Mick Jagger famously sang “what a drag it is getting old.” He should have added: “especially in Massachusetts.”

The mega-rich megastar Rolling Stones frontman, 82, doesn’t have to worry about managing the basic tasks of daily life in his golden years, but many seniors in Massachusetts do. And those fortunate enough to “age in place” are in the crosshairs of budget cuts.

As State House News reported, a working group is recommending that the state shave $32 million a year from a $1.7 billion personal care attendant program that is placing strain on the state budget.

On the drawing board: tightening overtime rules for personal care attendants and limiting how much time the state will pay for meal preparation.

Charlie Carr, legislative liaison for the Disability Policy Consortium and a working group member, said the proposed savings reflect an effort to make limited reductions without undermining the core of the program.

Even if these proposed changes go into effect and don’t have a huge impact now on the care given to seniors, there’s a larger problem at hand.

According to data reviewed by the working group, PCA spending rose from about $841 million in 2015 to $1.75 billion in 2024 — a 108% increase. Over the same period, the number of members receiving PCA services climbed from roughly 40,000 to 56,000.

People are getting older and many are needing help. Bay Staters with disabilities also need care. The option of “aging in place” must remain viable, even if assistance is required. The PCA program, administered by MassHealth, pays workers to assist seniors and people with disabilities with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating and grocery shopping.

“I’m hoping, between our relationship over the many years with the Legislature, their willingness to support us in keeping the program whole, that with these savings, even though they’re very modest in terms of the overall budget, we’re hoping, hoping, hoping, they’re going to accept it,” Carr said.

What’s the plan going forward? To nibble away at the PCA budget as costs rise and the aging population grows each year?  At what point does that become unsustainable, and how will these trims affect clients?

Anyone who has helped care for an elderly relative knows that their loved ones are usually not as spry as they once were. Some battle arthritis, poor vision, problems with balance. Help with prepping a meal, or having an assistant stay a little longer to complete tasks can make a huge difference in the quality of life.

This isn’t just a Massachusetts problem; according to the US Census, the population age 65 and over increased in all but one of the nation’s 387 metro areas.

“Increased longevity and the large baby boomer generation born from 1946 to 1964 are contributing to the growth in the older adult population,” said Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Branch.

The aging population grows, more need care, assistants’ wages rise with program costs, the cycle continues. Budget cuts may keep necessary programs afloat, but the boat is still leaking and filling with passengers.

This is America’s dilemma, and unless there’s a local and federal focus on helping to care for an aging and vulnerable population, the problem will only get worse.

Editorial cartoon by Al Goodwyn (Creators Syndicate)