Governor Newsom Announces State's First Master Plan for Aging

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- We Stand With Seniors, the nonprofit, nonpartisan effort focused on educating state leaders about the need for a comprehensive, coordinated Master Plan for Aging, commends Governor Gavin Newsom who yesterday signed an Executive Order calling for the creation of a California Master Plan for Aging. The governor's Executive Order is a critically important step in recognizing and addressing the immediate need to ensure all Californians can age with dignity and independence.

"Governor Newsom's Executive Order is an important first step towards creating a senior-friendly Golden State and we commend him for his decisive action and leadership," said Shelley Lyford, President and CEO of West Health and a commissioner with the California Commission on Aging. "Not just older adults, but every Californian has a stake in a Master Plan that includes coordinated, community-based care to enable individuals to age successfully with the dignity, quality of life and the independence they deserve."

California's older adult population, which is expected to grow by four million through 2030, faces a number of challenges in accessing high-quality, affordable healthcare, dental care and supportive services, housing and transportation. All of these system-wide issues are exacerbated by the absence of a culturally competent, well-trained workforce. The current system is fragmented and is void of a vision for how services should be delivered to effectively meet this population's needs. To plan for this demographic shift and to ensure that older adults can live with dignity and independence, the California Master Plan for Aging is vitally important to outlining the state's goals and objectives for creating a comprehensive, effective and efficient system. With this plan, the state has the potential to design a California system that is accessible to all, and one that reflects what matters most to older Californians and families.  

"We applaud Governor Newsom for his visionary leadership and expedient goals for creating and implementing a statewide Master Plan for Aging," said Dr. Bruce Chernof, President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation.

"This Plan can help ensure that older Californians live fulfilling, independent lives in the places they call home—with all sectors working together on an efficient, strategic approach for older adults and the caregivers who stand by them," said Dr. Chernof.

In 2018, nonprofits West Health and The SCAN Foundation launched the nonpartisan, public awareness and education campaign, We Stand With Seniors, to highlight the need for a statewide, comprehensive Master Plan for Aging to address the growing challenges faced by California older adults, their families and caregivers. Having experienced the challenges older adults and their caregivers face with his own father who passed away last year, Governor Newsom has since included the development of a statewide Master Plan for Aging among his top initiatives.

We Stand With Seniors will continue to offer expertise and support of Governor Newsom's Administration, the state Legislature and regulatory agencies, and our fellow senior advocates in creating and implementing a Master Plan for Aging that will provide Californians with the care and dignity they so richly deserve.

About We Stand With Seniors
West Health and The SCAN Foundation's We Stand With Seniors… Will You? nonpartisan, public awareness and education campaign focuses on the specific challenges seniors and their families face in accessing high-quality, affordable healthcare, dental care and supportive services and the cost to the state if these challenges are not addressed. Keep up with #StandWithSeniors by visiting www.WeStandWithSeniors.org and following on Facebook @WeStandWithSeniors and Twitter @WeStandWSeniors.

SOURCE We Stand With Seniors

Related Links

http://www.WeStandWithSeniors.org

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