On June 25, the The Trust’s Women’s Advisory Council sponsored May Your Circle Be Unbroken, hosted by Fiduciary Trust International, as part of our Women’s Philanthropic and Financial Learning Series. Attendees heard from experts in the field of aging services—Abby Axelrod-Wunderman CAP, philanthropic director and vice president for Family Office Services, Foundations and Endowments at Fiduciary Trust International; Judith D. Grimaldi, founding partner of Grimaldi Yeung Law Group; Kathryn Haslanger, chief executive officer of JASA; Rachel Pardoe, senior program officer for older adults at The New York Community Trust. They discussed the importance of aging services programs and the benefits of social connection as we grow older, including the challenges of making social connections later in life and practical solutions for building community.
To follow up on this conversation, The Trust is sharing a resource on giving to support older adults in our region. If you would like more information on the below guide, please contact Julia Chang, philanthropic initiatives officer, at [email protected].
Older Adults Giving Guide
Overview of Key Issues
We can help make New York a better place to grow old. Here are some key issues that The Trust’s grantmaking addresses, a few nonprofits we have supported, and ways you can take further action.
Accessibility and Independence
The youngest cohort of baby boomers are still working, independent, and healthy. Improved accessibility in our environments can help support independent living and enable older adults to participate in meaningful activities and continue to be engaged in their communities. Older adults’ ample life experiences, neighborhood connections, and free time can be an asset to under-resourced communities, and play an important role in neighborhood advocacy and wellbeing.
The Trust’s Approach: Improve accessibility and enrichment services in New York to keep our region aging-friendly.
Trust grants have: Supported the expansion of accessible transit and safer sidewalks; trained home-care workers to better assist clients with specialized needs, so that more seniors can age at home; brought art and storytelling classes and other enrichment activities to senior centers, libraries, and public housing; and organized older adults to be leaders in their communities through involvement in community gardens, food programs, and more.
Nonprofits We Recommend
The Trust has recently vetted and supported the following organizations addressing these issues.
Dances for a Variable Population provides free dance programs to older adults of varying abilities to improve their mental and physical health, strengthen social connections, and enhance their quality of life. Programs take place year-round in senior centers, parks, and other public spaces across the city.
JBI International operates the world’s largest library of accessible Jewish interest texts, audio books, Braille titles, and print publications. It serves a broad population of visually impaired older adults in addition to others with vision loss, and works with service and cultural institutions to make their offerings more accessible and help more older adults participate in both secular and religious social activities.
New York Academy of Medicine improves public health, medical education, and clinical practice. It promotes a more aging-friendly New York City through its Center for Healthy Aging, which supports initiatives driven by older adults to improve their community. The agency has produced a variety of reports, toolkits, webinars, and other resources focused on the needs of BIPOC and LGBTQ older adults.
Health and Wellness
With Americans leading longer and healthier lives, nearly one in six people in the U.S. are now age 65 and above. The fastest growing population is the age 85+ cohort, who require more comprehensive health services. But it can be difficulty to get good quality health and behavioral health care, especially for those living in poverty. Helping older adults navigate the complexities of Medicare and Medicaid, access mental health resources, connect with others, and receive the medical care they need can help them thrive physically and emotionally.
The Trust’s Approach: Meet the health and socioemotional wellness needs of older adults.
Trust grants have: Provided primary health care and home care to homebound older adults; brought mental health care and counseling to older immigrants, naturally occurring retirement communities, and senior care centers; and conducted outreach to older adults to ensure they have complete, accurate information about Medicaid, Medicare, and other government benefits to which they are entitled.
Nonprofits We Recommend
The Trust has recently vetted and supported the following organizations addressing these issues.
Center for Hearing and Communication leads the field in detecting and treating hearing loss in older adults, sharing best practices, and advocating on behalf of the community. It trains frontline staff to identify and manage hearing loss, which is prevalent among older adults and can have debilitating effects, but is relatively easy to treat.
Urban Health Plan is a federally qualified health center that operates a network of clinics and school-based health centers serving patients from the South Bronx, Queens, and Central Harlem. Its Center for Healthy Aging provides comprehensive health and social services to a growing number of frail older people from mostly Latinx communities.
Founded in 1886 as the first settlement house in the United States, University Settlement Society of New York provides social services to 40,000 New Yorkers annually, including older adult clients, the majority of whom are Chinese and Latinx immigrants. It offers home-based individualized support for homebound older adults, and employs a multilingual team of trained counselors and social workers.
Poverty and Housing
While income inequality affects us all, poverty rates among older adults in particular are increasing, especially for immigrant seniors. Many go without basic needs like food, housing, and health care because they are not aware of programs, are isolated, or wish to remain self-reliant. Housing insecurity and homelessness have become a growing concern for many of the city’s most vulnerable older adults, as shelters have not historically been equipped to meet their needs. Service providers are beginning to fill this gap by developing culturally sensitive senior housing that provides direct service support, as well as community and safety.
The Trust’s Approach: Help older adults access food, housing, and other benefits that meet their needs.
Trust grants have: Developed innovative affordable housing programs to meet the needs of vulnerable seniors; helped older adults access food, mental health care, and legal services; and delivered healthy and nutritious food to homebound low-income and elderly people.
Nonprofits We Recommend
The Trust has recently vetted and supported the following organizations addressing these issues.
Greenwich House provides arts, education, and social service programs to more than 15,000 people. Its older adult services include a broad range of health and wellness offerings, individual therapy and psychiatric care, arts opportunities, and case management from licensed social workers.
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, one of the city’s leading settlement houses, is the largest provider of older adult services on Manhattan’s East Side. It assists more than 10,000 individuals through geriatric case management, senior centers, caregiver services, and volunteer programs. Most of its older adult clients survive on fixed incomes and government support.
Older adults, especially those with complex needs that put them at risk for mistreatment as they age, need access to affordable legal help. For more than 20 years, Volunteers of Legal Service has provided free legal services to low- income New Yorkers, including older adults, through support with end-of-life and incapacity planning; housing, family, and consumer concerns; issues with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance; and income maintenance.
Improved and Inclusive Service
The number of older adults who need long-term care services is expected to double by 2050, but those services are chronically underfunded by the government. With reimbursement rates failing to keep up, there are not enough trained professionals in the elder care workforce (including home care) to meet current or future demand. Many older adults also combat discrimination or unjust treatment based on stereotypes about age that limit their opportunities and minimize their contributions. All older adults, but particularly immigrant, LGBTQ, Black, indigenous, people of color, and formerly incarcerated seniors benefit from a nonprofit workforce trained to provide culturally sensitive and holistic care to diverse communities at every stage of life.
The Trust’s Approach: Build the capacity, advocacy skills, and inclusivity of nonprofits serving older adults.
Trust grants have: Piloted best practices to break down City agency silos and improve the system of care; advocated for and invested in the elder care workforce; supported grassroots organizations serving specific ethnic and cultural communities; and organized older adults to combat ageism and discrimination due to negative and inaccurate stereotypes, advocate for better policies, and educate service providers, City agencies, and other community organizations on their needs.
Nonprofits We Recommend
The Trust has recently vetted and supported the following organizations addressing these issues.
LiveOn NY is the leading voice on issues critical to older adults, and the membership organization for more than 100 of New York City’s nonprofit aging services providers. In addition to leading training and professional development, it encourages policymakers and the public to prioritize older adults’ concerns, address ageism, and increase funding for senior services. It also is called on to provide expertise during legislative decisions.
Project Guardianship provides high-quality, professional guardianship to serve the most complex older adult cases. It researches and advocates for less restrictive alternatives to guardianship, which can promote quality of life and protect individuals’ rights. With Trust support, it is developing a multilingual guardianship support hotline to help New Yorkers navigate alternatives to guardianship, get information about care planning, and find social service providers.
This list is not exhaustive. There are many incredible nonprofits helping make our region a better place for all; we seek to highlight a few that may not be on your radar, but please reach out to our philanthropic advising department at [email protected] if you would like recommendations tailored to your charitable goals.
