California Commission on Aging

10/15/2026

A MUST READ! “Unfortunately, most Americans underestimate their risk of needing long-term care. Only 43 percent of people aged 50 and older think it’s likely they will need long-term care in the future. More importantly, many more underestimate their financial need for long-term care: 62 percent mistakenly think Medicare will cover costs if they need to move into a nursing care facility. Medicare does not cover long-term care. Adults must pay their own care costs out-of-pocket unless they qualify for Medicaid…”

Jessica Forden explores how rising long-term care costs deplete middle-class assets, driving intergenerational wealth inequality.

10/15/2026

Medicare open enrollment is now under way. Enrollees can use this period to change health plans, including prescription drug plans. Contact your local HICAP program and schedule a free appointment with a state-registered counselor by calling 800-434-0222. Open enrollment ends December 7!
https://healthcarerights.org/

10/14/2026

Did you know?
“Between 2024 and 2025, the number of unhoused people age 65+ increased by 6.8%. Homelessness also increased for people between the ages of 45-54. For most other age groups, homelessness decreased.

A recent survey of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) found that 94% of AAAs identified lack of affordable housing as a major challenge. The US Interagency Council on Homelessness has also identified that many homelessness systems of care are not equipped to serve older adults.” https://homebase.shorthandstories.com/PIT/

10/14/2026

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Access and Functional Needs Toolkit for Emergency Management guides you through an interactive learning experience. Whether you are building a plan from scratch or strengthening an existing one, this toolkit walks you through the core planning components of emergency management, from forming a planning committee to transitioning shelter residents to stable housing.

Access it here:
https://www.caloes.ca.gov/office-of-the-director/policy-administration/access-functional-needs/afn-toolkit/

10/13/2026

The number of disabled adults 65 and older in the U.S. is projected to grow by more than 6 million over the next decade, which will require 1.28 million more direct-care workers. Staffing has lagged for years, leaving facilities understaffed and home-based care needs unmet.

A proposal for a new H-1D visa seeks to fix this worker shortage. A temporary employment pathway for home health aides, personal care aides, and nursing assistants, the visa would apply to workers already in the U.S. and newly arriving. Read more:

Modeled after the H-1B, the new employment visa aims to address a looming workforce shortage.

10/13/2026

Disabled workers bring skills, perspective, and value to every industry — the barrier isn't ability, it's access. This National Disability Employment Awareness Month, let’s highlight the policies and practices that actually move the needle: accommodations, flexible scheduling, and inclusive hiring. What's your workplace doing?

10/12/2026

California's older adult population is growing faster than the workforce trained to serve it. A program led by San José State University's School of Social Work is working to close that gap.

The Aging & Adult Services (AAS) MSW Training Program gives master of social work students stipends and specialized training to work with vulnerable aging and disabled adults. In return, graduates commit to working in California's public systems that serve them.

Programs like this one turn the Master Plan for Aging's workforce goals into real people working in real jobs.

Read about it in the October AgeWatch newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gvPArGGa

10/12/2026

Commissioners recently enjoyed a tour of Center for Elders' Independence (CEI) PACE in Oakland.

PACE, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, brings a participant's health care and supportive services under one coordinated team to enable them to live independently at home.
A recent U.S. DHHS study found that PACE participants had significantly lower rates of hospitalization, emergency department use, and one-year mortality than a matched group in Medicare Advantage plans. CEI staff and participants see the same results: better health and a better quality of life.

Many thanks to Maria Zamora and the CEI team for their hospitality and for showing how coordinated care helps older Californians live with dignity and independence.

10/08/2026

If you’re alive, you’re aging. Always.

Aging is one of the few experiences all of us share. It’s normal, natural, and lifelong.

Today is . Honor yourself and the generations to come by embracing the aging we’re all doing together.

10/08/2026

Affordable senior housing developer Mutual Housing California will test large-scale factory-built housing in five new communities planned for Stockton, the Sacramento region, and beyond over the next several years. The factory-built approach is expected to reduce development costs by approximately 10 percent and shorten construction schedules by several months compared with traditional construction methods.

California’s high cost to construct affordable housing has developers looking for ways to build faster and cheaper. One idea getting more attention: Build most of an apartment in a factory, then truck it to the construction site nearly finished.