Calif. judge suspends cuts to senior services; Back pay for Wash. state home care workers?

In California and Washington state, judges are taking action on seniors' care.

California Healthline: Judge Temporarily Stops IHSS Cuts
A federal judge in Oakland issued a temporary restraining order last week, suspending the state's planned reduction of 20% to In-Home Supportive Services to 370,000 Californians. ... The judicial action came right before the state was set to send notices to IHSS participants -- most of whom are seniors -- notifying them of the reduction in services (Gorn, 12/4). 

The Seattle Times: Judge: DSHS Owes $96 Million To Caregivers
As lawmakers work to close a $2 billion state budget shortfall, a cost-savings decision from eight years ago could ultimately prove expensive. A Thurston County judge on Friday ruled the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) owes about 22,000 home-care workers almost $96 million in back pay and accrued interest. ... DSHS plans to appeal the ruling (Sullivan, 12/2).

Meanwhile, another story highlights the benefits of some services for seniors.

The Seattle Times: Senior Services Keeps Elders On the Move
The music is loud and bouncy, and seniors in this class are ticking off the reps, lowering themselves into their chairs and then powering back up. They're in training, you might say, for getting old. ... this "EnhanceFitness" class at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center is serious business. Research by the University of Washington and Group Health Cooperative has documented its role in lessening the impact of age-related conditions (Ostrom, 12/3).