North Country Sen. Joseph Griffo R. Rome is calling for an increase in the monthly personal needs allowance that individuals in nursing homes are allowed to keep for their own expenses.

As the cost of living has constantly risen year after year, Griffo says the personal needs allowance for nursing home residents who receive Medicaid has remained the same at $50 since the early 1980s.

“This leaves many older adults with very little cash to spend out of pocket as they wish on items like clothing, hobby materials, telephone calls, toiletries, gifts, books and magazines, snacks, television, Internet services, eyeglasses and other accessories,” Griffo says.

On Wednesday, Griffo reiterated that he is cosponsoring legislation – S2906A – in the New York State Senate that would increase the existing personal needs allowance for individuals in nursing homes from $50 to $75, if they don’t already receive any additional state or federal payments.

“This bill, which is sponsored by Senator Kenneth LaValle, would also provide a monthly allowance of $75 for individuals in residential programs for victims of domestic violence, who currently receive no such allowance,” Griffo said in a released statement.

Griffo says personal needs allowance is paid out of Medicaid, so this proposed increase is estimated to cost Medicaid approximately $25 million in the first year. These allowances would further be adjusted each year to reflect the Consumer Price Index, according to the bill.

The Senate bill has a companion bill sponsored in the State Assembly by Assemblyman Clifford Crouch, R-Bainbridge.

“Like any of us, older adults have personal pleasures, hobbies and luxuries that they deserve to be able to spend their monthly income on to be happy. But because their out-of-pocket personal needs allowance hasn’t gone up in years, what little money they do receive each month doesn’t last very long, and that is unfortunate for individuals who have contributed so much to our society through their lives,” Griffo said. “Just because these individuals are now living in a residential facility doesn’t mean they should be deprived of those personal items that would brighten their day or make their life more fulfilling.”

Concerning victims of domestic violence who are in a residential program, Griffo said, “when victims of domestic violence finally take steps to escape their abuse and seek protection in a residential program, their main concern is personal safety. But as they move forward in this very difficult and challenging new phase of their life, it would be very helpful for these individuals to receive financial help to pay for essential items. This personal needs allowance would help lessen the struggle that domestic violence victims experience at a time when they are trying to put their lives back together.”