Today, New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen delivered testimony to a hearing of the Assembly Committee on Aging to examine 'The Impact of COVID-19 on Programs and Support Services for Older Adults and Their Caregivers Within the State.'
"In early 2020, when the health emergency was declared amid rising community spread of COVID-19, NYSOFA and the network of aging professionals took quick and decisive action to change the service delivery model while protecting individuals from contracting and spreading the virus," Director Olsen said in his testimony available here.
"NYSOFA provided early and continuous guidance to the counties emphasizing a primary focus: to serve people based on what the demand was in their communities. In partnership with the Association on Aging in New York, we expanded mechanisms to communicate regularly with the counties on an individual, regional, and statewide basis for problem solving, technical assistance, and answers on policy and program questions that demanded quick resolution."
He added: "The service delivery model had to be shifted quickly to in-home services and supports at a time of stay-at-home measures and the closure of congregate sites, social adult day services, and other community outlets where older adults would typically gather."
Read the Complete Testimony Here.
