NYC advocates are calling for billions of dollars to support seniors
On Thursday, a coalition of seniors and advocates from these groups came to City Hall to demand action on these issues and to better address the challenges associated with an aging population in the nation’s most populous city.
“New York City is failing to meet the needs of its aging population, with hundreds of thousands languishing due to policy and system failures that result in years-long waiting lists for basic services, a chaotic and confusing healthcare system, and life-threatening social isolation. Our senior communities deserve better,” said Allison Nickerson, executive director of LiveOn NY, according to the report.
The New York City Council member Crystal Hudson, chair of the Aging Committee, joined Nickerson to explain what the groups and advocates hope to accomplish.
“One in five New Yorkers is over 65, and they deserve everything from highly affordable housing and well-equipped senior centers to community programming and home-delivered or communal meals every day of the week,” Hudson explained. “While my Age in Place legislative package lays the foundation for many of these initiatives, we need robust funding to ensure that every older adult has access to the services he or she needs.”
Another council member, Mercedes Narcisse, also spoke at the event, highlighting the important role older citizens play in their neighborhoods.
“Older New Yorkers are the backbone of our homes and neighborhoods, and we must do everything we can to ensure they have access to the housing, healthy food and services they have earned and deserve,” she said.
On its website, LiveOn NY explains that the city government has done so a number of unresolved shortcomings it must address to meet the needs of older New Yorkers. These include insufficient budget allocations for the city’s aging services, as well as the need to address the shortage of housing stock.
“More than 500,000 older adults are on waiting lists for affordable housing, while homelessness among seniors is increasing,” the organization said. “The city must expand affordable housing and rental assistance for seniors.”
