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Visiting Neighbors warns of growing need for home-based senior services in Community Board 2 area
Summary
Visiting Neighbors told Community Board 2’s Human Services Committee that its clients are older, lonelier and in greater need of in‑home support; the nonprofit said it serves about 1,000 people with a small staff and asked the board to advocate for funding.
Visiting Neighbors, a longtime volunteer-based senior services nonprofit, told the Human Services Committee of Community Board 2 that demand for in‑home services is rising as clients grow older and live longer.
"We are getting older and we are living longer," said Cynthia Mauer, executive director of Visiting Neighbors. "The average age of our client is 90. A third of our clients are over the age of 90." Mauer told the committee many of the group’s clients live alone and lack nearby advocates or caregivers.
The presentation outlined why the organization’s work matters to the neighborhood: Visiting Neighbors matches volunteers with older adults for companionship, accompaniment to appointments, and limited practical help such as banking or postage. The group also provides health advocacy — checking that seniors understand discharge instructions, helping ensure hospital staff know someone is watching, and encouraging seniors to ask medical questions. Howie Square, coordinator…
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