People aged 65 and over are the fastest-growing segment of New York state’s population, but according to AARP, the nation's largest organization dedicated to empowering older Americans, you wouldn’t know it from this year’s enacted New York state budget. 

“Older adults were, for the most part, left out of the budget,” Beth Finkel, AARP’s New York state director, told Capital Tonight.

The organization was especially disappointed in the budget allocation of $10 million for the state Office of the Aging (SOFA), which is an increase of $700,000.

According to Finkel, the state Office of the Aging needs a much more significant boost in funding to address the more than 18,000 people AARP estimates are on wait lists for a variety of services, including meal delivery and chore, transportation, and personal care services. 

“We needed $42 million to get us back to being whole so we could help those 18,000 people who are languishing on these waiting lists right now,” Finkel said.