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TESTIMONY

Barbara Bear, Director of the Home Sharing and Respite Program, New York Foundation for Seniors on Home Sharing and Respite Care Program Funding and Outcomes

2:33:45

·

153 sec

Barbara Bear testifies about the New York Foundation for Seniors Home Sharing and Respite Program's achievements, emphasizing the impact of city council funding.

Expresses gratitude to Chairperson Hudson and the city council for previous funding, contributing significantly to the program's budget.
Details the matching process of the program, which pairs individuals aged 60+ with those over 18, aiming for safe and companionable living situations.
Reports an increased number of matches this year, arguing each match saves two lives by providing affordable living options and companionship.
Highlights the program's broader mission of offering affordable and humanitarian housing solutions, with over 12,000 people helped in respite care and approximately 1,250 matches made.

Barbara Bear

2:33:45

Was it this 1?

2:33:46

Okay.

2:33:52

This is the most daunting task I've ever had.

Crystal Hudson

2:33:55

You'll be great.

Barbara Bear

2:33:56

Don't worry.

2:33:58

Speaking for 2 minutes is not my thing.

2:34:01

So Good afternoon.

2:34:03

I'm Barbara Bear from the New York Foundation for Seniors.

2:34:07

I'm the director of the home sharing and respite program.

2:34:10

And chairperson Hudson, God bless you and thank you.

2:34:14

Last year, we stood on your shoulders and you allocated with the council 200,000, which was about half of our budget and allowed us to continue home sharing and respirate care.

2:34:28

And as you see from the prepared remarks, we're asking for 250, but we'd be thrilled with 200, and we thank you for your generosity.

2:34:37

I don't have to tell you about the program, except it's a matching program where we match 1 person 60 and 1 person over 18, and we work really hard to have them safe and companionable.

2:34:52

And this year, Sherpa's and Hudson were actually doing better.

2:34:55

We believe that we'll have 30 matches, which is more than we've had.

2:35:00

It seems like a de minimis amount of matches.

2:35:03

But in each case, my view is that we've saved 2 lives.

2:35:07

One person can pay their rent or their mortgage, and the other person has a Safelast place to live.

2:35:13

And so we hope that you will fund that.

2:35:16

And additionally, in that 200,000, we have respite care And my colleague is here at Victoria's, and what we do is offer respite care to seniors.

2:35:27

And, basically, the senior has the opportunity to pay a little bit more than half of what they would pay for home care at a for profit agency.

2:35:38

That's 18.55 an hour.

2:35:42

We've helped 100 and 100 of seniors that employed loads of home care workers.

2:35:48

So I'm gonna stop, but to say that over the past 43 or 3 years, We've helped more than 12,000 people in ResMed Care, and we've matched about 1250 matches.

2:36:03

And I consider each match building an affordable housing unit.

2:36:07

And it's cheaper than anything that it so I consider a really humanitarian and inexpensive way to help seniors.

2:36:17

Thank you.

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Albert Scott, Representative from the East New York Economic Society, on Addressing the Retirement Crisis and Promoting Intergenerational Services