Michael J. Burgess, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging announced today that New York State recently received $6,191,164 in nutrition funding to provide congregate and home delivered meals to older New Yorkers. This funding will make it possible to provide additional 768,579 congregate and 441,555 home-delivered meals – for a total of 1,210,133 meals.
The funding is part of $100 million in Recovery Act funds awarded by the US Department of Health and Human Services to provide meals to tens of thousands of low-income older Americans in need. The funding is expected to provide nearly 14 million meals nationwide.
Director Burgess noted that when the Nutrition Program for the Elderly was authorized by Congress 35 years ago, the underlying reason for its creation was to prevent malnutrition in older adults by providing meals and other nutritional services in their communities and at home. Today, the program is as necessary and contemporary as it was then. Malnutrition and chronic disease remain as critical health concerns for older adults and their caregivers and have a considerable impact on health care costs to families and this country.
The downturn in the economy has forced many states to limit community-based services, including congregate and home-delivered meals. This has made it difficult for many seniors to afford the right foods to remain healthy and active. In some other cases, they may need assistance to prepare food. Without regular nutritious meals, the health of many older Americans declines; they become more susceptible to illness; their ability to manage their chronic disease is reduced, and they may lose their ability to remain at home, independent in their community.
The New York State Office for the Aging administers various programs under the Federal Older Americans Act and a variety of State-funded programs which serve the older New Yorkers. In these programs preference is given to older people with the greatest economic or social need, with special emphasis on meeting the needs of low income minority elderly.
NYSOFA programs are administered through 59 local offices for the aging which serve each county, the City of New York as well as the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation, and the Seneca Nation of Indians which includes the Cattaraugus and Allegany Reservations.
New York plays a key national role in providing home delivered and congregate meals as well as providing nutrition counseling and education. “NYS is number 1 in the nation in the number of congregate and home delivered meals provided,” Director Burgess said. “The State serves 7.4 percent of all the people served by home-delivered meals nationally and 8.2 percent of all people receiving congregate meals nationally. Of all the home-delivered meals and congregate meals served nationally, NYS provides 9 percent and 12 percent respectively. These meals are an important part of New York’s economy.”
New York State provides nutrition counseling to 31.8 percent of all recipients of the service reported nationally (26 percent of all service units are provided in NYS) and we provide 2 percent of all the nutrition education sessions reported nationally.
Nutrition plays an integral role in keeping older adults healthy and independent in the community by preventing malnutrition, reducing risk of chronic diseases and related disabilities, supporting better mental and physical functioning and managing common chronic diseases, and is an integral part of post-hospital and rehabilitative care.
Director Burgess concluded: “Nutrition services are vital in helping older adults achieve good nutritional status and remain healthy, physically active, and independent with a good quality of life and these extra resources, provided in this time of exceptional need will help thousands of New York residents in need of assistance. In addition, nutrition counseling and education, both provided under these programs help older New Yorker’s manage chronic conditions and improve their health through better diets.”
NYSOFA advocates for the over 3.5 million New Yorkers who are 60 years of age and older, including at all levels of government and the private sector, with the cooperation of concerned organizations and older persons. To learn more about NYSOFA programs and services, contact a local county office for the aging, visit www.aging.ny.gov or call NYS Senior Citizens Help line 1-800-342-9871.
