This commentary is written in response to The Day’s editorial, “Department as much about politics as aging,” (Jan. 18). The Day’s perspective expressed a very clear lack of value for our elderly as well as the misguided belief that there is no real need for the state Department on Aging.

As senior center directors in southeastern Connecticut, we are offended by the view of the editorial as we are on the front lines and are better informed than most about the staggering level of need facing the senior citizens we serve. Connecticut should absolutely have a Department on Aging. As a subset of the Department of Social Services it did not work! We would know.

We are the ones who spend countless hours on the phone, helping our seniors with paperwork, trying to meet their needs. We have dealt directly with the lack of assistance, information, and services for our elderly residents. We recognize the imperative in this growing demographic and that the state absolutely needs a Department on Aging.

There were serious flaws in the prior system, which is why this group was responsible for spearheading a campaign to have the state Department on Aging reinstated. This was not based on a political agenda, as all of us have differing political views and affiliations. It was born from the knowledge that the system wasn’t working and we could affect positive change for the betterment of those we serve.

The idea that it is OK to discontinue a “department the state long lived without” is patently false. For those of us who take our positions seriously, dedicate ourselves to serving senior citizens and care deeply about their well-being, we are appalled The Day does not take the same stance.

Each of us are state residents and taxpayers and we do not want to see redundancy or waste in our government. Yet we, as senior center directors, have a unique awareness of the needs of this underserved demographic and The Day in its editorial failed to consider those needs.

The elderly comprise the fastest rising population in our country. According to CLCA’s “Connecticut for Livable Communities” report, the state’s 65 and older population is projected to grow by 57 percent between 2010 – 2040. Surely, the answer is not for our elderly to continue to go without.

The Day states that, “this department, which the state so long managed to do without, should continue to do so.” We assure you, the state has not managed to do without a Department on Aging and those of us who fought to have it reinstated did so for the betterment of our elderly population, knowing firsthand what was lacking and what the needs were.

The Day should have been more responsible in the editorial concerning the needs of our elderly.

Kathleen Doherty-Peck is the director of the Montville Senior Center. The directors of the East Lyme, Groton, Norwich, Lisbon, Colchester, Lyme-Old Lyme and New London senior centers, also endorsed this commentary.