This is in response to the Sept. 4 Sun Journal story, “Heartbreaking: Home health care shortage leaving Maine elderly without help they need.”

“Unconscionable” would be more accurate in describing the growing problem with the state-wide shortage of home health care personal support specialists who provide care and assistance to families who are caring for an elderly parent, parents or grandparents (or even the reverse — a retired parent caring for their disabled son or daughter.)

I am approaching four years of caring for my 91-year-old disabled dad. A Goold assessment was done in May for medical eligibility, followed recently by a financial eligibility assessment through the Department of Health and Human Services office in South Portland.

I was lucky to be connected with an honest, trusting, dedicated person who worked with me tirelessly.

Those people are underpaid and understaffed. The home health care coordinators are being left behind while the age-65-and-older population of Maine is taking off like a mission to Mars.

While waiting for word about a home health care person contacting them, one slip by a son or daughter in lifting their elderly parent could blow out their own back, knee or shoulder.

Dennis Marrotte, Westbrook