RSS Senior Services expects to cut back on some of its services after Eric Adams gets his trimmed budget
Although funds were restored for Meals on Wheels and food funding for senior centers
Mayor Eric Adams’ proposed budget cuts for older adult centers and home-delivered meals has left many in Riverdale upset. It was previously announced that $12 million would be cut from the New York City department for the aging budget causing some older adult centers to fear that they would have to close or limit services.
Bob Stein, a member of the Riverdale Senior Services social action committee, told The Riverdale Press he was appalled by the proposed budget cuts, which originally cut $7 million in funding for older adult centers and $5 million to meals on wheels.
“We get so little,” Stein said. “And of course senior citizens make up more than 20 percent of the city.”
Stein says he understands that Mayor Adams is in a challenging position, having come in during the pandemic. However, he says the proposed budget was unacceptable and aging was not the right department to hit.
Several senior centers held a rally at city hall on May 11. Several council members , such as Eric Dinowitz and speaker Adrienne Adams, were also there. Five million dollars was restored for the meals on wheels and another $2.5 million for older adult centers. Without full restoration it was still a heavy loss for older adults.
Stein says that $4.5 million would not bankrupt the city, and if anything they should give an additional $60 million. He warns that, if anything, the city could be bankrupted by not restoring the money.
“A lot of the young people, they have eyes, they have ears,” Stein said. “They see what’s going on with the senior centers. They know that they’re going to reach the ages that we’re at, and they may decide not to live in New York City. They may decide when they become adults to completely move out. So all of the mayor’s efforts could really go down the drain.”
In addition Stein says the cuts to senior centers may also prevent people from wanting to move into the city. The cuts would be a disaster, Stein said, with the city losing people with 70 to 90 years of life experience.
Lee Chong, head of the Riverdale Senior Services social action committee, told The Press she wished the DFTA lobbied for their agency better. She mentioned how both the service providers and users rallied at the city council to make sure some of the budget was restored.
“One thing that I know is that in the budget negotiations we were proposing $7 million for older adult centers, senior centers,” Chong said. “All we could get was $2.5 million.”
According to Chong, 99 percent of DFTA’s work is contracted to the senior centers, but not just for seniors. It also does work for health issues and the wheels on meals.
“The reality is this is the one population that’s growing,” Chong said. “Older adults 65 and over is growing. It’s not getting smaller.”
She said it’s a sad state of reality when they have to lobby to stay in their communities, be self-sustaining, and have affordable housing. She said that older adults can likely expect adult centers to have services somewhat diminished, such as services geared toward teaching older adults to navigate their computers or social media.
“If something is done five times a week, it’s going to be done three times a week,” Chong said. “On the weekend, people who need food, they can come on Friday and get food for the weekend. That may not happen anymore because the amount of money that was restored was not the amount they asked for.”
Julie Dalton, executive director at RSS, confirmed that they will be cutting back on the volume of services they provide. With the pandemic there was a huge online presence for older adults, and with it came virtual programs to teach older adults digital literacy.
Last Summer there were about 50 sessions a month, now though that number is forecasted to be closer to 40.
“Last year we might have done a particular class every week,” Dalton said.
“This Summer maybe we’ll only do it once a month.”
Nevertheless Dalton and RSS are committed to serve older adults in the way they prefer, whether they come in person or virtually.
Another possibility for service losses is transportation, which has had its issues in the past. Stein explained how the van offers older adults the ability to shop at Costco and eat out on City Island. He said the ride to City Island on the van only cost five dollars, but if they suddenly lost that van, it could be up to $36 to get to City Island on a taxi.
“Look at the difference, $36 as opposed to $5,” Stein said. “How many people can afford that extra $31? Not many. Not many.”
Stein said that the transportation may be considered icing on a cake to the mayor’s office, however it’s very important to the older adults. He would love to see the $4.5 million restored. But at the very least he would like to see Adams or representatives of his office periodically go around senior centers to show some interest in them.
He said Councilman Dinowitz has visited RSS in the past and would love to have him visit again.
He’d also appreciate it if the councilman discussed the matter of the budget cuts with other council members, and press the mayor into restoring the cuts.
Another issue older adults have experienced is the city trying to get retirees off their long standing Medicare insurance and to Aetna Medicaid Advantage.
