Pennsylvania Department of Aging secretary says his office wasn’t consulted in early days of pandemic

(The Center Square) – COVID-19 was the dominant topic during an at-times contentious hearing between a Pennsylvania House panel and the state’s Department of Aging. Officials looked back and ahead at the virus and its impact on seniors.

The House Appropriations Committee fielded a number of questions at Robert Torres, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, and other staffers within the agency at a hearing Feb. 16.

The state Department of Health’s controversial decision in the early days of the pandemic to place COVID-19 positive residents back into nursing homes was a question that was asked of Torres on multiple occasions.

State Rep. Clint Owlett, R-Wellsboro, asked whether Torres and his office had any input on the matter and whether he believed the Department of Health acted appropriately with its guidance and directives last spring.

Torres confirmed his office was not directly consulted on the placement of COVID-19 positive residents, but deflected many of the queries from Owlett and other legislators, saying, “These are not questions I am prepared to answer at this time. I would defer to the Department of Health on some of these questions.”

Owlett pushed back at Torres’ comments, expressing dismay at what he asserted was a lack of collaboration between the two state agencies.

“I’m just shocked you weren’t involved in some of these conversations,” Owlett said.

The bumpy road in bringing widespread vaccine supplies to Pennsylvania residents also was an issue that arose multiple times during the nearly hour-and-a-half hearing.

State Rep. Meghan Schroeder, R-Bucks, said she has heard from a number of frustrated constituents who are confused by vaccine-related logistics. Schroeder said she was concerned about inadequate supplies in various areas of the state.

“It’s almost like we’re creating a ‘hunger games’ scenario out there,” Schroeder said.

But based on available supplies and other factors within the agency’s control, Torres said he believes the Department of Aging has been working hard to keep the state’s older adult population abreast of critical information.

“Speaking for the Department of Aging, we’re doing a significant amount of work,” Torres said. “I would rate our efforts at the Department of Aging very high.”

Other issues of critical importance to seniors, such as food insecurity, were brought up during the hearing.

The Department of Aging’s new proposed budget continues to put greater financial resources toward meal delivery, rather than the traditional pre-pandemic congregational model that had been in place.

Since most of Pennsylvania’s more than 500 senior centers still remain closed, Torres said the department has used CARES Act funding and other levers to shift priorities and address any issues of food insecurity.

“We put together a lot of resources into making sure seniors would not go hungry,” Torres said. “The resources we received, especially from the federal government, were welcomed.”

Once the pandemic subsides and widespread vaccinations are in place, Torres said he is uncertain if seniors will want to go back to the congregant model of meal service or opt for the delivery model that currently is in place.

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