New York faces a historic demographic shift. According to a recent report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York City’s 65-and-older population reached 1.43 million in 2023 – a 53% increase from 2000, growing almost 17 times faster than the city’s total population. In Manhattan and Queens, nearly 20% of residents are over 65 years old. Statewide, nearly 3.5 million residents are now over the age of 65, the largest share in New York’s history. 

New York’s health care system is caught in a paradox. We face an ongoing workforce shortage, specifically in senior care, while largely failing to provide career pathways into health care for young adults from underserved communities. 

Launched by The New Jewish Home in 2014, the SkillSpring Young Adult Program creates pathways for economic mobility for underserved individuals to enter the workforce

NEW YORK, NY (January 23, 2025)—SkillSpring, a workforce training program created by The New Jewish Home (TNJH) celebrated the graduation of its young adult cohorts on Wednesday. Since its inception, SkillSpring has trained over a thousand individuals, fulfilling critical staffing needs in skilled nursing facilities throughout New York City.

When Jewish Home board member Daniel Bernstein agreed to mentor teens in the SkillSpring program, he approached the opportunity wholeheartedly. He’s delighted by the strong bonds he has built with his motivated mentees, who are on their way to becoming health care leaders.