NEW YORK STATE AWARDED 2020 PACESETTER PRIZE FOR FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORTS
State recognized by The SCAN Foundation for policies and practices that advance supports for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers
Albany, NY—The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) today announced that New York has been awarded the Pacesetter Prize by The SCAN Foundation in recognition of its continued efforts to improve the lives of older adults, people with disabilities, and their family caregivers across the state. Determined by an analysis of the state’s performance on AARP’s 2020 Long-Term Services and Supports State Scorecard, New York was specifically recognized for its leadership in Support for Family Caregivers. The state ranked No. 11 in Support for Family Caregivers in 2017 and moved to No. 5 in 2020. New York’s overall State Scorecard ranking rose from No. 20 to No. 11 during the same period.
“We thank The SCAN Foundation for honoring New York State with a Pacesetter Prize for our comprehensive and collaborative efforts to support and empower family caregivers,” said NYSOFA Acting Director Greg Olsen. “Caregivers make a profound difference in the lives of those they care for and are integral to helping loved ones remain at home. The COVID-19 pandemic and the danger it presents to older adults and those with underlying health conditions has put even more stress on caregivers, and now more than ever, they need access to resources that help them support their loved ones as well as allow them to focus on their own wellbeing.”
Under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s leadership, investments in supports and services for caregivers have been unprecedented. Governor Cuomo’s vision to advance a Health Across All Policies approach and embed healthy aging into all aspects of government work supports the critical role of caregivers. Through the Governor’s efforts, in 2017, New York State was designated the first age-friendly state in the nation by the World Health Organization (WHO) and AARP. In 2018, the Governor launched a Long Term Care Planning Project (LTCPP) to map out a 10-year plan to meet the emerging and diverse needs of New York’s aging population, and issued Executive Order No. 190, which incorporates age-friendly concepts and healthy aging into government planning and procurement. These efforts will have an ongoing positive impact on caregivers for all ages and populations. In addition:
In 2017, the New York State Office for the Aging created the nation’s first statewide mobile app to connect more than 4.6 million older adults and caregivers with easily accessible material about benefits, programs, and services, including information regarding health and wellness, housing, and transportation options;
New York State has led a multi-strategy approach to assisting families and caregivers by supporting respite through expansion of the Respite Education and Support Tools (REST) program;
New York State received the 2017 REST Vision Award, which is given to the state that has trained the highest number of individuals or organizations to provide critical respite support for caregivers;
Governor Cuomo signed into law the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, which requires hospitals to allow patients to formally designate a caregiver and also educate and support caregivers to provide post-discharge care at home;
New York’s Paid Family Leave benefit, which began January 1, 2018, is the longest and most comprehensive paid family leave in the nation—and will be increasing from eight to 12 weeks by 2021, while also expanding guaranteed job protections; and
$25 million in annual funding goes toward care and support services for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and their caregivers. This investment helps support family caregivers who are providing the lion’s share of supportive services in New York; reduces preventable emergency department visits and hospitalizations; and delays or eliminates the need for institutional care.
The AARP LTSS State Scorecard finds national and state support for long-term services and supports (LTSS) is trending in the right direction overall, but more needs to be done, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By 2030, 20 percent of the nation’s population will be age 65 or older, and more than 70 percent of Americans who reach age 65 will require a high level of assistance for a period of time with LTSS, such as bathing, eating, dressing, and transportation, among other routine activities. These services are costly, running up to $100,000 a year for nursing home care and $59,000 annually for a home health aide, whose services can be difficult to access depending on where you live.
The Scorecard and The SCAN Foundation’s data analysis paint a picture of LTSS system performance prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic has drawn attention to why strong LTSS systems are needed in every state.
“The Pacesetter Prize was created in recognition of states ‘setting the pace’ for building a high-performing system of care for people who need long-term services and supports,” said Bruce Chernof, president and CEO of The SCAN Foundation. “Winning states have made a fundamental commitment at every level of government to build infrastructure that supports people as they age. These states are leading the way and encouraging other states to consider opportunities for improvement.”
To learn more about The SCAN Foundation and Pacesetter Prize, visit www.thescanfoundation.org/recognizing-excellence/pacesetter-prize.
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About the New York State Office for the Aging and Health Across All Policies/Age-Friendly New York
The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) continuously works to help the state’s 4.6 million older adults be as independent as possible for as long as possible through advocacy, development and delivery of person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs, and services that support and empower older adults and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations that serve them.
New York is nationally recognized for being the first age-friendly state in the nation. Using the state’s Prevention Agenda as the overarching framework, in 2017, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo launched a Health Across All Policies approach, where public and private partners work together to positively impact population health by marrying health care, preventive health, and community design, in concert with addressing social determinants of health, to improve the lives of all New Yorkers, young and old.
Stay connected—download the NYSOFA mobile app for iOS or Android; visit the NYSOFA Facebook page; follow @NYSAGING on Twitter and NYSAging on Instagram; or visit aging.ny.gov.
About The SCAN Foundation
The SCAN Foundation is an independent public charity dedicated to creating a society where older adults can access health and supportive services of their choosing to meet their needs. Our mission is to advance a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-quality services for older adults that preserve dignity and independence. www.TheSCANfoundation.org.
