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 NORCs Provide Older Citizens with Means to
Live Independently
Right now, Pennsylvania spends approximately
$4 billion a year on long-term care
programs. Thirty percent of this funding
goes to home and community based care.
While Pennsylvania is committed to providing
significant resources to meet the long-term
care needs of all seniors, we must meet the
growing demand of our active seniors who
want to live independently.
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC)
are areas where a large concentration of
older residents live in their own homes and
may need services that allow them to
continue to live independently and keep them
out of costly nursing homes.
Each elderly individual, family or household
is assigned a NORC services coordinator, who
will meet in person and be available by
phone for support and referral services. The
coordinator talks with the elderly person
about his or her needs or helps to identify
those needs, then provides a connection to
various local services.
A few months ago, I joined members of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia at
the JCC Klein Branch to announce major state
funding that will benefit six NORCs located
throughout Pennsylvania, including two in
Northeast Philadelphia.
The $200,000 grant will not only help
existing NORCs to continue to help senior
citizens live independently, but it will
also help establish new NORCs throughout
Pennsylvania.
I also introduced legislation last year that
support our NORCs and I will continue to
push for funding of this beneficial program.
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