News from New York State Office for the Aging

For more information contact: Reza Mizbani, 518-474-7181

Governor Spitzer‘s Health, Community Development Plans to Help Older New Yorkers

ALBANY, NY (01/10/2008; 1511)(readMedia)-- Michael Burgess, Director of the NYS Office for the Aging, joined other state agency Commissioners at the Capitol to hear Governor Spitzer’s 2008 State of the State Message. The Address highlighted the Governor’s priority on economic development and provided insights into anticipated budget proposals. Reflecting on the speech, Director Burgess said “There were several references in the Governor’s Message to proposals which will benefit older New Yorkers and improve their quality of life.”

With respect to health care, the Governor proposes a revamping of health care provider reimbursements to modernize payment systems, allowing for a reduction to inpatient payments while boosting payments to community-based physicians, diagnostic and treatment centers and out-patient clinics in efforts to stress prevention. In addition, he proposes to repay medical school debts for some physicians, an important step to ensure that medical care is accessible for patients living in rural and urban underserved areas. “These proposals go a long way to help older persons in rural upstate to better access healthcare services,” according to Director Burgess.

“Governor Spitzer has certainly heard from New Yorkers, as I have in travels throughout the State, that people want to remain in their homes and age in their familiar communities,” Director Burgess said. To this end, the Governor is once again proposing a Paid Family Leave Act, so that hard-working New Yorkers do not have to choose between economic security and caring for an aging or ill family member.

The Governor’s initiative to revitalize the upstate economy to more fully address New York’s real property tax crisis, and to strengthen protections for homeowners who fell victim to the sub-prime mortgage lending crisis, are all important tools that help innovative community care models such as Naturally Occurring Retired Communities (NORCs), which allow people to stay at home, to flourish. Director Burgess also said that his office is working with communities to ensure that older adults continue to have a venue for full participation in their community through volunteering, civic engagement and paid employment.

Aging of the baby boomers will challenge the state. Nearly 50% of older New Yorkers continue to work full-time, 80% full or part-time. NYSOFA is working with Department of Labor to get the state ready for the retirement of the baby boomers by creating strategies and awareness on the role of older workers in the future labor market. To that end, the agencies have created a Mature Worker Task Force to study the issue and make recommendations. NYSOFA advocates for the over 3.2 million New Yorkers who are 60 years of age and older, including at all levels of government and the private sector, with the cooperation of concerned organizations and older persons. In addition, NYSOFA administers federally funded programs under the Older Americans Act and a variety of state-funded programs which serve the elderly.

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