News & Events

Two years ago, at my first Eden Alternative Conference, I heard about a place that stopped me in my tracks: Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon, Canada. This year, I had the chance to learn from them again—and I was just as inspired. Because Sherbrooke isn’t just doing things differently.They are living proof of what’s possible when we truly rethink long-term care. But what struck me most is this: In many ways… Sherbrooke isn’t new at all. It’s a return to something many

As a member of the young generation in the 2000s, I grew up in a world where healthcare was at my fingertips – I could schedule an appointment online, message doctors through apps with ease, and even participate in video visits from anywhere in the world. For my generation, digital health isn’t necessarily the “future,” it's the default. However, the more I learn about global public health and intergenerational advocacy spaces, such as the Gray Panthers, the more I recognize

In March 2026, leaders, advocates, and innovators gathered in Atlanta, Georgia for the Eden Alternative Conference—a space dedicated to reimagining aging and long-term care. From March 9th through the 12th, the conference challenged attendees to move beyond traditional models of care and toward something more human: connection, belonging, and purpose. Starting with Transformation: Connected Communities Pre-Conference Before the official opening, Connected Communities hosted a

Thank you. My name is Jack Kupferman and I'm with the Gray Panthers and I'm representing the constituency of older people. The age-friendly cities concept is a wonderful planning tool to implement SDG 11 in all communities and cities around the world. The age-friendly cities framework focuses on older persons but creates improvements for all people in the community. The eight interlocking domains of age-friendly focus on outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing,

With the New York State budget within weeks of its deadline on April 1st, there is a lot of jostling with budget priorities. But among the priorities Gray Panthers wants to see get over the finish line this budget season is increased funding for aging services. A Master Plan for Aging–launched by Governor Hochul herself, it must be said–had a final report that laid out a bunch of proposals. And one of those proposals was to fund aging services.  (1) And rightfully so. Systems

From: The Pass It On Network   (PION), which connects positive ageing advocates across 60 countries.  Margaret Young ( Age Knowable ) joined Moira Allan, PION co-founder and member of the AGE Platform Europe  task force, in opening the session with what happened during the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG)   meeting in Geneva in February. It was the first formal drafting session toward a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.   In 2024, the UN Open-Ended Working G

There is a particular tenderness in loving a home that has loved you back. In a recent Boston Globe  essay, psychiatrist Elissa Ely captures this feeling with quiet precision. She writes from a familiar kitchen — sun pouring through windows replaced 22 years ago, a stained teapot coming to a boil from the original renovation. “Nothing needs to be different,” she observes. “Living here is right.” For Ely, and most of us, home is not simply shelter. It is biography. Rooms becom

One of the defining principles of Gray Panthers NYC is embedded in our mission: combating ageism and achieving social justice through intergenerational collaboration and activism.  From the beginning, the Gray Panthers movement understood something that is still often overlooked today—true social change happens when generations work together.   Ageism thrives when generations are divided. Too often older adults are portrayed as out of touch, while younger people are dismissed

Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) continues to generate intense debate in New York State and across the country. Who has the right to decide how we die? What protections exist? What does the Medical Aid in Dying Act that was recently signed into law in NY entail? Join us for a timely and thoughtful conversation with David C. Leven, JD, a nationally respected advocate and policy leader in end-of-life care. With decades of experience advancing patient rights, palliative care reform,

$50 a Month in 1988. Still $50 Today? In 1988, the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) for nursing home residents receiving Medicaid in New York was set at $50 per month . It is still $50 in 2026.   Let that sink in.   For nearly four decades, the cost of living in New York City has soared. The price of toiletries, clothing, haircuts, phone service, snacks, transportation, and over-the-counter medications has risen dramatically. Yet the small monthly amount that nursing home resid

A series of missile strikes led by the United States and Israel has led to the killing of over 500 people in Iran as of the time of writing, including the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader. First and foremost, Gray Panthers NYC condemns these actions.  In the United States, over 1 in 10 people are in poverty, 8% are without health care, and homelessness is at a record high. These are the sorts of issues taxpayer dollars should be going to, not missile strikes killing people ha

At Gray Panthers NYC, we often say that intergenerational activism is not just part of our history—it is our future. That future is already here. Hadia Miriam, a high school student from Des Plaines, Illinois, recently completed a National History Day documentary on the Gray Panthers movement under the theme Revolution, Reform, and Reaction . National History Day is a rigorous national research competition in which students conduct extensive primary and secondary research to

This month’s Transformation Tuesday made one thing unmistakably clear: isolation is not a “visitor policy” issue—it’s a human rights issue.  The Essential Caregivers Act is about ensuring that no resident in a nursing home or other Medicare/Medicaid-certified long-term care setting can be cut off from the person who knows them, steadies them, advocates for them, and helps them survive— even during emergencies. 1) The cost of separation is real—and it compounds fast Mary Danie

An 84-year-old woman disappears from her home. Law enforcement mobilizes. Helicopters search overhead. National media covers the story. Resources flow quickly and urgently. Every older person deserves safety. Every disappearance deserves attention.    The disappearance of an older woman should trouble us—not only because of who she is, but because of what her case reveals.   Older women in America often experience a particular kind of invisibility. Yet when the older woman is

The 1960s generation was defined by its commitment to social change, civil rights, and persistent questioning of authority. As this generation transitions into elderhood, the antiquated “care system” must radically transform.   Historically, the shift from nuclear family support to institutional care was accelerated by the industrial revolution and the subsequent creation of Medicare and Medicaid  in the mid-1960s. While these programs provided essential funding, they also ce

In the last year, Michelle Arnot, President of GPNYC and I both became grandparents. Like so many new grandparents, we expected joy, awe, and an overwhelming sense of love. We got all of that. What we did not expect was fear. There was a time when the birth of a child in the United States was widely seen as an honor—an unquestioned marker of opportunity, safety, and possibility. It did not mean life would be easy, but it carried a promise that the future could be faced with h

Featuring: Susie Singer-Carter, Sherry Perry, Lori Porter Date/Time: Feb 12 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern   In collaboration with Art Against Ageism (AAA), please join us for a dynamic discussion about ageist and ableist policies and structures within long-term care in the United States and how films such as “No Country for Old People” help to expose their damaging impact.   AAA Co-Founder and Gray Panthers NYC Board Member Meg LaPorte will moderate a dynamic discussion with filmmaker

Vision Into Action: Intergenerational Work of Our Rising Leaders Transformation Tuesday | January 27, 2026 Hosted by Gray Panthers NYC Gray Panthers NYC kicked off 2026 with a reminder that the future of aging justice isn’t an abstract idea—it’s already being built, in real communities, by people who refuse to accept the tired story that aging means decline, isolation, or invisibility. This special program featured alumni of the Rising Leaders Award  (generously sponsored by

An Eyewitness Report from Minneapolis Q&A with Judy Lear, Former President of Gray Panthers NYC As federal immigration enforcement operations intensify in Minneapolis — including multiple fatal shootings involving border agents — daily life for many immigrant and undocumented residents has become fraught with fear and uncertainty. GPNYC: What is the current atmosphere in Minneapolis? Judy: Businesses here are choosing to close voluntarily because owners and employees fear po

During these challenging times for the United States and for the world, let’s act on the inspiring words of Maggie Kuhn, the founder of Gray Panthers.   “Leave safety behind. Put your body on the line. Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind – even if your voice shakes. When you least expect it, someone may actually listen to what you have to say. Well-aimed slingshots can topple giants.”   We’ve been witnessing advancing fascism and the horrors of this current a