Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order. It will create the state’s first-ever Master Plan for Aging to ensure older New Yorkers. It ensures they can live healthy, fulfilling lives while aging with dignity and independence.
The order was signed on Older New Yorker’s Day. It will create a team of people to gather input from relevant stakeholders. They will draft guidance for building healthy, livable communities. These communities will offer opportunities for older adults.
“As the first age-friendly state in the nation, we continue to take important steps to empower and support older New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “This Master Plan for Aging will provide us with tools to ensure our aging New Yorkers have access to quality long term care in healthy, livable communities where they can thrive.”
How officials feel about the plan
“The plan will help build a better roadmap for meeting the needs of all residents as they age. New York is the first state to receive AARP’s official age-friendly designation approval.”New York State has a long history of supporting a broad array of long-term care services and supports, and I want to applaud Governor Hochul for building upon that legacy with the State’s first Master Plan for Aging. The work of our department’s recently created Office of Aging and Long-Term Care will be guided by Governor Hochul’s vision of a long term care system that is accessible, effective, and affordable, a system that will recognize the unique needs and expectations of each of the individuals it serves,” said New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett.
“This Master Plan builds on a strong foundation that is already bringing together state agencies in a coordinated effort. It will provide opportunities and supports for older adults and their families. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, this strong, multi-systems response is achieving results across multiple domains, from health care to transportation, affordable housing to community development, and social determinants of health, with a strong emphasis on prevention of higher-cost services. The New York State Office for the Aging is proud to join the Department of Health, partner agencies, and stakeholders in a systematic effort to coalesce this work based on decades of experience working on behalf of New York’s older adults in the community,” said New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen.
There were eight domains of livability used for AARP to designate New York as the first age-friendly state:
- outdoor spaces and buildings
- transportation
- housing
- social participation
- respect and social inclusion
- work and civic engagement
- communication and information
- community and health services
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