NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Soaring gas prices are having a troubling effect on agencies that provide care for the elderly and disabled.

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Many of the companies use volunteers or pay people to drive their own cars to take care of people who can't care for themselves.

But a lot of agencies are either cutting out services or cutting back because of high gas prices.

Ali Kneip works for the care company Home Instead. She said she loves her job as a personal support worker and that it is clients like Dennis Stockton who motivate her.

At the beginning of the day Kneip’s tank is full, but that tank doesn't last very long and now that regular gas is creeping up to $4 per gallon, Kneip’s clients are paying the price for her service.

"And it’s hard sometime because you have to turn down assignments because the distance or the mileage. And then it’s hard on the clients because we’re not able to be there for them," said Kneip.

Dennis Wade is Kneip's boss. Home Instead serves hundreds of clients in nine middle Tennessee counties.

Case workers are reimbursed for gas mileage, but high gas prices are affecting clients’ bottom line and Wade's as well.

"With prices getting to the point where they’re at today, it’s getting difficult to even get caregivers to go take assignments. If it gets over 10, 15 miles, they start resisting taking assignments," said Wade.

Home Instead and similar agencies provide companionship and in some cases much-needed medical care for people like Wade.

But paid workers and even some volunteers are calling it quits as gas prices rise.

Representatives from at least six similar agencies said they're cutting back or eliminating routes because of high gas prices as well.

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