In New York, many seniors aren’t getting vital support services

New York is among the states where older residents are not receiving adequate levels of in-home care and other support services, according to a report published by a local news outlet.

The report cited data from the Office of the New York State Comptroller, which found that some 16,000 of the state’s senior residents “continue to languish on waitlists” for services. That’s in spite of the fact that state funding for these programs has grown by $114 million — or 88% — since the 2018-19 fiscal year. Federal funding has increased 50% in that span.

According to reporting from Spectrum News 1, more than 1 million New Yorkers per year receive home care services, meals, health care assistance and more through the state’s Office for the Aging. But thousands more are falling through the cracks.

“New York has an obligation to support seniors who need and qualify for in-home, meal or other support services,” state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said in the report. “These critical services provide necessary care and help people remain in their homes and communities, while preventing more expensive institutional care.”

Like the nation as a whole, New York’s senior population is growing. Its 60-and-older population is projected to rise to 5.5 million in 2030. And its needs are likely to expand due to billions of dollars in federal aid that’s expected to be cut under the Trump administration.

This has prompted DiNapoli’s office to push the Office for the Aging to “improve its data reporting and transparency to ensure resources reach elderly people who are most in need,” according to Spectrum. About 70% of the 65-and-older population is expected to need some form of long-term care.

The comptroller’s office released an audit in early 2022 in which it determined that the Office for the Aging “did not consistently monitor local agencies or issue guidance on tracking and reporting waitlists.”

Long-term care (LTC) costs are a growing concern across the country. A recent report from Time pointed to a large group of middle-class Americans who cannot afford full-time care while aging in place yet are considered too wealthy to qualify for Medicaid benefits. Informal and unpaid caregivers account for about two-thirds of the hours spent on this group of seniors, the report explained.

Along with cuts to federal rental assistance programs, Medicaid cuts approved through President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” — which are projected to total $1 billion over 10 years — could widen the gap. Home- and community-based care for low-income seniors are considered optional under Medicaid, allowing states to cut associated expenses.

New York’s issues with fully meeting senior care needs are echoed throughout the country.

Recent data from insurance provider Genworth Financial shows that at-home care is less expensive than other options like a nursing home. But the typical cost of a home health aide is $6,300 per month, putting it out of reach for most. Inflation is likely to exacerbate the situation as these same monthly costs will rise to $8,700 by 2034, assuming 3% annual inflation.

In early 2024, researchers at Rutgers University reported that 86% of Medicare beneficiaries received some form of in-home care, with 27% all recipients receiving “skilled” care. But in some states — led by Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona and Oregon — more than two-thirds of this group didn’t have a skilled nursing element.

The researchers went on to say that “our findings are also consistent with the recent downward trend of deaths in acute care hospitals and upward trend of deaths in home and community settings.”