NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Expands Assistance for LGBTQ Seniors
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has just signed a bill into law this week that will make it easier for her state's LGBTQ+ seniors to access physical and mental health care, free or discounted meal deliveries, caregivers, and other forms of support.
As reported by NBC News, LGBTQ+ people ages 60 and over, who are disproportionately affected by poverty and isolation, will benefit from the increased support.
The legislation requires the state's Office for the Aging to "consider gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and HIV status" as it determines which seniors need the most help. Noneconomic factors such as disability, language barriers, and isolation caused by race or ethnicity will also be considered.
"This legislation is an important step in addressing those inequities while helping ensure LGBTQ+ older New Yorkers receive the same respect and support as anyone else in the state," Hochul said in a statement on Monday.
The new legislation clarifies the Older Americans Act of 1965, which provides funding and community-based services to help older Americans.
Aaron Tax, the managing director of government affairs and policy advocacy at SAGE, explains that the purpose of the 1965 law is to help older Americans "age in place." The new legislation will help LGBTQ+ Americans, who are often in a greater need for social services because of absent of family.
"In a nutshell, what we hope this legislation will accomplish is to help bridge that divide," Tax said. "We need to recognize that people have differences, and people come to the table with different needs."
To address the disparities among seniors, Massachusetts, California and acted similar laws to expand the Older Americans Act to reach those with the "greatest social need," including LGBTQ+ seniors and elders living with HIV.
"A national AARP survey published in June of more than 2,000 LGBTQ+ people ages 45 and older found that nearly half of the participants were either extremely or very concerned about having enough family and social support systems to lean on," NBC reports. Of those respondents, 85% said they were "somewhat concerned" about having enough income to retire.