Focusing on NY's Elderly Population: Attention and Care for Senior Citizens in New York
In a bid to ensure that older adults in New York can age with dignity, independence, and support, the state has unveiled a comprehensive Master Plan for Aging. This plan, developed collaboratively by the New York State Department of Health, Office for the Aging, Department of State, and community stakeholders, outlines over 120 actionable solutions across nine key pillars.
The plan addresses several pressing issues, including affordability, caregiver and workforce support, modernization of healthcare and community services, housing access, prevention and wellness, social engagement, combating elder abuse and stigma, and technology access.
One of the plan's primary focuses is on affordability. It proposes investing in options for aging in place, such as home sharing and respite care, to ease financial burdens on older adults. The plan also aims to support informal caregivers and address workforce shortages through modernization and recruitment strategies, ensuring quality care.
The plan also emphasizes the need for enhancing residential and community-based services and infrastructure to support diverse aging needs and historically underserved communities. It promotes prevention, wellness, elder abuse combatting, and social engagement to improve overall well-being and reduce isolation. Lastly, it expands technology access and innovation to facilitate aging in place and service delivery.
Challenges highlighted in the plan include workforce shortages in long-term care and concerns about timely access to quality services in some communities. Swift action and funding are needed to implement the plan effectively. Maintaining funding amidst federal budget cuts remains a priority to ensure sustainability of housing, healthcare, and aging services.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging, spoke at the summit, highlighting economic and food insecurity experienced by older adults and the caregiving crisis. She urged for a cultural shift against ageism.
The plan includes proposals such as direct care workforce recruitment and community-based services. The state has already allocated $50 million to address program shortages and workforce issues at local aging agencies.
In New York City, caregivers spend nearly 25% of their income on caregiving. For every dollar invested in aging initiatives, the state earns $3, according to Neeraja Nagarajan. Older adults in New York City have grown nearly 17 times faster than the entire population since 2010.
The state's department of aging has released a Master Plan outlining urgent challenges faced by older adults and those with disabilities. Nearly 73% of these adults are heads of households, with some relying entirely on Social Security income to get by. Food insecurity continues to increase among older adults, with 500,000 enrolled on SNAP benefits, 49,000 in section 8 housing, and 86,000 living in public housing.
Advocates at the New York Aging summit urged for greater investments in older adults' economic security. They also highlighted the importance of supportive community care systems for older adults with health issues, which can yield a better quality of life while remaining cost-effective. In New York City, there are approximately 1.3 million caregivers, most of whom are women.
The social safety net for older adults is under threat, with potential cuts to funding for the Older Americans Act, Adult Protective Services, Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP benefits. Maintaining funding and implementing the Master Plan for Aging effectively will be crucial in ensuring that older adults in New York can age with the support they need.
References: [1] New York State Master Plan for Aging. (2022). [Online]. Available: https://aging.ny.gov/master-plan-aging [2] New York State Department of Health. (2022). [Online]. Available: https://www.health.ny.gov/ [3] Office for the Aging. (2022). [Online]. Available: https://www.ny.gov/services/office-aging [4] New York City Health + Hospitals. (2022). [Online]. Available: https://www.nyc.gov/site/nych/index.page
- The Master Plan for Aging in New York puts forth solutions to ease financial burdens for older adults through investments in housing options like home sharing and respite care.
- In the plan, there is a focus on enhancing residential and community services infrastructure to accommodate diverse aging needs, especially historically underserved communities.
- The comprehensive plan also proposes implementing therapies and treatments, measures against elder abuse, and programs to boost social engagement for better health-and-wellness and reduced isolation.
- Addressing challenges such as workforce shortages in long-term care and ensuring timely access to quality services in some communities is crucial to the plan's success.
- Advocates urge greater investment in older adults' economic security and supportive community care systems, as economic insecurity and food insecurity continue to affect many older adults in New York.
- threats to the social safety net for older adults with potential cuts to funding for the Older Americans Act, Adult Protective Services, Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP benefits necessitate maintaining funding and implementing the Master Plan for Aging effectively to ensure adequate support for aging older adults.
