Health aides meet rigid standards

The Home Care Alliance noted the Globe's coverage of Nov. 6 union elections for personal care attendants and would like to congratulate those whose hard work resulted in this opportunity for consumer-employed caregivers to exercise their right to organize in support of better pay and benefits. ("A prescription for growth," Nov. 8) But the article incorrectly refers to the workers who were organized as "home healthcare aides." The alliance would like to clarify that the legislation (now chapter 268 of the Acts of 2006) enabling the election addresses only those home-based workers who are employed directly by a consumer enrolled in Masshealth's Personal Care Attendant program. It does not include home health aides and homemakers employed by home healthcare agencies.

Last year, home healthcare agencies provided care to more than 110,000 elders through the Medicare program and to 20,000 clients of MassHealth. To serve these clients, home health aides are subject to federal quality standards for their training, competency, and supervision requirements. It is important for the public to understand the distinction.

Pat Kelleher
Executive director, Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts

Steve Bailey's column had me look at recent electric bills for my two ice cream stores. ("Unkept power promises," Nov. 9)

I have owned a store in Belmont for 20 years, serviced by Belmont Electric, a municipal utility. Three years ago, I opened a store in Lexington Center, serviced by NStar. Monthly bills in Belmont were $813.59, or 11 cents per kilowatt-hour, and in Lexington $2,294.20, or 19.3 cents per kilowatt-hour. NStar charges 75 percent more than Belmont Electric!

The largest new business to come to Massachusetts recently, Bristol-Myers Squibb, chose Devens, whose municipal utility offers low electric rates. To make our state more attractive for businesses, the Legislature should adopt Rep. Kaufman's proposal.

Joe Rancatore Jr.
President, Rancatore's Ice Cream
Lexington

When the Patrick administration, your editorial columns, and Congress itself are all calling for improving energy efficiency, stopping "our addiction to oil" and cutting down our carbon dioxide emissions, it is ludicrous that the Automotive Section continues to reflect the same old-world view that it always has. ("Hyundai reaches new level," Nov. 10) The vehicle's fuel economy is less than 20 miles per gallon.

I drive an Audi 6 wagon which has more space, is all-wheel drive, dates from 1999, and has 154,000 miles on it. It gets better than 22 m.p.g., and with all-highway driving, it sometimes goes up to 26 m.p.g.

My car is 8 years old. Exactly what new level are we reaching?

Mary Essary
Harvard

I must be old school because I always use debit and not credit with my card. ("Heavy debit card use raises fraud alerts," Nov. 13) I like to keep track of how much money is in my account and the so-called rewards are a joke unless you use your card for huge purchases. That said, many people today don't record their debit transactions, nor do they balance their check books, and I suppose credit is the only way to keep a list of what you bought. The problem there, however, is you forget how many times you use the credit card and could have a huge bill when your monthly statement arrives. I notice too many people don't even take their receipts from the ATM or even want one. No wonder we have a credit crunch. No one knows how much they owe or what they have in the bank. Does the bank care? No, since they get late fees and overdraft fees!

Norm Blumberg
Stoughton

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