Nutrition and Aging in New York City

• Jessica Balboni, CPC, Director, the Center at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
• Ruth Finkelstein, MA, ScD, Executive Director, Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging
• David Nocenti, JD, Executive Director, Union Settlement Association
• Caryn Resnick, MSW, Deputy Commissioner, DFTA
• Shulamit Warren, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer’s Office

Like the rest of the United States, the average age in NYC is getting older as more and more from the Baby Boomer generation retire, and advances in medicine increase the average life expectancy.

From 2005 to 2015, the number of New Yorkers over 65 grew by 19.2 percent—more than double the rate of the total population (7.47 percent), and more than triple the rate of the population under 65 (5.9 percent).

More than 1.1 million seniors or about 13 percent of the city’s population call NYC home. This number is expected to increase to more than 1.4 million by 2040. What steps is New York City taking to ensure this population has access to age-appropriate, nutritious food?