The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), within the Executive Department in New York State, is the designated State Unit on Aging under the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended. The mission of the New York State Office for the Aging is to help older New Yorkers to be as independent as possible for as long as possible through advocacy, development and delivery of person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs and services which support and empower the elderly and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations which serve them.
NYSOFA administers various federal programs under the Older Americans Act of 1965 as amended, and State-funded programs which serve elders and their caregivers. Programs and services are administered through county offices for the aging located in NY's 59 counties, the City of New York as well as the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation, and the Seneca Nation of Indians. Local offices for the aging provide a wide array of services such as Adult Day Care, Caregiver Supports, Congregate Meals, Home Delivered Meals, Home Care, Health Insurance and Entitlement Counseling (Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps), Transportation, Weatherization and more. Refer to the NYSOFA Resource Guide in this toolkit for descriptions of services and resources. Services vary from local office to local office so we recommend you contact your local office to see how they can assist you. Call NYSOFA's Senior Citizens' Help Line at 1-800-342-9871 to obtain the local number. Or visit NYSOFA's website at www.aging.ny.gov. A list of each local office for the aging is also included in this Toolkit.
NYS Family Caregiver Council: In 2007 the Governor designated NYSOFA as the lead state agency to establish and coordinate the work of the NYS Family Caregiver Council. Support for family caregivers is critically important to meet the needs of older New Yorkers, as well as for caregivers who devote their time to children and adults with special needs. NYSOFA coordinates the work of the Council with other state agencies that serve caregivers. Council members come from all regions of the state, with a majority of members active family caregivers.
The Council's goals are to provide a strong statement of support for family caregivers; undertake a comprehensive mapping and evaluation of existing services and family caregiver needs; review key policies; establish a mechanism to coordinate these activities and to propose new and expanded services and policy implementation; and focus on strengthening local agencies to reach, assess, and support caregivers. The Council, with the support of NYSOFA and other state agencies serving as ex-officio members, formulated preliminary policy recommendations which have been shared with the Governor. The recommendations are based on the premise that services incorporate cultural, linguistic, age-related, and disability competencies; address caregivers caring for people across the lifespan and across all disability areas and recognize their valuable role in supporting their loved ones; and focus on the reality of people's lives, recognizing the holistic nature of the caregiver and care receiver. These themes are intended to be inclusive of all relationships that provide voluntary caregiving, including partner, friend and faith community member and those already included in legal definitions of family. The Council's recommendations were grouped into five categories: expanding community support services for caregivers; increasing information and outreach; ensuring housing options and supports; upholding the rights of caregivers; and developing a state and local infrastructure. The Council's work is expected to continue in 2008.
The Council and NYSOFA will hear directly from caregivers from across the lifespan, service providers and advocates in Town Hall Meetings on Caregiving to be held statewide. The first such meeting took place in February 2008 in Troy, New York. Council members and NYSOFA's Director Michael Burgess listened carefully as caregivers and others shared poignant stories of the challenges and successes of their caregiving experiences. Those comments clearly demonstrated that local caregiving and kinship programs have a positive impact on the lives of caregivers and their loved ones and that continued support to caregivers is vital. The Council will continue to seek public input via future town hall meetings as it considers possible policy changes to support caregivers. Watch NYSOFA's website, www.aging.state.ny.us, for updates on future meetings.
NYSOFA News, a monthly newsletter, available on NYSOFA's website at: http://www.aging.ny.gov/News/Newsletters/2008/Index.cfm will help you to stay abreast of caregiving and other aging related issues. You can receive a hard copy edition by calling the Senior Citizens' Help Line at 1-800-342-9871.
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