(WHTM)– Pennsylvania is an aging state and by 2030, 1-in-5 of us will be 65 or older and the people who care for elderly in PA are sounding the alarm for lawmakers.

Nursing home and long term care advocates say they are way underfunded. Reimbursement rates don’t match what it actually costs them to provide care to the elderly and that gap is more than a billion dollars they say. Add to that increased staffing requirements and you have the makings of a crisis.

“Maybe most alarming is we’re essentially seeing nursing home providers shut their doors because they can’t afford to care for new residents or they don’t have enough staff to care for residents,” Zach Shamberg of the PA Health Care Association said.

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This Week in Pennsylvania

“We will be heard and there really is no option here we have a real opportunity in Pennsylvania we’re one of the oldest states in the nation it’s a disgrace if we’re not able to care for our older adults,” Gary Pezzano of LeadingAge PA said.

The fastest growing segment of Pennsylvania’s population is 85 plus.

To catch the full conversation, tune into This Week In Pennsylvania on abc27 on Sunday morning at 10.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.