Sponsored by AARP
Queens’ District 19 will elect either incumbent Council Member Vickie Paladino or candidate Ben Chou in the general election this November.
As election day nears, news staff sat down with the contenders to hear how they would improve services for aging New York residents.
Q: Given that the Department for the Aging currently receives less than 0.5% of the city’s budget despite increasing needs, will you advocate for a substantial increase in funding for aging-related programs such as home care, meal delivery, and senior centers? How will you prioritize these services in your budget proposals?
Paladino: I do currently advocate for the Department for Aging to receive a significantly larger budget from the city. I don’t wait for budget allocations from the city, I fund our local senior centers directly from my discretionary budget. All the senior centers in this district receive a tremendous amount of money from my office directly. One local senior center receives up to $180,000 from me, I also work with Commonpoint Queens on services for seniors and have bought them an $85,000 bus for senior transportation. I do my own local funding here because waiting for money from the city is just not going to happen.
Chou: I will advocate for increased funding for the variety of senior needs: senior centers, home care, legal services, transportation, and meal delivery. I will also support our immigrant seniors, who make up more than half of the City’s older population. Too many face language barriers, isolation, or difficulty accessing benefits they are entitled to. For me, it’s about valuing the people who built this city and ensuring they have the support they deserve.
Q: Social isolation and loneliness are major concerns among older residents, especially during the pandemic. How would you support or expand programs aimed at fostering community engagement and reducing social isolation among seniors?
Paladino: We have so many great senior centers in this district, as well as activities throughout our neighborhoods to keep seniors active. There are pickup and drop-off services to help seniors get around, and I’m really proud to help fund so much of it here. Commonpoint and Self Help are two great organizations that keep our seniors engaged and my office works closely with both of them.
Chou: Increased funding to the Parks Department is a key first step to combating social isolation among older New Yorkers. Our City’s parks and recreation spaces are natural gathering places, and with more programming designed for older adults, they can become even stronger anchors for community life. In addition, I will support partnerships between schools and senior centers to bring generations together through music concerts, art shows, youth visits, and high school volunteer programs.
Q:As many services move online, digital literacy and access become essential. What initiatives would you support to ensure older adults in your district can access technology and digital services safely and confidently?
Paladino: Technology literacy will be less of an issue as Millennials and Generation X age into seniors, but as it stands now I think it’s more the responsibility of the city to cater to the particular needs of the seniors, rather than try and make them learn new technology at an older age.
Chou: This is why libraries are a critical foundation for our communities. They offer not only access to computers and Wi-Fi, but also training
and guidance to help older adults navigate digital tools safely and confidently. I will support expanding library-based digital literacy programs, ensuring they include one-on-one tutoring, group workshops, and courses tailored specifically to seniors.
Stay tuned to hear more from District 19 candidates ahead of the election on Nov. 4.
