at NSES.

The Grand Prize is a Red Sox Experience including two Grandstand tickets to see The Boston Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Tuesday, September 26, 2006. Transportation to and from the game and dinner for two is also included in this prize package. We also offer "nine innings" of runner up prizes:

Nine Red Sox Instant Lottery Tickets With one ticket to scratch off during each inning, watching the game just got a bit more interesting. In addition to traditional cash prizes, merchandise, tickets and trips, the Red Sox Instant Ticket features a "second chance" drawing in which one lucky player will win a pair of Red Sox season tickets for life.

Lobster Dinner Gift Basket Everything you need for the perfect lobster dinner packed inside a pot big enough to bring your sea bounty to a boil. Where to begin? Consult your "how to eat a lobster" plates, keep your butter dishes close, and choose from a variety of tools to get cracking. We even include lobster bibs and cloth napkins. A $25 gift certificate from Stop & Shop enables you to pick up live lobsters.

Complete Ice Cream Party Bucket We start with a roomy pastel tin and add a matching ceramic ice cream container nestled between four decorative ice cream dishes and an ice cream scoop. To top it off we include hot fudge, caramel, and marshmallow sauces, sprinkles and a gift certificate from Goodies Ice Cream.

$50 Phantom Gourmet Gift Card Use this gift card at your choice of over 100 restaurants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Other prizes include your choice of T-shirt or baseball hat from The Inspired Gift and gift certificates to Uno's Chicago Grille, Kelly's Roast Beef and Sylvan Street Grill.