Budget Boost Sought for Home Services

AARP New York is urging legislators to boost the 2017-18 state budget for non-Medicaid services that help older New Yorkers age safely at home. The goal is to provide transportation, home-delivered meals, adult day care and other services for people who are eligible for, but are not yet receiving, home- and community-based services.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) submits his 2017-18 state budget proposal in mid-January, and state legislators begin negotiations in February.

In a recent AARP/Siena College survey, 87 percent of Generation Xers and boomers in New York said if they needed long-term care, they would want to receive services at home. More than two-thirds of respondents said help with managing medications, household chores, transportation, meals and respite care is or would be helpful.

For more survey results, go to aarp.org/ny.