AARP is lobbying for support for New Yorkers who spend a lot of time caring for the elderly in their homes, following a 2013 report on New York state elderly care. The report finds that four million unpaid family caregivers are struggling to balance their jobs with helping elderly family members.
AARP Onondaga spokesperson Bob O’Connor says that in the next five years, over 90,000 residents ages 50 and older will provide unpaid care to an adult relative or friend. He says the state could put more money into respite care, meal delivery, and transportation services that would help out:
Funding for services through the state office of aging has been flat for the past six years, which led O’Connor to warn during a press conference Thursday, “What’s now a crisis will without action by our state representatives, become a full-blown disaster.”
AARP has been lobbying to receive $26 million in the state budget to help caregivers. Assistant Director of AARP in New York State Bill Armbruster says it makes sense to care for the elderly at home:
AARP’S efforts to get additional funding for caregivers in Governor Cuomo’s budget have not been successful up to this point. The group will hold further demonstrations during the ongoing budget negotiations.
