In Utah, programs like the “Alternatives” program — which provides services like grocery shopping, household chores and snow removal — cost less than one-third of what it would cost to provide similar services in a full-time care center, according to an analysis by the Salt Lake City-based think-tank The Utah Foundation.
But that program currently covers only 0.25 percent of all Utah seniors, and the analysis indicated that every county in the state has a waiting list for caregiver respite services.
More than 10 percent of Utah seniors rely on programs like senior center meals or Meals on Wheels for food, and the Utah Foundation report projected the state’s $12.8 million budget for such programs would need to increase by at least another $5.8 to $8.8 million annually keep up with current service levels as the service population grows.
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