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A Message from NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen on NYSOFA's Response to Federal Actions
NYSOFA, our staff, Area Agencies on Aging, our partners, advocates, the public, and stakeholders are rightly alarmed about the news coming from Washington daily and what it all means for the vital work that we collectively do.
I assure you that NYSOFA is acting proactively and decisively at all levels and nationally to make clear the damage that would result from potential adverse federal funding actions.
First, please take a moment to read NYSOFA’s top-line analysis showing the implications of potential federal funding actions on NYSOFA, our partners, and programs. I have also prepared county-level and Congressional District analyses. These have all been shared among multiple levels of government and stakeholders.
I have also briefed my counterparts at State Units on Aging nationally about our impact analysis and the calculation methodology, so that other states can, in turn, replicate this analysis nationally.
NYSOFA is also engaging the media to proactively share this analysis and educate the public, lawmakers, and other stakeholders about the implications of potential federal actions on the aging services network.
To our partners in aging services: I am, as always, proud of the work you do to make it possible for older adults to age successfully in the community and provide support for families across programs and services, whether it's the millions of meals we provide annually, caregiver supports, connections to benefits that assure economic security, legal assistance, personal care services, counseling on Medicare and health insurance, assisting residents of facilities in exercising their rights through New York’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, and so much more.
I will do everything possible to preserve and protect these foundational supports at a time when we would otherwise be focusing our attention this year on celebrating key milestones in their development. These milestones include National Nutrition Month in March (see article below) as well as this year’s 60th anniversary of the Older Americans Act, Medicare and Medicaid, and the 90th anniversary of Social Security. These are bedrock programs we are now having to expend energy working to protect. And do so we must.
Do not hesitate to reach out if there is any way that NYSOFA can provide information, analysis, or technical assistance.
Read This Article on NYSOFA's Website
Read NYSOFA's Impact Analysis of Potential Federal Actions
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NYSOFA Director Olsen Testifies on Budget Investments for Older Adults
Series of op-eds highlights key supports for aging services
NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen testified before a joint hearing of the Legislature on the Human Services budget in February, fielding questions about the Governor’s Executive Budget investments, the progress of the Master Plan for Aging (MPA), NYSOFA’s public-private partnerships, the importance of scams-prevention and education, among other topics. Director Olsen’s testimony is posted on NYSOFA’s website here.
Governor Hochul’s Fiscal Year 2026 Executive State Budget proposes historic investments in NYSOFA community programs and services. The budget proposal also includes bold affordability and public-safety measures that deliver for older New Yorkers and families across state agencies and services.
Budget News Clips and Op-Eds
NYSOFA’s January 29 press release provides projected funding increases for services in each region of the state. Director Olsen has been highlighting these increases and local statistics in op-eds and press interviews linked below.
- "Governor’s proposed budget: $4.9M increase in service capacity to help aging Long Islanders" (Long Island Press)
- "Hochul helps aging Western New Yorkers with proposed budget" (Buffalo News)
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March 10 Deadline for Older New Yorkers’ Day Nominations
The March 10 nomination deadline is nearing for Older New Yorkers’ Day, which will be held on May 27 at The Crowne Plaza Hotel-Desmond in Albany. Nominations are limited to Area Agencies on Aging, Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) organizations and Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) providers.
Nomination Deadlines
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Consideration for special awards (i.e., Governor's Exemplary Service Award, Long Term Care Ombudsmen of the Year, and HIICAP Counselors of the Year): due March 10.
- Inclusion in the printed book of biographies (nominations due March 10). Please note that we intend to design and publish the program book – with all of the nominee bios/photos – well in advance of Older New Yorkers’ Day.
Check out the Older New Yorkers’ Day 2025 webpage for more information on how to submit nominations using our online forms.
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Celebrating National Nutrition Month
Find resources on NYSOFA's March for Meals webpage
Healthy eating is a cornerstone of healthy aging, which is why NYSOFA is proud to support a robust nutrition program for older adults in New York. Our state leads the nation in providing the highest quality meals to older adults in their homes and community locations.
Statistics
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Over 22 million meals were served in 2024.
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Over 246,000 older adults were served through home-delivered and congregate meal programs in 2024.
- Since 1975, New York's nutrition program for older adults has served 1,067,268,998 meals throughout the state.
Learn More and Tune In to March 27 Livestream
For resources to celebrate National Nutrition Month, visit NYSOFA’s March for Meals webpage. Please also spread the word about our upcoming Nutrition Month livestream, on March 27 at 1 p.m., where NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen talks with directors from two county Offices for the Aging about the importance of nutrition programming for older adults.
On March 27, Director Olsen's guests will include St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging Director Andrea Montgomery and Director of the Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services Dana Corwin.
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Join Over 400 Professionals in 35 States in Our Movement to Prevent Sepsis
Catch recording of February 26 TPSA meeting and register for the May 21 meeting
We're building a movement. The Partnership for Sepsis and Aging (TPSA) is now reaching more than 400 aging services professionals from nearly 250 organizations in more than 35 states!
TPSA met on February 26 to continue the conversation about ways to raise awareness about sepsis, a public health emergency that is the number 1: cause of deaths in U.S. hospitals; cost of hospital and skilled nursing care (at $62 billion per year); and cause of hospital readmissions.
If you missed the February meeting, check out the archive here. Download the slides here. Please also join us at the next session on May 21 at 1 p.m. You can register here.
Here's a recap:
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Tom Heymann of Sepsis Alliance presented key data on the burden of sepsis for all age groups – and older adults, in particular, who are 13 times more likely to be hospitalized with the condition.
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Ciaran Staunton, of EndSepsis, told the tragic story about his son Rory's death from sepsis, as well as the steps his organization has taken to prevent sepsis in the community and in hospitals through education and regulatory change.
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Becky Preve, Executive Director of the Association on Aging in New York, described the great work done by the aging services network in New York State to educate staff about sepsis and deploy public awareness resources in the community.
- Melanie Rhonda and Sara Butterfield of IPRO shared information about IPRO's Skilled Nursing Facility Data Driven Technical Support and Sepsis Train-the-Trainer Program to improve sepsis care transitions, focus education on high-risk populations, and educate staff at all levels on early recognition, signs and symptoms.
Resources and Action Steps
'Sepsis: 4 Signs' Graphic
PDF Format (for printing)
English | Arabic | Bengali | French | Haitian Creole | Italian | Korean | Polish | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Yiddish
JPEG Format (for social media)
English | Arabic | Bengali | French | Haitian Creole | Italian | Korean | Polish | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Yiddish
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NYSOFA’s ‘Ask The Experts: Nutrition Edition’ Offers Tips for Eating More Fruit
In the most recent edition of Ask The Experts: Nutrition Edition for older adults, host Lisbeth Irish talks with guest dietitian Janice Nowak about including more fruit in your nutritional choices.
Watch the latest episode of Ask The Experts on YouTube here and please share.
SNAP-Ed NY is a statewide program that teaches people how to shop for and cook healthy meals on a limited budget. NYSOFA provides this programming for older adults.
To find show archives or other nutrition information for older adults, see NYSOFA’s SNAP-Ed NY webpage at https://aging.ny.gov/snap-ed. There you can browse the Ask The Experts playlists on YouTube, including episodes with Spanish subtitles.
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‘What’s Cooking with NYSOFA’ Features Bean & Veggie Soup: Warm Up and Fiber Up
In the latest edition of What's Cooking with NYSOFA, a monthly SNAP-Ed NY cooking demo by NYSOFA, host Wendy Beckman prepares bean and veggie soup, a flavorful and filling dish. This is a great hearty soup that has many different vegetables. You can use any veggies you like, and adjust cooking time as needed for the veggies you use.
Double the recipe and freeze leftovers for another night. Or, freeze in individual servings and pull out for quick lunches. Watch and share the episode here.
Learn more about NYSOFA's SNAP-Ed NY nutrition programs, which provide tips, recipes, and information to help older adults save time, save money and eat healthy.
SNAP-Ed NY is a statewide program that teaches people how to shop for and cook healthy meals on a limited budget. NYSOFA provides this programming for older adults.
To find show archives or other nutrition information for older adults, see NYSOFA’s SNAP-Ed NY webpage. There you can browse the What’s Cooking playlist on YouTube, including episodes with Spanish subtitles.
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Mobility and Activity in Older Adults
As we age, our habits and lifestyle change. We may retire from an active job, we may develop disabilities that make being active more challenging, or we may struggle with loneliness, seasonal depression or social isolation. Any number of factors can diminish our mobility and lead to a more sedentary lifestyle than we previously led. Being active and maintaining health (physical and mental health) are key ingredients that lead to a longer life expectancy.
While many older adults lead active lives, this demographic group is — as a whole — the most sedentary, with sedentary behavior having negative health-related consequences.
In her column this month, NYSOFA Advocacy Specialist Colleen Scott examines some of the data on physical inactivity, including health disparities that affect functional limitations, as well as resources to help.
Read the Article
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FREE Digital Resources to Support Older Adults, Caregivers
Each month, on social media and at events, NYSOFA shares important resources about digital innovations to help older adults. Are you sharing too? These resources are free of charge — and they're making a difference.
Caregiver Resources
Do you perform housework for someone, help them shop for food, pick up their medication? You are a caregiver. Help is available.
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LIVE With Greg: Upcoming Programs
NYSOFA’s livestream with Director Greg Olsen continues to feature interesting conversations about aging. See what’s in store for March and April below.
Live with Greg | Hospice Care in New York State
March 6, 2025
1 p.m.
The four levels of hospice defined by Medicare are routine home care, continuous home care, general inpatient care, and respite care. Join our guests, President and CEO of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State Jeanne Chirico and Association on Aging in NY Executive Director Becky Preve, to discover more about hospice services and end-of-life planning in New York State.
Watch LIVE on YouTube
Live with Greg | New York State's Nutrition Program
March 27, 2025
1 p.m.
Join Greg’s special guests St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging Director Andrea Montgomery and Director of the Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services Dana Corwin who will discuss the nation’s largest nutrition program. The pair will also talk about the importance of volunteers, and explain how you or a loved one might be eligible for home-delivered or congregate meals, which are key aging services in New York State.
Watch LIVE on YouTube
Live with Greg | The Metrics of Aging (Rescheduled)
April 3, 2025
1 p.m.
Join Greg’s special guest: Jim Firman from Better Age. If you are a “stats geek,” you’ll love this show. We’ll share data and outcomes, and provide ways aging network service providers can access data that could help your organization.
Watch LIVE on YouTube
Live with Greg | New York State's Amazing Volunteers
April 17, 2025
1 p.m.
Join Greg’s special guests NYS Long Term Care Ombudsman Claudette Royal and HIICAP Coordinator Heather Leddick, who will share information about their programs. The pair will also talk about the importance of volunteers, which are vital to aging services in New York State.
Watch LIVE on YouTube
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About Inside NYS Aging
Inside NYS Aging is a publication of the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA). It provides news and resources for aging services providers and their partners in their efforts to promote services and supports for older adults. Please share this newsletter widely with any organizations or professionals that reach older adults. Read past issues in the newsroom on NYSOFA's website.
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Thanks for sticking it out until the end! If you found this content valuable, please share with your coworkers and colleagues in the aging services network!
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