Mary A. Quintana of Santo Domingo Pueblo applauds Jan. 19 during a speech delivered by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Senior Day at the Legislature. Quintana came to the Capitol to speak with legislators about improving conditions at the pueblo’s senior center and the need to increase staffing at the center. Courtesy/Gabriela Campos/The Santa Fe New Mexican

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks to a Rotunda packed with seniors visiting the state Capitol for Senior Day at the Legislature Jan. 19. Courtesy/Gabriela Campos/The Santa Fe New Mexican

By CLAUDIA L. SILVA
Santa Fe New Mexican

At least 100 senior citizens and their advocates gathered Thursday at the Roundhouse, hoping to give voice to issues that affect them — and to hear from the state’s chief executive on what the state is doing for New Mexico’s elders.

Advocates from different parts of the state were in attendance, with one group from Socorro County traveling more than 120 miles to urge lawmakers to increase funding for the state’s senior center programs.

Socorro County Manager Michael A. Hawkes said a lack of adequate funding from the state has left senior centers across the New Mexico, particularly those in rural areas, struggling to provide services. 

“It’s a detriment to our community, to our constituents and to the seniors, really,” Hawkes said. “They’re wanting us to provide adequate services and we try very diligently to do that. However, because of limited funds and limited capabilities of counties, we can’t.”

In a letter to state lawmakers, Socorro County officials asked legislators to use part of the state’s $3.6 billion in new money to fund the operation costs of senior centers through the Aging and Long Term Service Department. 

In a speech to the group Thursday at the Rotunda, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham promised to invest in adult daycares, housing for seniors, hiring more staff at senior centers and raising pay for those who work with seniors.

But Hawkes said he was disappointed by some of what he heard.

“It was very disheartened when I heard the governor say today we expect the counties and cities to pay their fair share,” he said. “I don’t know what she means by that, because nowhere in the law is that a requirement.”

Hawkes said Socorro County has had to take operational funds from other departments to operate its senior centers, usually needing anywhere from $450,000 to $500,000 a year to keep them open. While many counties, including Santa Fe County, dig into their general funds to keep senior centers open, he said it is a huge burden for rural areas that don’t always have enough money.

“Our opportunities to generate revenue streams are limited, so to take a half a million dollars from our general fund… takes away from our other mandated programs like roads, detention [and] the Sheriff’s Department,” he said.

Hawkes said the county has had to stop using contracted food services for its senior centers to save money.

“We’re asking our personnel at the locations to start cooking now and do food preparation, and foodstuff inventory and all the logistics required with that, besides their day-to-day operational issues that they have to tackle, in an effort to somehow cut costs,” he said.

He noted even getting fresh produce has become a challenge, with a crate of lettuce once going for $18 is now 10 times more expensive, due to inflation.

Hawkes said these issues are not unique to Socorro County, adding Rio Arriba and Doña Ana Counties have had similar problems. 

Santa Fe County Commissioner Justin Greene said he has yet to hear any alarming funding issues from senior services here, but noted many have been on limited schedules since the pandemic.

“Seniors at the [El Rancho Senior] Center and Española’s civic leaders that met with me requested a number of things, including expanded service days and transportation services to help with medical appointments, grocery shopping and access to pharmacies,” Greene wrote in an email.

Santa Fe County Senior Services Program Manager Anna War said a staggered schedule is due to short staffing. She said the centers will be going back to their pre-pandemic schedules starting Monday.