Serving Seniors in Harlem

It is a rainy Wednesday in Harlem, but the mood is far from bleak as nearly 1,100 local residents and officials gathered for the third annual Senior Day.

Hosted by NY State Senator Brian Benjamin (District 30) and NYC councilmember Bill Perkins (District 9), the event combines food and entertainment with a local resource fair and senior services for the neighborhood’s older adults.

“I want to make sure serving seniors in this community is central to my role as a state senator,” said Benjamin. “They’re the reason we’re elected. We support them and we love them. We’re here for them so they can live strong and age long.”

Both Benjamin and Perkins were born and raised in Harlem and serving this community has been a shared pursuit. Perkins served on the NY City Council from 1998-2005 and in the NY State Senate for District 30 from 2005 to 2016. When he left his senate seat in 2017 to return to the City Council, Benjamin succeeded him. This annual Senior Day event is an opportunity for both politicians to engage with the community that supports them and the elders who have come before them, including NYC’s oldest resident, Alelia Murphy (114), who lives in their district.

“They’re the hosts,” said Councilman Perkins, gesturing to the crowd of attendees. “Without them, there would be no event.”

“I came because I was invited by my councilman,” said local resident Beryl Bunce, 71.

“We show up for politicians that represent us and let them know we appreciate them because they appreciate us,” said Pamela Rudd, 71, who lives in the Bronx but comes to the Central Harlem Senior Center because of its atmosphere of camaraderie.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, also a Harlem native, made an appearance and spoke to residents about healthy living.

“I want to see my community live healthy and productive lives,” said Adams who spoke about his own battle with diabetes. Adams advocated for natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals and gave out his cell phone number, (917-335-3179) encouraging residents to text him “health” for information about how he got both himself and his 80-year-old mom off insulin.

This personal connection to the community was a priority for all three politicians, who circulated for handshakes, photos, and conversations with constituents. Councilmember Perkins spent much of the afternoon serving lunch (catered by local Chef Jose ) to the seniors.

Currently there are 1.64 million New Yorkers over the age of 60, but an aging “Baby Boomer” generation and longer life expectancies are going to change that. According to a report from NYC’s Department for the Aging (DFTA), this number is expected to grow to 1.86 million by 2040, making up 20.6 percent of NYC’s population.

In response, DFTA has rolled out Plan 2025 for responding to the current and future needs of NYC’s elderly population. The plan focuses on strengthening existing programs and creating new initiatives in several priority service areas, including affordable housing and mental health. Events like this Senior Day are key for engaging seniors and connecting them to the healthcare, transportation, and other services offered in their community.

Residents who were not able to attend today’s event are encouraged to call Senator Brian Benjamin’s office (212-222-7315) for information about senior services in the area.