Long-term care is California’s biggest health crisis, and our state is not currently prepared to meet the needs of our population.
Many seniors and people with disabilities live in poverty, and even those who don’t cannot afford quality long-term care. Right now only the very wealthiest and the most impoverished (who qualify for programs like IHSS) have access to the care they need. And even for those who have access to care, caregivers are few and far between because wages and benefits are so low.
This crisis will only worsen as the number of Californians over the age of 65 nearly doubles in the coming decade – unless we do something.
- Right now many seniors and people with disabilities go without the care 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
- More than half of home care workers rely on some form of government assistance, and on average make just $10.66 per hour
California must be able to provide long-term care for all who need it, regardless of income. This requires:
- 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
To solve the care crisis we need to listen to caregivers, seniors, and people with disabilities. Read more about the Care Agenda here.
