On October 30, 2024, christian gonzález-rivera, director of strategic policy initiatives at the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging, spoke before the NYC Council’s Aging and Public Safety Committees at a joint oversight hearing on elder fraud. González-rivera supported new bills aimed at protecting older adults from financial fraud and offered ways to make the proposed changes more effective. He was joined in the panel by Kevin Kiprovski, director of public policy, LiveOn NY; Kimberly George, president and CEO, Project Guardianship; Jean Callahan, attorney-in-charge at the Brooklyn Community Office of the Legal Aid Society; and Bryan Ellicott-Cook, director of government relations, SAGE (left to right in photo above).
For Introduction 1092, a bill focused on expanding financial literacy and scam awareness, gonzález-rivera emphasized making information available in both digital and printed formats. He shared Brookdale’s research on the importance of “warm experts”—trusted people from the community who can provide personal guidance, especially to older adults with limited English or digital skills.
Regarding Introduction 1101, which would provide NYPD officers with training on identity theft, gonzález-rivera suggested regular training updates to keep up with new scam tactics. He also recommended a patient and understanding approach in how officers respond to these reports, with materials available in multiple languages to help reach diverse communities.
Last, for Resolution 0561, gonzález-rivera encouraged the council to allow for supported decision-making (SDM) as an alternative to traditional guardianship. SDM, already used by those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, gives people support to make their own decisions. Adapting this model for older adults would help them stay in control of their lives while getting the support they need.
Hearing information and video: https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1230629&GUID=E2D9971E-5E8B-4DCB-8BCB-511D8787CC0D
