Findings show strong links between crime and abuse and the ability to age-in-place.
New York: A new report released by the NYC Department of Aging found that over half of older adults who report experiencing a type of crime or abuse did not report the incident to the police.
Titled What The Data Demands: Findings from Older New Yorkers’ Experiences of Safety, Crime, and Abuse, the report is based on data collected from the Service Needs Assessment (SNA), which asked older adults and their caregivers about their quality of life and what they believe is necessary to age-in-place.
The report also found that older adults who experienced age discrimination were more likely to report trouble paying at least one regular bill, more likely to report at least one barrier to leaving home, and less likely to have stable housing than those who had not experienced age discrimination.
The report "serves as a powerful reminder that there are real-world consequences to elder discrimination and abuse,” said NYC Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr Helen Arteaga.
“To ensure older adults can cultivate the full and dignified lives they deserve in New York City, we must prioritize keeping them safe - and the Mamdani Administration is committed to doing just that," she added.
In addition, the report mentioned that older adults who experienced age discrimination were less likely to socialize enough and more likely to report mental health concerns than those who had not experienced age discrimination.
