AGENCY TESTIMONY
Introduction and context for NYC Aging's Community Care Plan
0:05:00
·
112 sec
Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez opens the testimony by acknowledging the City Council members and discussing NYC Aging's initiative to create certificates of appreciation for older adult centers and Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs). She emphasizes the importance of connecting NYC Aging staff with the communities they serve.
- The Commissioner introduces herself and her role
- She mentions that May is Older Americans Act month
- She highlights the importance of recognizing the work done by older adult centers and NORCs
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
0:05:00
Good afternoon, Chair Hudson, members of the city council.
0:05:04
Great to see you again.
0:05:05
Centimeters Banks, and also salami, it's been great to see you.
0:05:10
And I like when I see you in your own respective communities.
0:05:14
So before I say who I am, I'm gonna say that in honor of older American's Act month.
0:05:23
One of the things that we have done at NYC Aging is create certificates of appreciation precisely for what you were talking about Council member, chairhudson, and it is acknowledging the valuable work that always sees in Norx do for for older adults.
0:05:43
And everyone in NYC Aging staff not only the community service staff, but everyone is required to go out to the 316 sites and give them a certificate.
0:05:55
And why is that important?
0:05:57
Because many of our staff, you know, are counting, looking at books and paper and and minutes served.
0:06:03
And they might not know or it might been a while before they knew exactly how the services are being delivered in the community.
0:06:09
And I think it's essential that they that they know so that they'll know what all of that paperwork that they do inside, what does it look like and materialize.
0:06:18
In the community.
0:06:19
It's been eye opening for for a lot of our staff, but it is also a way to making sure that we are not disconnected from what we do every day, which is to serve older adults.
0:06:29
So I'm gonna go back to my testimony.
0:06:31
Alright?
0:06:32
I'm Lorraine Corte Vasquez.
0:06:34
I'm the commissioner of Aging, as you all know.
0:06:36
And my pronouns, which I always resist because it's a generational thing.
0:06:40
Archie and Aya, and we have this opportunity to discuss with you NYC Aging's Community Care Plan, something that we're really proud of.
