March is Social Work Month and at LiveOn NY, we celebrate our members who are essential to the work we do in making New York a better to age. Throughout the pandemic, social workers in the human services sector have been on the frontlines working tirelessly to ensure all New Yorkers have the support they need. Here are quotes from some of our members on what moved them to become social workers and their experience as an essential worker.
Today, LiveOn NY announced a partnership with the Reframing Aging Initiative, which is a multi-year strategy to counteract ageism and improve the way policymakers, stakeholders, and the public think about aging and older people.
LiveOn NY unequivocally opposes the continued, systemic attacks on older adults in need of assistance, namely low-income seniors, immigrants, communities of color and other marginalized populations.
At LiveOn NY, we work hard to make sure that the public hears about the issues affecting older New Yorkers, as well as the incredible momentum that exists as we grow old. To this aim, we are proud of each and every time we are able to share this narrative with the press and our local communities.
“These legislative wins are a signal of progress as we move towards a state where New Yorkers of all ages can grow old with the necessary legislation that supports everyone across the lifespan,” said Allison Nickerson, Executive Director of LiveOn NY. “We hope to see these bills signed into law, and to then build on this progress to create a better New York for all ages.”
Many older New York rely on affordable senior housing with services to comfortably age in place. The need for affordable senior housing with services continues to rise with many older New Yorkers living on fixed incomes that cannot keep up with rising rent cost; experiencing mobility challenges that limit housing options within an aging rental-stock. In 2016, LiveOn NY found that an estimated 200,000 older adults were on waiting lists for housing through the HUD202 program in New York City.
Given that the Department for the Aging (DFTA) budget remains at less than ½ of 1% of the City budget despite older adults representing a rapidly increasing 20% of the population, the City must go farther in its Adopted Budget to truly set the trajectory for a recovery that leaves no New Yorker behind. Moreover, to wholly embrace this budget’s theme, “A Recovery for All of Us,” the City must do more to ensure that older New Yorkers, particularly low-income and Black and brown older New Yorkers, are included in that recovery.
