Health
Trump Cuts Threaten Agency Running Meals on Wheels
Every Monday, Maurine Gentis, a retired teacher, waits for a delivery from Meals on Wheels South Texas.
“The meals help stretch my budget,” Ms. Gentis, 77, said. Living alone and in a wheelchair, she appreciates having someone look in on her regularly. The same group, a nonprofit, delivers books from the library and dry food for her cat.
But Ms. Gentis is anxious about what lies ahead. The small government agency responsible for overseeing programs like Meals on Wheels is being dismantled as part of the Trump administration’s overhaul of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Roughly half its staff has been let go in recent layoffs and all of its 10 regional offices are closed, according to several employees who lost their jobs.
“I’m just kind of worried that the whole thing might go down the drain, too,” Ms. Gentis said.
In President Trump’s quest to end what he termed “illegal and immoral discrimination programs,” one of his executive orders promoted cracking down on federal efforts to improve accessibility and representation for those with disabilities, with agencies flagging words like “accessible” and “disability” as potentially problematic. Certain research studies are no longer being funded, and many government health employees specializing in disability issues have been fired.
The downsizing of the agency, the Administration for Community Living, is part of far-reaching cuts planned at the H.H.S. under the Trump administration’s proposed budget.
While some federal funding may continue through September, the end of the government’s fiscal year, and some workers have been called back temporarily, there is significant uncertainty about the future. And some groups are reporting delays in receiving expected federal funds.
“There’s a lot of confusion,” said Becky Yanni, the executive director of the Council on Aging in St. Johns County in Florida. She said she has been told that the most recent funding for its Meals on Wheels program and other services might be late.
If the funding does not arrive, “in a lot of communities, you will be looking at cuts in services,” said Sandy Markwood, the chief executive officer for USAging, which represents the network of area agencies of aging.
The community living division helps coordinate services and provide funding for older and disabled Americans so they can stay at home rather than live in a nursing home. With a budget of $2.6 billion, the unit represents a minuscule fraction of total H.H.S. spending.
Under the reorganization introduced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the community unit’s responsibilities will be divided among other agencies, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Administration for Children and Families.
“This consolidation allows the department to better meet the current health needs of vulnerable populations across the country,” a spokeswoman for H.H.S. said in a statement. “This does not impact the important work of these critical programs as it will continue elsewhere within H.H.S.”
So far, several programs under the unit will be eliminated under the proposed budget, including one that provides ombudsmen in nursing homes, to help ensure the safety and welfare of residents, and respite care programs, to provide a break for those caring for an older person or person with disabilities. States would also have more latitude in determining where funds should be allocated.
In addition to meal deliveries, the community living agency supports numerous programs, including the nonprofit Centers for Independent Living, that are staffed by people with disabilities, who help older adults and others with disabilities move out of nursing homes and back into the community, and find services, like transportation and legal assistance.
Theo W. Braddy, the executive director for the National Council on Independent Living, which represents the centers and people with disabilities, said the uncertainty has upended planning.
“Everybody is on edge. We can’t tell them anything because we don’t know anything yet,” he said, adding that no one from the Trump administration or H.H.S. has attempted to contact the group with updates.
Advocates say the recent cutbacks have further marginalized older Americans and those with disabilities. “The bottom line is that people in charge simply don’t care about large swaths of the American people,” said Dr. Joanne Lynne, a clinical professor of geriatrics and palliative care at George Washington University.
“We have made living with disability and old age exceedingly unpleasant,” she said. “We are on course to make it virtually intolerable.”
Community groups like Meals on Wheels are bracing for significant cuts. In addition to the potential loss of funding from the Administration for Community Living, Republican lawmakers are proposing reducing grants to states that use another stream of federal funding. The Trump administration and Republicans are also pushing for significant cuts to the Medicaid program, which provides heath care coverage for low-income Americans.
“We’re concerned about a number of potential threats happening all at once,” said Josh Protas, the chief advocacy and policy officer for Meals on Wheels America, an association of the local nonprofits. About a third of the association’s local units already have waiting lists, he said, and lower funding would result in fewer meals for fewer people.
People who are 60 or older with low incomes, and who have difficulty preparing food for themselves, typically qualify for Meals on Wheels. The demand for services is increasing as food prices rise and more people need assistance. More than two million older Americans receive food deliveries each year, and many say they would have difficulty paying for meals without the program.
“Meals on Wheels is a godsend for me,” said Richard Beatty, a 70-year-old with poor vision and limited mobility living in Baltimore. He receives deliveries four times a week and isn’t sure how he would manage without the program.
If there are cuts in funding, the programs would have to make hard choices about who would be eligible for deliveries. “We would have to make drastic changes to who we were serving,” said Dan Capone, the chief executive of Meals on Wheels South Texas, which serves roughly 300 people a week, including Ms. Gentis. His group also receives private donations, with federal funds accounting for some 40 percent of the budget, he said.
The federal community unit under the ax also plays a key role in supporting disabled Americans, including older individuals.
“So much of the work we do is about giving people dignity in their lives,” said Karen Tamley, the chief executive of Access Living, a Chicago-based center, one of 400 across the United States.
The centers connect people with a variety of services, and offer job and skills training to young adults with disabilities. They may teach someone to drive, or help them find affordable housing.
The Administration for Community Living has helped organizations navigate the state and local bureaucracies responsible for doling out federal funds. When Mr. Capone wanted more clarity as to how Texas was distributing the money, he got in touch with the unit’s regional office in Dallas. “We just started building that relationship with the field office, and that field office is gone,” he said.
“It is frustrating on a practical level,” said Fay Gordon, one of the regional administrators who was let go earlier this month. “These programs are live and need direction.”
Some groups are not waiting before starting to take steps to reduce costs. Brittany Boyd-Chisholm, the chief executive of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania, said that more than half of her funding comes through the federal agency. She has asked all the managers, herself included, to take a cut in salary of between 5 and 10 percent and is weighing other actions. She said her center was already underfunded.
No one has provided her with any information about future grants, and her emails have not been returned. “It makes you feel completely on your own,” Ms. Boyd-Chisholm said.
Created under the Obama administration, the agency was intended to unify the work of three other agencies: the Administration on Aging, the Office on Disability and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities.
“These programs being together and working together was about efficiency and was about coordination,” said Alison Barkoff, the former acting administrator under President Biden, who stepped down last fall.
During the first Trump administration, at the height of the pandemic, the agency worked with the department’s Office for Civil Rights to ensure hospitals and doctors had clear guidelines so that if staffing fell short they wouldn’t deny care to those with disabilities.
“We had found common ground and issues to work on together,” said Daniel Davis, who worked for the agency’s Center of Policy and Evaluation, whose entire staff was laid off, according to former employees.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Amid warnings of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, health experts say that early recognition of symptoms can mean the difference between a quick recovery and life-threatening complications, especially for high-risk groups.
New York City health officials are urging anyone who has visited the east side of Central Park or Manhattan’s Upper East Side since late June to watch for symptoms.
As of July 6, the New York City Health Department had confirmed 23 cases and 17 hospitalizations associated with the respiratory infection. No deaths have been reported.
NYC HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN OF LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE OUTBREAK IN CENTRAL PARK AREA
Officials are investigating contaminated cooling towers as the likely source. They have emphasized that the illness is not spread person-to-person and is not linked to the city’s drinking water.
Health experts say that early recognition of symptoms can mean the difference between a quick recovery and life-threatening complications, especially for high-risk groups. (iStock)
“Legionnaires’ disease is deadly but can be effectively treated if diagnosed early,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin in a press release. “New Yorkers at higher risk, including anyone who is 50 and older, those who smoke or people with chronic lung conditions should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin.”
What is Legionnaires’?
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.
The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments, but can grow in any area where water sits for a long time, according to the CDC.
RARE TICK-BORNE VIRUS TURNS DEADLY FAST AS US CASES REACH RECORD HIGH, EXPERTS WARN
That can include shower heads, sink faucets, hot tubs, water features/fountains, plumbing systems and other water systems.
When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill.
Although human transmission is possible in rare cases, the disease is not typically transmitted among people, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of infection
Infections can lead to severe pneumonia in older people and those with compromised immune systems, according to Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital on Long Island, New York.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease usually show up between two and 14 days after exposure.
New York City health officials are urging anyone who has visited the east side of Central Park or Manhattan’s Upper East Side since late June to watch for symptoms. (iStock)
“Legionella infections cause symptoms that are similar to other forms of pneumonia — fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain,” Handel previously told Fox News Digital.
“Legionnaires’ disease is deadly but can be effectively treated if diagnosed early.”
The signs are similar to other types of pneumonia, and include the following:
- Cough
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches and headaches
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Some patients may also experience nausea, diarrhea and confusion, the CDC noted.
Diagnosis, treatment and prevention
A medical professional can diagnose the infection with laboratory tests and chest X-rays.
The condition is typically treated with antibiotics. In cases of severe infection, hospitalization may be required for breathing support and IV hydration.
Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from those complications — and the mortality risk rises to 25% for those who get Legionnaires’ while staying in a healthcare facility, according to the CDC.
The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments, but can grow in any area where water sits for a long time, according to the CDC. (iStock)
“Treatment needs to be early and aggressive,” Dr. Nathan Goodyear, an Arizona-based integrative medicine expert, previously told Fox News Digital. “Legionella infection is an intracellular infection that requires antibiotic treatment.”
Antibiotics that are appropriate for Legionella infection include Levofloxacin and Azithromycin.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Therapy can be prescribed orally in healthy individuals… but intravenous antibiotics often prove to be the initial option for treatment secondary to the pathogenicity of the disease,” Goodyear said.
Currently, there are no vaccines for Legionnaires’ disease.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
The best strategy to prevent infection is to reduce the growth and spread of the Legionella bacteria. The CDC recommends that building owners and managers use a water management program to reduce the risk.
“New Yorkers at higher risk, including anyone who is 50 and older, those who smoke or people with chronic lung conditions should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin,” city officials stated. (iStock)
To prevent serious illness from Legionnaires’, Goodyear recommends that all smokers kick the habit, and also emphasizes the need to “aggressively support” chronic pulmonary disease.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Increasing immune support (vitamin D3, vitamin C, Zinc) is required to counter the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.”
Obesity is another foundational risk factor for all chronic inflammatory diseases, the doctor added.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
ONE WALKING HABIT COULD SIGNAL A HEALTHIER BRAIN AFTER 80, SCIENTISTS SAY
The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
WOMAN WITH ADVANCED ALZHEIMER’S REGAINED SPEECH AND MEMORIES AFTER TAKING MAGIC MUSHROOMS
At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
COMMON VITAMIN MAY INFLUENCE BRAIN AGING IN WAYS SCIENTISTS DIDN’T EXPECT
The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
‘LONGEVITY GENE’ MAY PROTECT THE BRAIN FROM ALZHEIMER’S BY BOOSTING DNA REPAIR, STUDY FINDS
The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
-
Delaware2 minutes agoPlans advance for Delaware city’s first Chick-fil-A restaurant
-
Florida4 minutes agoSummer Scheming ‘26: Florida State Seminoles
-
Georgia10 minutes agoTravel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA
-
Hawaii17 minutes agoThree West Hawaii sex offenders arrested – West Hawaii Today
-
Idaho20 minutes agoIdaho Power crews respond to outage affecting 2,163 customers in Canyon County
-
Illinois32 minutes agoAs Illinois enters 10th year under Evidence-Based Funding model, equity remains an elusive goal
-
Indiana34 minutes agoFAIRFIELD NATIVE AND HIS WIFE FOUND DEAD IN THEIR NEWBURGH, INDIANA HOME
-
Iowa39 minutes agoFrom caviar nuggets to bison, 10 new Iowa State Fair food trends
