Statewide Aging, Disability and Equity Planning Conference Slated for Sept. 20

Event Focused on California’s Master Plan for Aging Open to All

The California Department of Aging and IMPACT Stakeholder Committee are hosting “CA For ALL Ages & Abilities Day of Action” on Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., a day-long gathering of policymakers, consumers, providers, advocates, caregivers and others to engage in Governor Gavin Newsom’s vision for a California for ALL.

The in-person conference at SAFE Credit Union Convention Center has reached capacity, but registration is open for exclusive access to the free livestream event. Older adults and people with disabilities, those providing care and support, and anyone interested in issues affecting an aging population are welcome to participate in the event online.

Credentialed media are welcome to attend the conference and the media availability session between 12:30 to 1:10 p.m. with featured speakers, including Susan DeMarois, Director, California Department of Aging, Joe Xavier, Director, California Department of Rehabilitation, Lourdes Castro Ramírez, Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, and Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, among others. Interested media must RSVP to Koula Gianulias at kgianulias@hotmail.com or call 310-795-9440 to receive participation information.

The conference will highlight California’s Master Plan for Aging (MPA), the state’s 10-year blueprint to reimagine aging and to equitably tackle issues like housing, transportation, health, long-term care and social supports for a growing and diverse demographic. The plan, created by the governor’s 2019 executive order, was released in January 2021 after 18 months of stakeholder and public engagement through webinars, roundtables, town halls, work groups and other events to develop plan goals, strategies and initiatives.

“The MPA is an accelerant for change, driving California forward to achieve our bold vision of person-centered, data-driven, equitable care for all people,” said Dr. Ghaly. “Together, we’re making record progress in record time.”

Director DeMarois emphasized that in just 10 years, more than one quarter of California’s population will be over age 60, and that this demographic is becoming increasingly diverse.

“The Day of Action is a unique opportunity for all Californians who care about older adults and people with disabilities to learn how far we’ve come in meeting the MPA’s bold goals and to meaningfully engage in ongoing efforts so that everyone in every community can thrive across the lifespan,” she said.

Joe Xavier, Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation, said he grew up with a disability from birth and is experiencing first-hand the process of aging with a disability.

“As we engage in conversations that are so inclusive of disability, I look forward to the day when conversations normalize disability so that it is woven into the fabric of society just like all of the other characteristics that make us who we are as individuals,” he said.

The plan’s five bold goals and vision for each include:

• Housing for All Ages and Stages: We will have access to the services we need to live at home in our communities and optimize our health and quality of life.
• Health Reimagined: We will have access to the services we need to live at home in our communities and to optimize our health and quality of life.
• Inclusion & Equity, Not Isolation: We will have lifelong opportunities for work, volunteering, engagement and leadership and will be protected from isolation, discrimination, abuse.
• Caregiving that Works: We will be prepared for and supported through the rewards and challenges of caring for aging loved ones.
• Affordable Aging: We will have economic security for as long as we live.

The Day of Action will include presentations by and conversations with stakeholders about each of the goals, progress to date, and how every California community can participate in the planning and implementation process.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220919005230/en/