The New York State Office for the Aging is organizing community advocates, aging services providers, and area agencies for the aging (county offices for aging) to encourage local civic leaders to address the needs of the rapidly increasing older population.
Older New Yorkers want to remain in their homes and communities of choice but often cannot because their housing is no longer appropriate or their communities do not provide the supports necessary to do so. While there are many efforts to support housing, transportation, community-based health care services and a movement toward Livable Communities, the individual programs have not before been linked and identified as part of an overarching theme of services to support "aging in community."
We have surveyed county office for aging to learn the degree to which their counties are involved in planning efforts and/or implementation activities to address the services needed by an aging population. Please note - our request for information about local actions was to describe the services beyond those that are traditionally and capably delivered by Area Agencies on Aging throughout the state.
We have learned that there are significant efforts being led by local organizations, municipalities, counties or groups of older New Yorkers. Many have shared with us that they are already implementing efforts to support aging in community.
We have assembled this information on a state map, identifying efforts in each county. There is clearly a movement underway and we know there is more happening in communities than we have learned so far.
Please share with the NYS Office for Aging your knowledge about local efforts to support aging in community so that we can add this information to our mapping project by emailing gail.myers@ofa.state.ny.us or calling 518-474-4395.
