New York Academy of Medicine Holds Master Plan for Aging Summit
The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) hosted a summit, on June 21st, to inform the development of New York's Master Plan for Aging. The summit followed the walk-through by the State Department of Health (DOH) of the draft executive order (EO) to establish a Master Plan for Aging. Attended by over 100 representatives of aging services and advocacy organizations and public officials, the summit covered a broad array of issues that impact the lives of older adults. Topics included age-friendly health systems, age-friendly public health initiatives, accessible housing, community engagement, rural challenges, telehealth and digital strategies for social engagement, equity, and measurement of outcomes.
State Office for the Aging (SOFA) Director Greg Olsen spoke of his agency's longstanding efforts to promote healthy living and community connectedness through the State's Health Across All Policies strategy, community revitalization, and smart-growth initiatives like Complete Streets. Adam Herbst, DOH's Special Advisor to the Commissioner on Aging and Long Term Care, spoke about the EO and the Department's commitment to healthy aging.
New York's vision of a Master Plan for Aging, as articulated by SOFA, is "a deliberate process and plan to support individuals of all ages, from birth to death, by integrating the work of both the public and private sectors to create communities that promote healthy living and access to care; community connectedness through civic engagement, volunteering, and work; open space and walkable communities that promote physical exercise while reducing reliance on motor vehicles; and more." The Center for Health Care Strategies defines a Master Plan for Aging as "a roadmap that can help states transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for rapidly aging populations and people with disabilities." Some states, like California, have made access to long term care and building the caregiving workforce a key goal of their Master Plans for Aging.
LeadingAge NY will be engaged in the Master Plan for Aging process and will seek to ensure that the Master Plan addresses the diverse needs and interests of older adults as they age, including the need for housing and long term care services. We will also advocate for coordination among the Master Plan for Aging, the Reimagining Long Term Care Task Force, and the State's proposed Medicaid 1115 waiver.
Contact: Karen Lipson, klipson@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8838