Governor Paterson announced today that New York has been selected to participate in a limited technical assistance grant by the National Governors Association center for Best Practices “Policy Academy on Civic Engagement of Older Adults.” Funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies, the Academy will focus on helping states improve the health and lives of older adults and strengthening communities statewide by developing strategies for training, retraining and retaining older adults who are in the workforce or retired and want to engage in a second career. The grant will also work to develop strategies to utilize more effectively the skills, knowledge and talents of older adults by enhancing meaningful volunteer activities that can help address many community problems. Only 5 other states received acceptance from the NGA – Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Governor Paterson stated that, “I am very excited that New York was selected to receive this grant because it supports my priority on enhancing volunteerism and civic engagement in our great state. Having New York State selected to participate in this effort will advance our efforts to improve the lives and well-being of persons of all ages, will result in better and more efficient government through the collaboration of several state and community agencies and organizations and will impact positively the number of retirees who choose to remain in the state in their retirement years rather than seek to retire elsewhere. The National Governors Association has a long track record in working with other states and these experiences will be shared with New York as we seek to implement this important initiative.”

New York State’s efforts to garner selection by the NGA were led by Michael Burgess, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging. New York’s team of experts will include: the New York State Department of Civil Service; New York State Department of Labor; Empire State Development Corporation; New York State Office of National and Community Service; New York State Department of Health; AARP; the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans; the State University at Albany School of Social Welfare; NY StateWide Senior Action Council; and The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Director Burgess said, “Because of the collaborative relationships we have in place here in New York State, the Office for the Aging was able to pull together a team of committed agencies and experts that will be able to put into practice the ideas and strategies identified through the process that will be lead by the NGA.”

“Longevity can be Boomers’ greatest gift to our nation!” said Lois Aronstein, AARP New York State Director. “By fully engaging Boomers in productive work, we reap the benefits that this enormous skill and talent bank has to offer our nation, state and local communities. Studies also show that productive and engaged people stay healthier longer, making civic engagement a win-win for all of us.”

The working group will be reporting back to Governor Paterson throughout the next year and will be identifying strategies and actions that will guide the implementation of civic engagement, volunteerism and workforce initiatives for older New Yorkers. By the end of the Academy, state teams, in partnership with public and private organizations at the state and community level will be working toward the common goals outlined in the successful grant application.

The state team will explore how New York can link current efforts to assist informal caregivers with civic engagement effort in order to support their efforts in communities across the state.

The team will work to bolster the state’s efforts to improve quality in nursing homes, adult homes and assisted living facilities by expanding monitoring through that State’s volunteer Long Term Care Ombudsman program. The team will explore intergenerational opportunities that can utilize the skills of older adults to improve academic performance of school children through mentoring and other assistance. Another major focus of the year-long effort will be identifying a plan to coordinate and increase the state and private sector’s efforts to increase employment and volunteer opportunities for older New Yorkers.

Mark Walter, Executive Director of the Office of National and Community Service said, “I am thrilled that New York has been selected to participate in this Academy to increase civic engagement among older adults. Our Office and the Governor’s Commission on National and Community Service are committed to providing New Yorkers of all ages with rewarding volunteer opportunities that will meet critical needs across the state. In particular, seniors who volunteer possess the commodity of experience which can be shared through service to meet specialized needs of non-profit agencies, foster multi-generational learning among youth, and fill gaps in our states aging workforce.”

With 3.4 million people over the age of 60, New York ranks third in the nation in the total number of older adults and the State’s current demographic projections show considerable growth in that population and a decline in the population under the age of 60. As the number of older New Yorkers has grown, however, the rate at which older New Yorkers participate in the workforce has not increased. Equally troubling, New York is ranked 49th out of the 50 states in the level of volunteer service contributed by its residents.

Through the award, the New York State team will join other state recipients this summer in Washington to begin the process of developing action plans for the state. The NGA will be providing ongoing technical assistance throughout the year.