Contact
Mary Edwards for a
list of delegates
by county

Additional
Information

North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services

North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature

Fact Sheet

The North Carolina Senior ar Heel Legislature was created by the North Carolina General Assembly with the passage of Senate Bill 479 in July of 1993.

The Senior Tar Heel Legislature was created to:

• Provide information to senior citizens on the legislative process and matters being considered by the North Carolina General Assembly.



• Promote citizen involvement and advocacy concerning aging issues before the North Carolina General Assembly.



• Assess the legislative needs of older citizens by convening a forum modeled after the North Carolina General Assembly.

Each of the 100 North Carolina counties is entitled to one delegate to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature. Most counties also have an alternatedelegate. Delegates and alternates must be age 60 or older. The North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services provide staff support for the Senior Tar Heel Legislature in cooperation with the 17 Area Agencies on Aging, which are responsible for conducting the selection of delegates and alternates.

Mary Edwards of the Division of Aging and Adult Services is the principal staff aide.

For more information about the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature, please contact your county’s Delegate or Alternate or the following members:

2010 Legislative Priorities

• Provide funding to sustain Project C.A.R.E. (Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty). Project C.A.R.E. provides respite care, family consultation and linkage to caregivers of persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. By helping families keep a loved one in the home longer, less time will be required for institutional care. The resulting savings in public funds are substantial. We recommend that $1,000,000 in recurring funds be appropriated to sustain Project C.A.R.E. in the 21 counties it now serves and to expand it into other counties.



• Increase funding for home and community based services for older adults by increasing the Home and Community Care Block Grant by $5 million.Home and community-based services include home-delivered meals, adult day care, health care, in-home aid and other services that help impaired older adults stay in their homes. These services are less costly than institutional care. The rapidly growing population of older adults is increasing the demand for these services. There are thousands of people on the waiting list for Home and Community Block Grant services.



• Increase funding for senior centers by an additional $2,000,000 in recurring funds for a total of $3,265,316 a year. Senior centers provide programs and services that enhance the health and wellness of older adults and support their efforts to remain independent. The 163 senior centers currently in operation or under development serve 98 counties. The requested increase in recurring funds would enable these senior centers to expand their services to meet the needs of a growing population of older adults.



• Establish a cap on the increase in the assessed value of property determined during revaluations for persons over the age of 65, eligible for a Homestead Exemption. Revise the limits of the Act to income of $35,000. The 2000 census estimates that 12.7% of NC’s elderly over 65 have an income below the poverty level. Frequent reassessments of property values have resulted in much greater tax burdens within this population.



• Mandate pre-employment and random drug testing for employees of nursing and assisted living facilities. Skilled nursing facilities and adult care homes provide specialized care for frail adults with chronic health problems and disabled persons. The safety of residents is compromised when employees abuse drugs, resulting in decreased productivity, increased liability to the facility and its staff and increased potential crimes such as theft and patient abuse. While some companies require pre-employment and random drug testing for their employees, all companies should have this policy in place.

2010 Priorities

By-Laws
(PDF)

Rules
(PDF)

Supporting Fact Sheets
(PDF Files)

Home and Community
Care Block Grant

Mental Health

Project C.A.R.E

Property Tax

Senior Centers