Growing up in an Italian American family during the 1950s and 1960s, we held our immigrant grandparents and their generation in high regard. Our extended family lived close together, caring for one another as they aged. The Sons of Italy Club and the ladies auxiliary provided our relatives with a sense of community, friendship, and security in their new home in America.
Times have changed, and now many extended families, including mine, have dispersed throughout the country.
Reflecting on my family background, it’s no coincidence that I found myself working in the field of aging. Recently turning 70, I feel like I’ve been preparing for this moment over the past five decades. Reaching this milestone is daunting, but I’ve had incredible role models – both family members and senior activists – who have shown me how to lead a fulfilling life in old age. Through my advocacy work for the elderly, I’ve come to realize that although there are still challenges, life has significantly improved for older individuals compared to 50 years ago.
It was Christmas 1973 when I was home from college for the holiday break that I heard a tragic news story on the CBS Evening News. An elderly couple in Schenectady had frozen to death in their home after their power was shut off due to nonpayment of a $202 bill by Niagara Mohawk. The tragedy deeply affected me. No one’s grandparents should have to suffer such a terrible fate.
After graduating college, I “enlisted” in the War on Poverty to assist the poor and elderly. In 1976, I began my first job with anti-poverty agencies in the North Country, managing a weatherization program that insulated the homes of low-income and older individuals, similar to the couple in Schenectady. A few years later, I relocated to Albany and became involved in lobbying the state Legislature. Our goal was to pass the groundbreaking Home Energy Fair Practices Act, also known as the “utility bill of rights,” which aimed to protect vulnerable residents from having their power shut off during the winter months.
At the age of 29, I became the director of the New York Statewide Senior Action Council. We organized rallies advocating for prescription drug coverage and successfully fought for the creation of the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program (EPIC) for lower-income seniors, a remarkable achievement that predates Medicare drug coverage by 17 years. In the early 2000s, we even arranged bus trips to Montreal for seniors who were not eligible for EPIC so they could purchase more affordable medicine. Additionally, we fought against the privatization of Social Security, which has been one of the most successful and popular programs in U.S. history, significantly reducing the poverty rate among older Americans.
Today, approximately 22% of the U.S. population is aged 60 and older. According to recent reports from the Center for an Urban Future and AARP, the population of individuals aged 65 and older has increased by nearly 32% in Albany County, 50% in Saratoga County, 30% in Rensselaer County, and 17% in Schenectady County over the past decade.
There are countless opportunities for older individuals to live better and longer lives. Advances in healthcare treatments and economic security have sparked a “longevity revolution.” The Blue Zones project’s research (bluezones.com) clearly demonstrates that having a robust social network comprising friends and family is a key factor in living a longer life.
Unfortunately, an “epidemic of loneliness” poses a threat to such social connections. The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the problem of isolation among elderly Americans.
Consequently, it is vital that we fund and support programs that promote “neighbors helping neighbors.” Our local communities already boast exceptional initiatives like Community Caregivers, Bethlehem Neighbors, Shenendehowa Neighbors, Niskayuna Neighbors, and the NNORC in Albany.
Just as we offer tax incentives to teachers and medical personnel to encourage their work in fields that aid those in need, we must extend similar incentives to caregivers, volunteers, and home care workers who serve older individuals.
COVID-19 has also revealed alarming conditions in nursing homes, some of which have been taken over by profit-driven private entities. Even after the pandemic, the shortage of workers in home health care and nursing homes poses an ongoing crisis.
All of these issues must be addressed as Governor Kathy Hochul prepares a comprehensive Master Plan on Aging.
I am grateful to have reached the age of 70, knowing that many friends and family members did not. Often, I think back to my immigrant grandparents and others from their village in Italy, recognizing the economic and healthcare disadvantages they faced. Our current challenge is to capitalize on modern medical advancements, enabling us to live longer, while providing greater support for caring social networks consisting of families, caregivers, volunteers, and community organizations. Only then can we continue to enhance the quality of life for older Americans.
Michael Burgess of Delmar is the former director of the New York State Office for the Aging.
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