The Last Person on IHSS – Pushing Limits – June 12, 2026
From KPFA - Pushing Limits by KPFA
June 12, 2026 · 30 min
About this episode
The episode features an interview with Betty Adler, the last person on the IHSS program, discussing her life and challenges after the program's elimination.
This Friday, Pushing Limits talks to “The Last Person on IHSS.” This Friday afternoon at 2:30, Pushing Limits presents a radio play entitled “The Last Person on IHSS.” It’s the year 2036, three years since California eliminated its In-Home Supportive Services program, commonly known as IHSS. Since 1973, this program has allowed people with disabilities to choose the individual they want to assist them with daily living and provides the funds to hire them. In the years since the program was eliminated, several funds had been set up to pay caregivers. However, due to the failing economy, these funds soon ran out. People were also encouraged to volunteer their time to care for those with disabilities, while former IHSS recipients were told to use their savings to pay for care. However, month after month, more people with disabilities ran out of funding, forcing them into institutions. After much research, the Pushing Limits team identified Betty Adler of Berkeley, CA, as the last person enrolled in the IHSS program to live independently. For the past three years, the 80-year-old Adler has been using her inheritance and personal savings to keep her 42-year-old caregiver, Amy…
People in this episode
Host: Pushing Limits
Guest: Betty Adler
Topics covered
- disability rights
- in-home supportive services
- caregiving
- economic challenges
- aging
- institutionalization
Keywords
- IHSS
- disabilities
- caregivers
- California
- nursing home
- independent living
- economic crisis
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: IHSS
Places: California, Berkeley, CA
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