TESTIMONY
Kevin Jones, Associate State Director for Advocacy at AARP New York, on Enhancing Support for Older Adults
2:57:16
·
136 sec
Kevin Jones discusses the need for increased support and prioritization of older adults in New York City, highlighting challenges such as poverty and inadequate funding.
- Older adults are New York's fastest growing demographic, with a population of 1.3 million.
- The number of older New Yorkers living below the poverty line and in shelter systems has significantly increased.
- New York City Aging receives less than 1% of the city's budget, with further cuts proposed.
- Key priorities include food security, infrastructure funding for older adult centers, and increased investment in community-based care.
- Jones emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues to support the city’s vital older adult population.
Kevin Jones
2:57:16
Hi.
2:57:17
Good afternoon, Sharon Hudson, a member of the city council.
2:57:19
My name is Kevin Jones.
2:57:20
I'm the associate's state director.
2:57:22
Or advocacy in AARP, New York, which represents 750,000 members in New York City.
2:57:28
We appreciate the opportunity to testify today.
2:57:31
Older adults represent New York's fastest growing demographic.
2:57:34
According to a report from Center for Urban Future, New York City 65 and overpopulation grew by 36 sent or about 363,000 people between 2011 2021.
2:57:45
Today, our our city is home to 1,300,000 older adults which is nearly the entire population of the Bronx.
2:57:53
Older adults are a tremendous asset to our city.
2:57:56
There are vital driving force in our economy, cultural life, and volunteer base, but they face unique challenges as well.
2:58:02
And the older adult population has increased to the number of older New Yorkers living below the poverty line, grew by 37% while the number of living in the shelter system tripled.
2:58:12
This new demographic reality really illustrates how the city needs to prioritize basic needs of our older adults.
2:58:19
New York City Aging receives less than 1% of the city's budget, and now the mayor is proposing even more cuts in the upcoming fiscal year.
2:58:28
Our priorities for our main priorities for the budget, I'm gonna submit a longer list in writing, but our main 3 priorities for the budget include food security because older adults living in poverty have to make tough choices.
2:58:39
Between things like rent and food.
2:58:42
And these same older adults are not dealing with the impacts of inflation, which has rapidly increased food prices making it even harder for them to put food on their table.
2:58:51
Another top priority of ours is ensuring adequate capital funding to meet the infrastructure needs of older adult centers.
2:58:57
While many of these centers are beautiful vibrant spaces, there are centers all across the pipe bureaus that desperately need investments to address issues like, mold, broken heating, and cooling systems, and and other things like that that some of my colleagues have already mentioned today.
2:59:11
Last, we'd like to mentioned that we support an increase in the investment of community based care for nonprofits that provides essential services for older adults, including human service providers.
2:59:24
I will I sent submit more details in writing, but I won't wanna thank you all for giving us the opportunity today, and I will get back rest of the time.