Gillibrand Announces Priorities to Improve Services for Seniors, Save Taxpayer Money COUNTY-BY-COUNTY Estimates: 1.2 Million New Yorkers to Reach Age 60 Over Next 5 Years
better access to some basic, in-home care. In fact, nearly 90 percent of people 50 and over want to stay in their homes as long as possible.
Senator Gillibrand’s priorities include providing better aging-in-place opportunities so more seniors can get the care they need in their own homes instead of moving to costly nursing homes, providing more effective financial literacy services, improving nutrition, and preventing elder abuse.
GILLIBRAND PRIORITIES FOR THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT
Improving Opportunities to Age In Place
Simple things people tend to take for granted can make the difference between allowing a senior to live a productive life independently, or having to live in a nursing home. Things like affordable housing, companionship, transportation to and from the doctor, access to food, and making minor household repairs. Yet, by living independently in their homes, seniors are more likely to remain active, and live longer, healthier lives, and taxpayers save money by relying less on costly nursing homes. In fact, keeping more seniors in their homes and out of nursing homes could save New York taxpayers upwards of $70 million each year.
As part of the Older Americans Act, Senator Gillibrand is working to increase the amount of funding states receive for community based supportive services. States use funding through the community based supportive services title to assist seniors with in-home health services, transportation, and support for home renovations to help keep seniors in their own homes longer. Currently, the community based supportive services title only receives $367 million each year. Given the increase of baby boomers, Senator Gillibrand is requesting additional $450 million yearly to address the needs of seniors.
Additionally, as seniors rely more on public transportation, Senator Gillibrand will work to include more senior-friendly transportation options by including the Senior Transportation and Mobility Improvement Act as part of the Older Americans Act. The legislation would strengthen existing public transit programs for seniors and people with disabilities by giving states flexibility to use federal funding for senior-friendly transportation. The bill also increases transparency into federal transportation funding through new reporting standards, enhances the planning and coordination, provides technical assistance and seed grants for innovative community programs, and would establish a mobility management program for older adults and people with disabilities.
Strengthening Technology & Financial Literacy
To empower seniors with better proficiency in technology, Senator Gillibrand is working to offer more computer training opportunities based on best-practices, and develop a web-based data reporting and analysis system to track the system’s effectiveness, and eliminate waste. Past technology language in the OAA has been inadequate to serve the intense demand for computer training. Senator Gillibrand’s amendment would help improve alignment with current needs and program models. The bill would update language in the OAA bill to reflect current best practices among nonprofit technology services providers.
Senator Gillibrand will also promote measures to empower seniors with better financial literacy to help strengthen their retirement plans, and protect themselves for marketing scams that target seniors. The Senator’s bill requests that the National
