Dept. for the Aging fights loneliness with
robotic pets, friendly visiting and more
After serving as a senior
adviser to Mayor Bill de Blasio, I
am honored to serve as the new
commissioner of the New York
City Department for the Aging
and to serve the city’s 1.6 million
diverse older adults. I plan to
highlight and address critical
priorities for older New Yorkers,
like social isolation.
In a city of nearly 9 million
people, many will endure
loneliness – especially as they
age. In fact, 1 in 5 older adults
is socially isolated, which can
lead to depression and a decline
in physical health. Carrolyn
Minggia, 64, is among them. She
battles a syndrome that causes
her immune system to attack her
nerves. Since the death of her aunt,
whom she moved to New York to
care for, she also battles loneliness.
We recently gave Minggia a robotic
dog to ease that loneliness. The dog
has sensors, responds to touch, barks
and nuzzles and provides comfort.
But technology isn’t the only way
to fight the widespread problem of
Image courtesy of Ageless Innovation
social isolation. Low-tech approaches,
like acknowledging and greeting
people or checking on older neighbors,
go a long way. In 2017, we launched
our ThriveNYC Friendly Visiting
Program, which pairs trusted and
trained volunteers with isolated older
adults. In just a few years, we have
provided more than 50,000 hours of
in-home visits. Beyond those visits, the
program allows for intergenerational
exchange in which strong bonds
are formed between visitors and
program participants.
Older adults who wish
to explore options outside of
the home can visit more than
200 senior centers across the
city, many representing the
languages and cultures that
make New York City strong.
The centers are safe places to
socialize, have a meal with
friends, take fitness and wellness
classes, enjoy art classes, and
attend cultural activities. Senior
center membership is free to
anyone age 60 or older.
The Department for the
Aging also plans to launch a campaign
that highlights the problem of social
isolation in order to encourage more
people to explore resources that are
available to them through the City
of New York.
If you are isolated, call 311 for
more information about available
services. The Department for the
Aging is here to help.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
is commissioner of the New York City
Department for the Aging. Prior to
joining the de Blasio administration,
she served in executive leadership
roles with AARP, EmblemHealth and
other organizations. She also served
as New York’s first Latina Secretary
of State.
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