AGENCY TESTIMONY
Challenges in caregiving and long-term care solutions
0:17:33
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3 min
The Commissioner addresses the growing challenges in the caregiving sector for older New Yorkers and Americans in general. She emphasizes the need for better long-term care solutions and support for family caregivers.
- Recognition of the struggle to navigate and afford long-term care solutions
- Focus on in-home solutions and supports as fundamental to the Community Care Plan
- Discussion of the coming caregiving crisis as more baby boomers retire
- Personal experience of the Commissioner as both an administrator and a caregiver
- Need for better public awareness and education about caregiving services
- Call for improved collaboration and integration of New York State's long-term care services
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
0:17:33
Despite these benefits, we know that there is more work to be done, especially in caregiving sector for as of older New Yorkers.
0:17:41
And Americans in general.
0:17:43
We struggle to navigate and afford long term care solutions for their families and our loved ones.
0:17:51
Income in home solutions and supports are fundamental to the success.
0:17:56
Of community care plan.
0:17:58
We are working to build out programmatic and policy based solutions to address the becoming a caregiving crisis.
0:18:08
As more baby boomers retire and grow older, Their families are navigating the challenges of an aging population who want to remain in the home but need additional care and support.
0:18:19
I know this experience firsthand.
0:18:22
I live it.
0:18:23
As I always say, I'm not only the commissioner, but I'm also a client.
0:18:26
I have worked with my mother and her aging experience in my role as commissioner, and I've learned all of the challenges in navigating these services.
0:18:34
I am the executive head of the largest area agency in the United States.
0:18:40
That could only be what my experience.
0:18:44
And I still had to ask, where do I begin?
0:18:47
How do I do this?
0:18:48
They're frequently.
0:18:49
So imagine the average New York of caregiver who would say, How do I begin?
0:18:56
They're not even aware, number 1, that there are services for them.
0:18:59
They're not even aware that they're a caregiver because they just consider themselves a daughter, a god child, a niece.
0:19:08
New York's they need to be informed.
0:19:10
This is just gonna grow in New York, and they need to address these situations for their loved ones.
0:19:18
New York State also needs to do a better job.
0:19:21
And needs to do a better job in collaborating and cross pollinating of all those long term care services that they have.
0:19:28
And I'm gonna address that later on.
0:19:31
Much of our focus in caregiving spaces funding is on funding and education.
0:19:36
Many people find themselves to be caregivers who don't even know where to begin as I said.
0:19:41
The labyrinth of services and qualifications create daunting barriers to getting the care and support they need for a loved one.
0:19:49
At times, we run the risk of being our own worst enemy when we do not make options plainly available to people and do not clearly provide the linkages and support within a community care plan.
0:20:04
And our community care plan's goal is to achieve that.
0:20:11
New York State's expanded in home services for the elderly person's ISAP program as we commonly know it.
0:20:18
Is meant to address the gap between individuals and family who are unable to pay out of pocket for some home services, but who are not necessarily low income enough to qualify for Medicaid services.
0:20:34
However, this program requires more funding and too frequently, aging services employees receive different rates of Medicaid clients with further disadvantages, the ISEP funded home care programs.
0:20:49
I ask all of you to partner with us and to ask our partners in the state, to create a seamless program and application pathway, I'm sorry, between the ISAP program, the long term care managed program, and the nursing home transition program.
0:21:07
There is not a reason why each one of those has to be a separate step, a daunting and complicated application process.
0:21:16
When someone started in the ISAP program.
0:21:18
We should try to create those pathways.
0:21:22
Additionally, we know that transportation and micro mobility solutions are fundamental to remaining in communities longer.
