New legislation to support and protect the rights of elder New Yorkers has passed the New York State Senate. The new protections will prohibit termination of tenancy in certain senior housing facilities, establish an elder abuse aftercare program, require elder abuse training for senior service providers and will raise the income eligibility limit for rent increase exemptions. A newly-created State Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate will also help protect elder consumers.
In addition to safeguarding living arrangements, new quality-of-life legislation expands Medicare eligibility, establishes the public posting of a senior trail guide, and encourages entrepreneurship and workforce opportunities through a new Office of Older Adult Workforce Development.
“Our state’s seniors deserve to age in dignity and have their rights protected,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “Elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation cannot be tolerated, we must do everything we can to raise awareness and educate the public. I am proud to sponsor legislation to better protect aging New Yorkers, and I thank my colleagues in the Senate Majority for their dedication to ensure the senior community has access to the services and support they need to prosper.”
Bill Sponsor, and Chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, Senator Rachel May, said, “As Chair of the Committee on Aging, I am very grateful to my colleagues for their work to protect older New Yorkers’ health and safety and help them stay active longer. This package of bills supports affordable senior housing, expands access to affordable prescription drugs, recognizes the need to prevent elder abuse, and creates opportunities for work and recreation. My bills acknowledge that more people are staying in the workforce longer, often starting new businesses late in life, and they may need assistance in navigating the new realities of commerce and employment.”
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