Hundreds of Riverside County “Home Care” users and providers head to Sacramento to rally against budget cuts.

In-Home Supportive Services is a national home care program designed to help those who would have to go to a nursing home or other institution.
Supporters of the program said it saves thousands of dollars a year because it allows people to stay in their own homes with the help of caregivers. Sean Tetler’s wife is part of this program.

“It’s one of four major sticking points on the California state budget that’s due to pass towards the end of the week,” said Tetler.

Nearly 60 people from Desert Hot Springs boarded a bus to Sacramento to hold a candlelight vigil and march to protest cuts to this program.

Mila Perezchica is also a caregiver.

“They just would have to make do without a lot of things and not be able to care for themselves and, trying to care for themselves would be really difficult,” said Perezchica.

“The population demographic of the whole United States is aging and somebody needs to care for them,” added Tetler.

This program allows nearly a half-million low-income elderly, blind and disabled Californians to get the care they need. And with jobs hard to come by these days, the union says cutting the program would hurt local businesses that are already struggling in this economy.

“It helps because the economy is so bad right now, a lot of us are out of work and so, it’s very little money that they give us but at least it’s something,” said Perezchica.

They hope to reach state lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown and convince them the program saves lives.

“More dialogue. At least for the governor to look out the window and see there’s several thousand of us there, to remind them that these programs are out there,” said Tetler.