Governor Hochul Unveils Proposals to Increase Support And Resources for New York’s Older Adults

Governor Kathy Hochul today proposed a series of initiatives to support older New Yorkers as part of her 2026 State of the State. The Governor's investments will help older New Yorkers, caretakers, and communities by connecting them to key resources so seniors can age in place, at home, in the communities they know and love.

"Older New Yorkers have made immeasurable contributions to our communities and they deserve to age with independence, dignity and direct support," Governor Hochul said. "That's why my State of the State promises to invest in proven models of care and create critical new programs to ensure older New Yorkers have access to the resources they need to thrive at home."

Investing in Older Adults

Allowing Older Adults to Age in Place

New York ranks as the fourth oldest state in the nation with 4.6 million individuals aged 60 or older. By 2030, this population is expected to reach 5.3 million with many older adults facing challenges related to mobility, daily living activities, and chronic health conditions. New York State offers a variety of preventive services to help older adults age safely and healthily in their homes, delaying the need for more costly supports and services. Non-medical in-home services such as home delivered meals, personal care, or transportation services delay the need for institutional care, reduce economic pressures on older adults, improve health outcomes, and reduce social isolation.

To allow more older New Yorkers to age in their homes, the Governor will increase investments in proven models of care for preventive home and community-based services. First, the Governor will increase investments in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), which are housing developments or neighborhoods with large populations of older adults where community providers offer supportive services for residents, such as healthcare navigation and case management. The Governor will also renew a FY26 $35 million investment to reduce waiting lists for non-medical in-home services such as personal care, case management, home delivered and congregate meals, and transportation. Finally, Governor Hochul is pleased to announce the launch of the "CAPABLE" program, or Community Aging in Place - Advancing Better Living for Elders. Through this program, up to 2,600 older adults will receive in-home visits to provide nursing, occupational therapy, and handy worker services.

Improving Access to End-of-Life Care for New Yorkers

New York State is ranked 50th among all states in the proportion of Medicare enrollees that received hospice services prior to death. The low hospice utilization rate persists despite having a relatively older population, higher numbers of physicians, more skilled nursing facility beds, and fewer for-profit hospitals compared to other states.

To encourage appropriate use of hospice and palliative care, the Governor will direct the Department of Health to launch an educational awareness initiative to inform clinical providers and staff about options for community-based palliative care, hospice care, and the importance of advance care planning.

Creating a "One-Stop Shop" for Benefits for Older New Yorkers

New York State has a strong existing network of services and benefits to support its rapidly aging population. Even so, older New Yorkers face significant challenges with understanding their eligibility for benefits and accessing the care and services they need to thrive.

To address this, the Governor will launch a short term, multi-agency council to identify all benefits across agencies that older adults may be eligible for, such as veteran's benefits, local and state tax reduction benefits, and benefits related to nutrition, prescriptions, energy bills, medical care, and more. The council will develop a comprehensive list of what's available, and present recommendations to the Governor on options for a "one-stop-shop" to allow New Yorkers to pre-screen themselves and identify what they may be eligible to apply for. In addition, the council will explore the option of a universal benefits application.

Protecting Older Adults from Abuse, Scams and Fraud

Elder abuse (physical, social, financial, sexual, or neglect) impacts many adults aged 60 and older in New York State. It is estimated that 300,000 older New Yorkers are victimized annually.

To expand efforts to protect older adults from abuse, Governor Hochul will direct the New York State Office for the Aging to create comprehensive virtual elder abuse prevention and response training modules that are free of charge and accessible to the public.

Contact the Governor's Press Office