At least $9 million in funding for seniors across the state for community-based services like home-delivered meals and in-home care are on the chopping block in Governor Hochul’s 2025 Budget. North Country Assemblyman Billy Jones spoke out against those cuts at a joint legislative budget hearing in Albany, in late January. Assemblyman Jones and other advocates say many of the services help seniors age in their own homes instead of needing assisted-living or skilled nursing care than can cost the state significantly more in the long-run.
Becky Preve, the Executive Director of the Association on Aging in New York discusses the impact the proposed cuts could have on community-based services for seniors.
The Governor’s budget does include funding for robotic pets & A-I computer companions that are helping seniors with isolation and loneliness, especially during and after the COVID pandemic.
Watch Paul Larson’s story on that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8CWCctVHW4