By Thomas Montana
New York State should aim to focus on programs to aid seniors, according to a report from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
New York’s population of people aged 60 and above is growing and projected to reach approximately 5.5 million by 2030. While state funding for the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) has increased over 88%, or $114 million, since 2019, the demand for their services has exceeded availability. Thousands of seniors who qualify for services remain on waitlists and some funds remain unspent.
In 2023, DiNapoli released an audit that found NYSOFA did not consistently monitor local agencies or issue guidance on tracking and reporting waitlists. DiNapoli’s new report notes that some data on participation and funding, including allocations for in-home services, is not consistently available.
According to the report, NYSOFA did not publicly report information needed to gauge the effectiveness of their services such as waitlist numbers by county or program, how much funding each local agency receives and spends on in-home services and how many eligible older adults remain unserved. DiNapoli said this information needs to be released to see if their services and taxpayer dollars are properly being used.
“New York has an obligation to support seniors who need and qualify for in-home, meal or other support services,” DiNapoli said. “These critical services provide necessary care and help people remain in their homes and communities, while preventing more expensive institutional care. The Legislature has stepped up with more funding for the Office for the Aging, but with thousands still on waitlists and some funding going unspent, we need greater transparency and stronger tracking to make sure the state’s investment is truly reaching those who need it.”
In response to the report, a NYSOFA spokesperson said in a statement, “NYSOFA and New York’s aging services network provide cost-effective, preventive community-based supports for older adults and their families. As demographic trends and other factors continue to drive demand for services, Governor Hochul is committed to meeting this need through historic state budget investments that will fundamentally increase capacity for state aging services across all regions of New York.”