Committee on Aging

This bill would require the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to establish a grab-and-go meal program, which would provide daily meals available for pick up at participating older adult centers for members of the centers. This bill would also require DFTA to make available to every participating older adult center a notice that provides information on the grab-and-go meal program. Every participating older adult center would be required to post the notice in a conspicuous location.

This bill would require the Department for the Aging (DFTA), in consultation with the Cabinet for Older New Yorkers, to develop an informational toolkit about programs, benefits, and services available to New Yorkers aged 60 and up. The toolkit must include materials containing information about rent freeze programs; information about meal delivery programs; information about other public and non-public programs, benefits, and services for older adults; contact information for DFTA; and contact information for other relevant agencies and organizations. On an annual basis, DFTA would have to distribute a printed version of the toolkit at older adult centers, to homebound older adults, and to new or potential participants in DFTA programs. DFTA would also have to post the toolkit on its website and ensure that the printed and digital versions are accessible. This bill would require regular updates to the toolkit.

This bill would require New York City Aging (“NYCA,” formerly the Department for the Aging), in collaboration with Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), to submit an annual report on how many seniors live in apartment buildings in each Council district and how many of those apartments are retrofitted for people with disabilities, including mobility issues.

This bill would require owners to disclose certain information to the City before evicting older adult tenants and would require the City to provide information to such tenants about available legal assistance.

This bill would require the Department for the Aging to study which digital platforms are most frequently used by different demographic groups of older adults, develop and implement a plan to advertise programs and services on such platforms, and issue a report on the department’s activities pursuant to this bill.

This bill would require the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to operate the home-delivered meals program, which is to maintain or improve the nutritional status of older adults who are unable to prepare meals, such that each older adult authorized to receive such meals, is provided with at least 1 home delivered meal a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This delivery frequency would apply to all contracts between DFTA and a home-delivered meal provider that are in effect on or after the effective date.

This legislation would require senior service providers to attend a training to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression and to take a refresher training at least once every three years. The Department would also be required to hold at least two educational sessions each year to provide counseling and training to guests and senior center members on such discrimination. Senior centers would also be required to post signs in common areas with information about discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, including how to report such instances and available avenues of relief and action.

This bill would require Department for the Aging and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications to develop a technical support program to serve older adults.

This bill would require the Department for the Aging, in cooperation with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, to administer a financial assistance program for older adults 60 years of age or older and individuals with disabilities 18 years of age or older to install in-home preventative adaptations.

This bill would require the Commissioner of Aging to designate at least 1 financial literacy advisor to serve in each older adult center for at least 20 hours a month. A financial literacy advisor would have to provide general information about financial literacy, end of life preparation, tax preparation, and how to avoid or handle legal issues and scams that commonly affect older adults. A financial literacy advisor would also have to convey contact information for specialized financial literacy providers, tax preparation providers, certain types of legal services providers, relevant New York City agencies and organizations, and the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to answer questions concerning financial literacy resources offered by DFTA. The Commissioner would have to promulgate rules to set qualifications for financial literacy advisors and establish a financial literacy advisor training program.