Introduction: Caregiving for older adults—by family and friends—is an essential component of the U.S. health and long-term care systems. Though often rewarding, caregiving is associated with higher rates of poor health. Respite is valued by caregivers and associated with positive outcomes; however, access is limited. Exhale—The Family Caregiver Initiative, known as Exhale, was established to support the development of respite programming consistent with local priorities.
At least one in 10 older adults in the U.S. experiences abuse or exploitation, perpetrated mostly by family members or trusted friends. This means that home is often a dangerous place for older adults; providing safe alternatives designed to meet the specific needs of older adults experiencing harm is critical.
Pioneered by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Justice at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale (The Weinberg Center), the elder justice shelter (EJS) model was established to meet the temporary housing needs of older adults experiencing abuse or exploitation.
This research, conducted by NYAM’s Center for Evaluation and Applied Research (CEAR), evaluating four EJS programs in New York (2 sites), Colorado, and Indiana, provides evidence supporting the positive impact EJS has on participating older adults and the broader community.
NYAM found that participants in EJS experience increased security, greater stability, and improvements in mental, physical, and financial wellbeing. Findings also explore barriers to utilization of EJS programs, as well as opportunities to increase access for those in need, including a call for sustainable and sufficient funding to expand EJS support for those in need.
Abstract
Patient race/ethnicity data collection in most U.S. health systems abide by federal standards, determined by the federal Office of Management and Budget. Yet, decades of research show that reliance on these categories alone limits understanding of within-group health disparities, systematically erasing key groups from health data. Because granular race/ethnicity data is complex and patients may be hesitant to disclose this personal information, it is important for health leaders to consider community perspectives when making decisions about race/ethnicity data procedures. As such, this study uses community focus groups to understand: (1) how individuals representing different racial/ethnic identities perceive the collection of race/ethnicity in healthcare settings; (2) differences in opinions between disaggregated race/ethnicity data collection instruments and those using federal standards; and (3) recommended practices for collecting race/ethnicity from patients. Participants self-selected into 13 focus groups and one key informant interview based on the race/ethnicity with which they most closely identified. Audio recordings from these groups were transcribed and evaluated using thematic content analysis. Among the 83 total participants in this study, there was a strong preference for more flexible and specific options for self-identifying race/ethnicity in healthcare settings. Participants also felt comfortable disclosing granular race/ethnicity to health providers but expressed discomfort with disclosing this information for other purposes. Recommendations for healthcare leaders include ensuring patients receive detailed communication about race/ethnicity data use and purpose, allowing multiple category selection, keeping the list of disaggregated response options short so as to not overwhelm patients, and providing a free text option to ensure inclusivity.
Community-based organizations (CBOs) are crucial institutions within immigrant communities, providing a variety of supports that ease the transition into a new land, including concrete services focused on health, education, housing, financial security, and language access; facilitation of social support and community connections; and mobilization and advocacy to promote civic engagement and community well-being.1, 2 CBOs, including those serving low-income immigrant communities, also provide outreach, navigation, and facilitated enrollment into benefit programs, assisting community members in accessing vital programs and services to which they are entitled.3 Benefit programs often come with complex regulations and requirements, including the provision of documentation, which exacts a toll on applicants and may delay or restrict access, even to those who are eligible.3–5 For low-income immigrants, these challenges are commonly exacerbated by limited English language skills, lack of familiarity with benefit programs,6 and fear of legal consequences related to their immigration status.
The study described here was conducted between 2021 and 2023, and focuses on administration of, and facilitated access to, benefit programs provided by Make the Road New York (MRNY), a community-based organization that builds the power of Latine and other immigrant and working-class communities across NYC and surrounding counties through an array of health, education, legal, and survival services, as well as community organizing and advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels.
This report details findings from a series of focus groups conducted by NYAM as part of the Center for Evaluation and Applied Research’s participation in a cross-sector, interdisciplinary collaborative that aims to improve collection of race and ethnicity data. These focus groups were conducted with diverse New Yorkers from across the state to gather community perspectives on race and ethnicity as well as preferences and recommendations related to race and ethnicity data collection. This work was undertaken to inform the development of tools and approaches to disaggregating race and ethnicity data in New York State.
Access to safe, well-maintained housing is critical to good health. Many healthcare providers recognize this connection, but hesitate to broach the topic of housing with patients if they lack tools to help them. This guide was created to help equip New York City-based healthcare providers with tools to facilitate conversations with their patients regarding housing and to link them to appropriate resources. It aims to support providers in assisting patients that are housed, but may be facing housing instability and/or unhealthy housing conditions. Given the complexity of the city’s housing market, it is not feasible to include every relevant resource or to
provide guidance specific to all scenarios. Instead, this guide offers providers a place to start and information on the types of housing resources and programs that may be helpful.
New York Academy of Medicine conducts focus groups on selected topics, gathering community perspectives to inform the work of the PHIP and its partners. In 2016, the focus group topic was mental health, including access to mental health care and relevant barriers and facilitators. The findings presented here are intended to be used by the NYCDOHMH to improve access to care in NYC, to shape programs that are tailored to the needs of the communities served, and to help improve the mental health of New York City residents.
This report is intended to be used by the NYCDOHMH in its efforts to bridge the health and housing sectors in order to promote healthy housing in low income NYC neighborhoods and tailor programs and policies to meet the needs of specific communities and populations. It is being made publicly available to be of use to those working at the intersection of housing and health.
This report focuses on approaches to prevent chronic disease across NYC, particularly in those communities identified as experiencing the greatest burden. The findings are intended to provide the PHIP Steering Committee and the Designing a Strong and Healthy NYC Workgroup with community member perspectives, in order to inform physical activity and healthy eating program development and implementation.
This guide includes proven and promising community level interventions to prevent disease and improve the health of the population by:
• increasing access to healthy, affordable food,
• decreasing access to unhealthy foods and beverages, and
• improving opportunities for physical activity and exercise.