The state budget doesn’t do enough for older New Yorkers

In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a Master Plan for Aging, pledging to lay out strategies and policies “to ensure older New Yorkers can live fulfilling lives, in good health, with freedom, dignity, and independence to age in place for as long as possible.” And yet the recently approved state budget shows a deep and troubling disregard for the needs of thousands of older New Yorkers and their families.

For years, services offered via local Offices for the Aging have assisted aging New Yorkers. These low-cost, high-yield interventions include homedelivered meals, transportation and home care services. They predominantly serve non-medicaid eligible individuals who — without these services — would be forced to impoverish themselves to receive Medicaid or be forced into institutional care. These programs cost a fraction of the cost of Medicaid or skilled nursing facility placement. Yet funding shortfalls mean these programs are unable to meet demand, leaving tens of thousands of older residents to languish on waitlists, where some remain until they die.

Service providers, advocates and older residents have repeatedly and passionately made the case for investments in aging services. Consider that there are only around 111,000 nursing home beds in the state of New York, according to the office of Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, chair of the Assembly’s Health Committee, while the population of those over 60 is rapidly approaching the 5 million mark. It is glaringly apparent that more home and community-based services are necessary. More importantly, they are what many older residents want.

What’s more, the state needs them, too. State leaders have warned that the current growth in Medicaid is not sustainable. So the solution is apparent: Invest in the services that prevent Medicaid dependence. Instead, the Consumer Directed Personal Care Assistance Program and Medicaid eligibility for home care services have been put on the chopping block.

The budget of the state Office for the Aging comprises less than eight-tenths of 1% of the state budget, and this year’s budget — never mind the lofty goals of the Master Plan for Aging — reflects only a $700,000 increase for services New Yorkers need now. That increase is less than $40 for each individual who is on a waiting list for a vital service for the entire year. That’s less than a tank of gas.

New York must do better.