Older New Yorkers make up a larger share of the State’s population than ever before. Although many are thriving and participating meaningfully in community and family life, older adults face challenges in accessing patient-centered care that meets their needs and addresses concerns such as overmedication, falls, and treatable cognitive conditions.

In 2017, AARP designated New York State as the first Age-Friendly state in the nation. Numerous policy, health system, and local government initiatives to improve the lives of older adults have followed, including recent support for a statewide Master Plan for Aging. One of these initiatives, Age-Friendly Health Systems, uses a set of four evidence-based elements to organize the care of older adults, known as the “4Ms”: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. The 4Ms are essential components of high-quality care for older adults—and when implemented together, result in significant improvements in health outcomes and better partnerships with patients and families.

Panelists were:

  • Dora Fisher, MPH, CPHQ, Director, Post-Acute and Continuing Care, Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), DFisher@hanys.org.
  • Morgan Black, MPA, Program Manager, Age-Friendly Health Systems, HANYS, MBlack@hanys.org.
  • Laura Palada, RN, BSN, MHA, CPHRM, Network Director of Quality, Bassett Healthcare Network – A.O. Fox Hospital, Laura.Palada@aofmh.org.

The panelists shared lessons learned from the first phases of the New York State Age-Friendly Action Community, which helps health systems accelerate the adoption of 4Ms care. They also highlighted new workflows and ways to measure outcomes; partnerships with community-based organizations; plans to spread best practices within health systems; and the State’s broader age-friendly goals.

See the webinar recording here.

Learn more about the HANYS Age-Friendly initiative.

Learn more about the Master Plan for Aging in New York coalition and its recommendations for priorities for New York State.

The New York State Age-Friendly Action community is supported by the New York State Department of Health, The John A. Hartford Foundation, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement; and with grant support from the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, New York Health Foundation, New York Community Trust, and Health Foundation for Western and Central New York.

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