California is not currently prepared to meet the needs of our aging population and people with disabilities. We want to change that.
Our long-term care system is failing us
- Right now many seniors and people with disabilities go without the care and support they need because there simply aren’t enough caregivers
- 1 in 5 seniors and 1 in 4 persons with disabilities live in poverty, and even those who do not can’t afford the cost of long-term care on their own
- 10,000 people turn 65 every day in America, and 70% of Californians over the age of 65 need some form of long-term care
- By 2020 our state will need 500,000 caregivers
- Californians are living longer. The number of seniors is expected to more than double in our state to 12 million in 2060. Those turning 65 today are predicted to spend at least four years with a disability as they age
- More than half of home care workers rely on some form of government assistance, and on average make just $10.66 per hour
The Care Agenda is:
a coalition of caregivers, seniors, and people with disabilities who have joined together to fix California’s broken long-term care system, calling for:
- Long-term care for all who need it regardless of income
- Meaningful policy that is created with diverse stakeholder input to make care affordable for all
- Increased options and quality of care for seniors and people with disabilities
- Improved working conditions and increased training for caregivers
Our Partners
Our Stories
William Reed – Placer County
William and Mary Reed had their first child, William Jr., in 1976. William, Sr. worked for Dupont, Mary was a schoolteacher, and their son was growing and developing as expected. But the Reeds’ world changed forever two years… Read More
Maile George – Contra Costa
Sixty-year-old Maile George is enjoying her retirement in the Contra Costa County city of Concord. Though she is blind and lives with insulin-dependent diabetes, her eight-year-old guide dog and occasional assistance from her mother allow Maile to live… Read More
Susan Lowry – San Diego County
Ten years ago, Susan Lowry was living the California Dream: a nice house in the upscale Sacramento suburb of El Dorado Hills, an RV, a boat. She worked as a freelance court reporter, earning about $50 an hour…. Read More
To read more of our stories, click here.
Paid for by United Domestic Workers of America.