New York’s support for seniors is dwindling

More needed for aging population

It is head-scratching that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposes to reduce state funding for services to older adults even though older adults are the fastest-growing demographic in our state.

More funding, not less, is needed for services that support older adults in their homes rather than moving them into more costly taxpayer-funded institutional care.

New York state’s population of 4.6 million adults over age 60 is the fourth highest in the nation, and that group is expected to grow to approximately 5.3 million by 2030.

Today, there are more New Yorkers over 60 than under the age of 20. While this reality was acknowledged when New York became the first state in the union to receive the AARP Age Friendly designation in 2017, it is now perplexing that the governor is proposing a 6.5% reduction in funding for communitybased services for older adults while proposing a 4.5% increase in overall state operating funds — including a 5.8% increase for state operations.

This funding decrease for elder services is proposed while, according to county offices for the aging, there are an estimated 16,000 older New Yorkers on waiting lists for in-home personal care, transportation to medical appointments, home-delivered meals, and legal and respite services.

It has been documented by the Association on Aging in New York that 10% of individuals on waiting lists for homeand community-based services end up in more expensive skilled nursing facilities and 7% of them will be forced onto Medicaid. This will result in over $200 million in Medicaid costs, not to mention the emotional cost to those who are unable to remain independent in their home and community.

A more sensible and equitable budget proposal would be to not only restore the $9.3 million in cuts, but also add an investment of $42 million to address the waiting lists.

According to AARP New York, this investment will save $237 million in Medicaid costs and enable New York to live up to its claim of being a livable community for all ages.

Bill McDonald is a member of the

AARP NY Executive Council.