City Needs Plan To Deal With Explosion In Senior Population, Stringer Says

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- With New York City's population aging, Comptroller Scott Stringer said the city needs a path forward to help seniors age in their homes.

As WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported, Stringer appeared Tuesday at the Greenwich House Senior Center, 20 Washington Square North, and called upon the city to plan for an explosion in the senior population.

"We want to jump start a long-term conversation so that by the time even more baby boomers are ready to retire, they have options to age with dignity, right here in New York City," he said.

In a new report, "Aging with Dignity: A Blueprint for Serving NYC's Growing Senior Population," Stringer noted that from 2005 to 2015, the number of New Yorkers over 65 surged by 19.2 percent. That is more than triple the rate for the growth of the population of those under 65.

WEB EXTRA: Read The Report

By 2040, city planners expect that there will be 1.4 million older adults living in the city. But right now, the Department of Aging has a budget of just 0.4 percent of city expenditures – or about $300 per New Yorker over 65.

With more than 40 percent of senior-headed households in the city reliant on Social Security, Stringer also said the city needs to invest in more senior centers and bus shelters with places to sit.