The Beauty and Fruit of Faithfulness

It’s amazing where you learn some of the most important lessons of life. I was returning to the Commission offices located on the first floor of St. AugustineTowersafter attending Liturgy with many of the residents of the assisted living facility… 

 I was in a great hurry to get back to my office. Two very senior women were walking in front of me, one using a walker;  the other using a cane.

I didn’t want to rush in front of them for fear they might not hear or see me, so impatiently I walked behind them.

One said to the other, “What time is our activity?” 

The other said, “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

The first woman then said, “Is it time for lunch?”

  The other replied, “I don’t know but I know we don’t have to worry. They will come and get us.”

The first woman said, “Yes. They always do.”

Then she said, “We’re forgetting everything. Do you think we’ll forget how to pray?” 

The other woman replied, “Oh, I hope not.”

It was an inspiring moment for me.  In that moment, I saw the beauty and fruit of faithfulness walking right before me.

 At that moment, I knew, as they knew, the staff of St. Augustine Towers, a Catholic Charities facility, would help them with their daily needs.

These women are the human faces of a vulnerable population that is so well cared for at a facility located in the heart of the inner city.   When they can no longer live alone, they often cross the street and come to St. Augustine Manor, the nursing home part of the health campus.

  Like many other not- for- profit nursing homes throughout the state,  St. Augustine Manor  suffered almost two million dollars in cuts to programs and services for 2012-2013.  During the  months of advocacy preceding  approval of  the final state budget,  many deals were  cut by lobbyists and lawmakers.  St. Augustine suffered the second largest budget  cuts in the state while at the same time scoring 100% at its last inspection.

Lawmakers often point to facilities such asSt. AugustineTowersor St. Augustine Manor Nursing Home and thank the Catholic Church for the wonderful job it does in providing much needed services. But  providers cannot continue to offer not only adequate services  but often superior quality services without adequate financial support.

These services for our senior citizens have been developed and maintained over many years.  Indeed, our older citizens today were partially responsible for supporting the above listed programs in the past. Now, we need to assist and protect them. 

None of us can make up the millions of dollars that may be allocated or cut for services to the elderly in the next state budget.  But all of us can write, call, fax and email our lawmakers and advocate for these services to be included in the revisions to the budget for the next year.  The revisions are currently underway. 

Two weeks ago, Ohio Governor John Kasich outlined his plan for the mid-biennium review (MBR).   The review takes another look at at the vital services across the state.  Now is the time to react to what’s in it and how it could impact health, human services, and early care & education in Ohio.  The coming weeks will be critical to ensure that the Governor and the legislature strengthen Ohio’s communities and maintain investments in vital public services.

We can influence the process:  Contact your legislator/s and ask them to put back money for not-for-profit nursing homes which suffered disproptionate cuts during the budget process.  Contact them www.legislature.state.oh.us. Addresses:  Governor Kasich, Riffe Center, 30th Floor, Columbus, OH 43266, The Honorable (State Representative), Riffe Center, 77 South High St., Columbus, OH 43266, The Honorable (State Senator) Senate Building, Columbus, OH 43215