
Unlike other cities, New York has a large population of older adults. In fact, there are more than 1.2 million adults over the age of 65 living in the City of New York. These older adults are more diverse than ever. In fact, the number of immigrants to New York City is greater than ever. According to the NYC Health Department, in 2015, nearly half of the New York City's adult population was ethnically or racially different than the rest of the population. The numbers are projected to grow even more in the coming years.
The Center for an Urban Future released a data brief this month that shows how the elderly are driving population growth in the city. The Center found that adults in New York have a longer life expectancy than the national average. The same report shows that the older adult population is increasing in all five boroughs. The report also finds that there is a significant need for better services for the city's older adults.
The report, titled The New Face of New York's Seniors, was sponsored by the Clark Charitable Trust and the MetLife Foundation. The report is part of a larger comprehensive report on the state of older adults in New York City. The report will be released later this year and will be supported by the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation and the New York Community Trust.
The report also notes that obesity and tobacco use are significant health concerns in the city. For example, more than one-third of all adults in New York are obese. In addition, smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in the city. While obesity and tobacco use are disproportionately prevalent among certain populations, these statistics are still relatively low compared to the national average.
During the past decade, the number of older adults in Manhattan has grown by more than 67,000. Over the same time period, the number of children under the age of 5 increased by more than 32 percent. This demographic has made Manhattan one of the fastest growing cities in the country. In fact, the "baby boom" in Manhattan during the 2000s was unique among U.S. cities.
A new law in New York allows all 16-to-17-year-olds accused of misdemeanors to go to family court instead of adult court. The law also makes it possible for prosecutors to transfer some cases to the adult system if they feel they are too serious. While this new law isn't a cure-all, it should reduce the number of juveniles entering the adult system.
While the campaign for youth justice was a worthy effort, the resulting law is a compromise. In addition to the above-mentioned changes, New York has also implemented some successful interventions for tobacco prevention. These programs have reduced the rate of smoking in both young and old adults. The Center for an Urban Future has conducted extensive research on the needs of older adults in New York.