CALIFORNIA’S CARE CRISIS
The state’s Master Plan for Aging, released in 2021, laid the groundwork for a new vision for California — establishing state goals for ensuring our growing population of older adults and people with disabilities have access to everything from health care and housing to economic security and lifelong engagement opportunities.
For too many Californians, these goals remain out of reach. And too many families are paying the price:
Millions of workers are struggling to balance their jobs with supporting aging parents — reducing their hours or leaving the workforce to provide the care their families need.
Older adults are having trouble finding care options they can afford — especially those that allow them to remain in their homes — forcing families to drain their savings and generational wealth or delay life events, like marriage or buying a home, to pay for care.
Public services continue to be hard to navigate and qualify for, as California’s fragmented health and social services system still leaves too many people without care.
Low pay for care workers creates shortages in many communities, putting even more pressure on loved ones to provide unpaid care — sending ripple effects across local economies.
Millions more Californians are expected to lose health care and safety net services next year because of federal cuts, making these challenges even more acute and leaving older adults and people with disabilities vulnerable.