Seniors at a prepandemic party (Photo: John McCarten / City Council)
Earlier this week, various groups and leading Democratic candidates for New York City Mayor hosted a virtual forum on aging in New York City. The discussion was hosted by City Limits editor-in-chief and Max & Murphy podcast co-host Jarrett Murphy and hosted by City Limits, LiveOn NY, AARP New York, the New York Academy of Medicine, United Neighborhood House, and Citymeals on Wheels and Hunter Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging.
Participating candidates were Brooklyn District President Eric Adams, former Secretary of State for Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, former New York Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, former Citigroup manager Ray McGuire, and City Comptroller Scott Stringer. Several candidates were late or early due to other commitments, and over 500 people watched a live stream on Zoom or YouTube.
During the event, Murphy asked questions on specific issues for older adults in New York, such as care and isolation, and the impact of broader areas such as transportation and housing on seniors and aging New Yorkers.
Age Discrimination
Murphy first asked the candidates how they see ageism and believe the mayor can address it. Adams said it was similar to "other -isms" like racism and anti-Semitism because it "denies people the basic right to move around the city". He said the mayor "needs to look at every agency … to make sure not every agency is practicing systemic ageism." Quoting her own aging parents in New York City, Garcia noted that ageism is about who is viewed as a productive member of society, saying when the New York Department of Aging (DFTA) funds like the Department of Youth and Community if development it would receive three times the funding it currently does.
McGuire said older city adults are the embodiment of the "shoulders we stand on" and discussed the role his mother and mother-in-law have played in his life. To counter ageism, McGuire said the city needs to ensure that seniors have food, "adequate care" and "connectivity" with the outside world.
Senior Centers and Aging Services
Murphy moved to senior centers, discussing cuts and closings in the city budget during the pandemic, and asked candidates how they would fund and treat senior centers and aging services as mayors.
Discussing her time as the city's emergency tsar last year, Garcia said this led her to recognize from the city government that "we haven't really served all of New York's senior citizens." She said the way the city's contracts with nonprofits work is "not working" right now and "makes it so problematic for them" to do their job with older New Yorkers. She pointed out that nonprofits are at the forefront in the communities.
McGuire said his four goals as mayor for elderly New Yorkers are treating mental health problems and loneliness, improving access and knowledge of technology, ensuring adequate care, and providing housing. He would achieve these goals by distributing equipment, providing senior citizens with Internet access, and creating a Junior / Seniors Corps to teach seniors how to use their equipment, and by doubling the number of senior housing facilities.
Adams said the city needs to "rethink how we view the social determinants of health" and invest in senior centers and adult day care centers.
casing
When asked about senior housing, McGuire said that "New York's approach to housing just hasn't done enough to prepare for senior needs." To improve access to senior housing, McGuire would create new affordable housing for low-income seniors with on-site services, working towards a new tax credit to incentivize the building or conversion of housing for seniors who at Lower incomes are affordable, and rental support is provided so that seniors can avoid homelessness and seniors entering a homeless shelter can move directly to long-term housing. He said avoiding elderly New Yorkers in shelters "must be the top priority we have".
Adams described the city's current approach to senior housing as too complicated and inaccessible, especially for seniors who speak English as a second language. He would have the city provide a MyCity map that would use the information the city has on record about seniors to automatically link them to the city's resources. He also mentioned supporting SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemptions), which helps eligible elderly New Yorkers stay in affordable homes through rental freezes. Adams concluded by discussing support for senior rental subsidies and increasing the number of senior housing available through the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
Garcia also discussed NYCHA's role in providing senior housing, adding that it was important to ensure that seniors “can age safely in these homes,” including by retrofitting units with wider doors and grab bars. Repeating to Adams that older adults enrollment in SCRIE should be increased and that enrollment should be automatic, Garcia said that the city should raise awareness of property tax exemptions that while the city has resources to “make these benefits effective to be able to use access problem. "It would also create 2,000 units of affordable housing for older adults affected by homelessness, she said.
Stringer, who joined the forum in time for the question, pointed to his experience managing public pensions for the city as a controller and said they "have never been stronger". He pointed to the on-the-spot report on aging that he was issuing as inspector, as a "blueprint" of what he would do as mayor. He called the automatic registration with SCRIE "obvious" and mentioned that the city should increase registrations with DRIE – a similar program to SCRIE for people with disabilities.
Speaking of housing, Stringer said that "in the name of affordability we can no longer build housing for the richest people" and that "gentrification is pushing people out of the neighborhoods they've been building in".
Lessons from the pandemic
Murphy then asked candidates what lessons they had learned from the pandemic about protecting seniors.
Referring to his mother, who died of COVID-19 in a Bronx hospital, Stringer said the past year has been "a very tough ride" for his family. He criticized the de Blasio government's introduction of the vaccine, saying that while the city could not have foreseen the pandemic,
"We knew for sure that this vaccine was on its way," and that he, as inspector, had encouraged the city to come up with a plan for fair distribution of the vaccine. "We had an uneven vaccination, that's no surprise with this government," he said, adding that de Blasio's rollout "botched every step of the way." Stringer mentioned that his office is investigating the distribution of vaccines around the city, but the results will not be released during the mayor's race. Stringer said the city could have improved the integration of senior centers into the vaccine distribution network and that it could offer the vaccine "door-to-door" to seniors (which is happening now).
Adams called the city's approach to using data resembling an airplane without an instrument panel, a metaphor he likes to use. He said the city should have opened a command center immediately to conduct "real-time analysis" of testing, food delivery and vaccination distribution, and that the city's response to the pandemic "failed every day New Yorkers."
Garcia said "the next mayor will face something we can't yet imagine," but that the pandemic has created many overlapping challenges for social service. Stressing that if DFTA had effectively provided food to seniors, it would not have been named Food Czar, criticizing that it “literally designed programs over a weekend that ended up yielding a million meals a day. To improve vaccine distribution, Garcia referred to her previously published vaccination schedule and also said that vaccinations should be door-to-door. Garcia added that the city should work with community-level organizations that have "deep relationships" with seniors to connect seniors with services and overcome hesitation about vaccines.
McGuire said "we didn't have anything expected or unexpected planned during this administration" and the issue the city is facing with seniors is how to connect them to the "real world", particularly technology distribution and education.
connection
Murphy asked candidates how they would address connectivity issues with seniors to prevent isolation and loneliness.
Garcia, who described isolation as dangerous both physically and mentally, advocated making tablets available to seniors and learning how to use them. She stressed the importance of “motivating older adults to take advantage of the opportunity to get in touch” by, for example, creating a calendar of events and “providing content that really speaks to them”. If affordability were an issue, Garcia would have the city assist, as "writing a check doesn't require rewiring a building".
Adams would turn Wi-Fi into a utility, invest in senior centers and adult daycare, and support telemedicine.
In time for the question, Donovan attended the event and said the biggest issue was affordability, not technology or wiring. The city must "in the meantime ensure that we have communal centers".
Home care
Candidates were then asked about low wages and poor working conditions for home care workers and if there was anything the mayor could do.
Donovan said "the next mayor can and must" and that he would work with home care workers, city authorities and labor unions to "create a safety net of services that actually work". These benefits would create "real avenues into jobs that can advance careers" and provide a "career ladder for people involved in home care".
McGuire would invest in a program to train home care workers, ensure seniors and home care workers have access to vaccine supplies, and expand the VOICES program run by the DFTA that connects isolated elderly New Yorkers with volunteers who call or join you call them.
As mayor, Adams would ensure that all home care contracts include living wages and look into the city's failure to pay on time. He said he "would make sure we get right with nonprofits so they can get right with their employees."
Pointing out that many of the caregivers are elderly New Yorkers themselves and that part of the problem has to do with the state, Garcia said the city must stand up for “the rightful dollars we need to make sure we Protecting our Seniors ”as a solution for wage and contract issues that secure a living.
Seniors and work
Murphy then asked how candidates, if elected to head the city's urban workforce, would ensure that "age is an asset," referring to the age-related discrimination in the workplace that many seniors can face. Referring to the "wealth" and "wisdom" of the elderly, McGuire said his government would "keep them by my side … as long as they are willing to stay". As workers transition into retirement, McGuire wants them to continue to contribute in an “active and engaging” way, using the example of retired educators.
Adams noted that many government employees regularly deal with the "trauma" of the New Yorkers they serve, and that he would allow rest periods and create "user-friendly" work environments.
Garcia answered the question most directly as Murphy had asked it. He noted the discrimination against older New Yorkers and pushed for full funding from the Human Rights Commission (CHR) to allow the agency to investigate complaints.
Donovan agreed with Garcia to "improve" the work of the CHR, but said that "there are many, many steps that we need to take to go further". He said that on the first day of his tenure, he would issue a Bill of Rights on Aging and an executive ordinance calling on all agencies to update their aging plans annually at every stage of their operations.
Middle-income seniors
Candidates were asked to "realistically" discuss what the city could do about the fact that "middle-income seniors are sometimes caught in the middle" with too little money to be safe in their finances and too much income have to qualify for certain income-related programs for seniors.
Pointing out his MyCity card idea, Adams said the city could use the user details to sign them up for programs like SCRIE, DRIE, and SNAP (grocery stamps) and relieve the elderly of “going out and looking for what's available. "
Garcia would urge that already allocated federal funds be secured for the city and some of it be used to support seniors, addressing "all these diverse populations in the mayor's office," and work on customizing programs.
Donovan initially focused on housing issues, saying the city needs investments to keep seniors in their homes, such as loans and tax exemptions. He also said the city should invest in programs that serve neighborhoods regardless of income, such as libraries that are open seven days a week.
McGuire would fund employment programs and subsidize senior jobs. He would assist nonprofits and libraries in providing service and making sure older New Yorkers know what programs are available to help them. He raised house sharing as an option to keep seniors in their homes, but cautioned against predators that could turn to seniors to sell their homes at a disadvantage.
Road safety
The next question from Harry of Chelsea asked candidates what they would do to make walking on the streets safer for seniors. Garcia called her transportation plans a "critical part" of her overall platform and that she is trying to "redesign the entire public space and put pedestrians first" by making changes like bike lanes.
Donovan said, "We need to realize that we live in a 21st century city with 20th century streets." He said the city needs to provide truly protected bike lanes, use Bus Rapid Transit, maintain well-maintained sidewalks, and improve bus stops and public benches.
McGuire said he would use "comprehensive community-based neighborhood planning" because "no one size fits all". He would try to lower speed limits, add red light cameras, close some areas to vehicular traffic, improve signage for pedestrians, install more countdown clocks and accessible signals. McGuire would also improve curb pedestrian ramps, advising seniors that they must be accessible by walking aids and scooters, and strengthen the Open Streets program by installing semi-permanent seating and barriers.
Adams extolled his work on state law to bring speed limits down in the city and his district president's work on an age-friendly Brooklyn analysis. Rather than making specific suggestions, Adams said he would have the city government consult with seniors and "find out from them to make sure the city is the safest town" to move around in.
maintenance
The candidates were then asked if they would like to relieve the nursing staff. Donovan would seek to "support them financially, emotionally, and support them by connecting them to networks that will help them get the resources and support they need." He wants the city to look at how to provide a "continuum of care" as the needs of the elderly increase and for caregivers to be connected to senior centers for resources to access and to answer questions they may have.
McGuire sponsored working with the Biden-Harris administration to direct federal funding from the administration's infrastructure plan to New York City, if passed, which includes millions for care needs. He would work with nonprofits that offer mentoring programs and
"Empowering more New Yorkers to identify themselves as caregivers" so they can begin the process of connecting to services. His goals for the nurses would be that they are "adequately compensated" and "properly cared for".
Adams pointed out that many people are unaware of the range of resources the city offers and would centralize information for caregivers in one place for easy access. He would appoint a “Czar of Nurses” to lead a team that connects caregivers with the city's resources.
Accessibility and transportation
The next item on the agenda was improving accessibility, especially for the metro system and other modes of transport.
McGuire said he would prioritize repairs to the subway elevators and other "things so basic" and that his economic comeback plan has "at its core" infrastructure improvements for things like buses, subways and vans that transport seniors .
Adams agreed with McGuire's focus on fixing "the simple things" like installing elevators, but also called for the creation of a hailstorm app for Access-a-Ride, the extension of the Fair Fares program, the investment in Bus Rapid Transit and the training of taxi drivers and limousine drivers for older adults.
Donovan said similar things about addressing accessibility issues with the MTA, saying that given his work in the Obama-Biden cabinet, he is "better prepared than any other candidate to work very closely with the administration and Congress" to ensure funding transportation infrastructure in New York City from a federal infrastructure package.
Donovan would introduce congestion pricing and put more city revenue into the MTA to gain more control over the state agency, over which the city now has some leverage, and an on-demand access-a-ride System push.
Lightning round
The forum ended on a blitz with the remaining candidates: Adams, Donovan and McGuire.
The top three problems affecting older adults? Adams said housing, health care and food insecurity. Donovan said housing, healthcare, and transportation. McGuire said housing, healthcare and technology.
Would the DFTA have a larger share of the city budget in your mayor's administration? Donovan said, "Absolutely, and I would make sure through my executive order that every dollar we spend helps our seniors," while McGuire said, "Absolutely, yes." Adams agreed, but said the agency "had to show me how they use the dollars".
The third question was how the candidates' campaigns reached seniors who are afraid of setting off and / or cannot digitally access information about the Mayor's Race due to COVID-19. Donovan pointed out his Common Table feeding program, which provided food to seniors in their homes and enabled his campaign to connect with potential voters. McGuire ironically said his campaign was preoccupying "a highly malicious part of the way this country works … the United States Postal Service". Adams reiterated to Donovan that he wanted to use the "campaign opportunity" as an "opportunity to provide services". His campaign went door-to-door to distribute masks, food and PPE and introduce the Adams campaign to potential voters, he said.
Murphy asked candidates about the role of the NYPD and the prosecution in combating elder abuse. McGuire said "we need to be much more vigilant" when it comes to monitoring elderly abuse, and that the NYPD could help monitor this, through community police, for example. Adams also said yes, and that the city should try to be more "proactive" than reactive when it comes to catching elder abuse. He also wants to “work with credible messengers in our community” and use banks to identify early warning signs of abuse against the elderly.
Donovan said that "(we) need not just our police force, but all of our law enforcement agencies to really focus on alterism, discrimination and the safety of our seniors," and that everything is being done to make New York a safer and fairer city will ultimately help older New Yorkers.
Murphy concluded by asking the contestants what they expected most and what they were most concerned about about getting older, even in New York. Adams said he was looking forward to the "luxuries of traveling and pastimes" with his grandchildren, but was concerned about public safety and drug legalization efforts, which he found jeopardized to public safety. (Mayoral candidate Dianne Morales, the left-most top tier candidate who has sworn off the Zoom forums, has called for the legalization of all drugs as part of her platform.
Donovan looked forward to "having the time to enjoy every aspect of what makes New York City unique in the world" but worried about "having a city where the quality of life has deteriorated for everyone". McGuire, on the other hand, said he expected to play more basketball but was concerned about the "lack of respect shown to our elders."
The final question from the forum was how to treat older New Yorkers as more than just "service users", but as people who could contribute to the city. Discussing the inclusion of seniors in Jobs Corps programs, Adams said, “I believe we should build real intergenerational relationships with our young people.” Donovan said, “We need a mayor at City Hall who understands that we are must be the best city in the world to welcome, celebrate, and honor elderly New Yorkers. " McGuire said he “harnessed” the power of older New Yorkers by listening to his mother's advice every day, and that he would look for opportunities for retired seniors to contribute to nonprofits or the education system, such as teachers retired.
{module Author Grace Getman}