The NYC Department for the Aging faces challenges in home care due to a lack of workers and disparities in pay prompted by state policies, and is advocating for equity and enhancing recruitment efforts.

• A shortage of home care workers and a disparity in their wages compared to Medicare home care workers, caused by state funding decisions, result in wait lists.
• The Department for the Aging is actively advocating with the state to eliminate wage disparities between different classes of home care workers.
• Aggressive recruitment measures are being implemented to address the shortage of home care staff.
• The council member inquires about the additional caseworkers and funding needed to eliminate the case management waitlist, with a promise of follow-up on specific numbers.