Reaction to Gov. Paterson's Speech From the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging

ALBANY, N.Y. (01/07/2009)(readMedia)-- Well done, Gov. Paterson.

Well, mostly.

While we think the governor struck a good chord, stoking the resilience of New Yorkers and calling for shared sacrifice, we believe his proposed budget will work against several of the objectives he laid out in his speech today.

• The governor appears to be promoting investments in infrastructure, but we have to take care of our current infrastructure before we create new ones.
• We applaud him for acknowledging that we can improve the health care system. However, we don't agree his budget will improve the health care system. To the contrary, it will do irreparable damage to long term care.
• New York needs more jobs; the governor has made that clear. But the budget he's proposed will lead to massive job losses, making even more people dependent on the state for assistance.
• He didn't address the enormous cuts faced by seniors and people with disabilities who need nursing home, assisted living, adult day health and home care amd other long term services

Granted, governors have seldom addressed long term care in their "State of the state" addresses. Gov. Paterson did focus on children, and of course, we support that effort. But our hearts and minds are focused on the other end of the age spectrum, and they are no less deserving of the state's protection and advocacy.

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Founded in 1961, the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging (NYAHSA) represents nearly 600 not-for-profit and public continuing care providers, including nursing homes, senior housing, adult care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living and community service providers.