Healthcare Educational and Research Fund (on behalf of the Healthcare Association of New York State)

Over the past decade, the number of New Yorkers ages 65 and older increased by more than 25%; older adults now make up a larger share of the State’s population than ever.

New York’s health systems are not adequately prepared to meet the complex health needs of this population. The Age-Friendly model provides a standardized approach for providing high-quality care to older adults based on what matters most to them, provides them with access to their health information, and treats them as partners. The model’s framework is centered on the “4Ms”: What Matters, Medication, Mentation (i.e., care for delirium), and Mobility. In 2019, New York State set a goal for 50% of its health systems to become designated as Age-Friendly by 2023. NYHealth awarded the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) a grant to support the launch of the initial phase of a New York State Age-Friendly action community to help health systems integrate new and improved care practices based on the 4Ms and achieve Age-Friendly recognition. In 2021, NYHealth awarded HANYS a second grant to build on this initiative and continue to implement the Age-Friendly Health Systems action community.

Under this grant, HANYS recruited new health system sites and re-engaged existing sites, including hospitals, community health centers, and community-based organizations from across the State. It provided virtual education sessions and individualized coaching to put the 4Ms into practice at each site. Participating sites tested out changes based on the care model; adopted new workflows with direct input from patients; evaluated and monitored outcomes; and created a plan to spread best practices. HANYS supported sites in submitting required documentation to achieve Age-Friendly recognition from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. It also partnered with community-based organizations and health systems to facilitate continuity between these settings to help connect older adults with resources they need to stay healthy.