The California Master Plan for Aging (MPA) is committed to transparency and accountability. To support this commitment, the California Department of Aging, in partnership with the West Health Institute, has developed the MPA Implementation Tracker. The publicly accessible database charts the progress of MPA initiatives, which now number over 200, and provides a user-friendly interface to search and filter by key terms to view progress by agency, goal, strategy, topics and more.
Healthcare is central to successful aging and reimagining health is one of five bold goals set for the California Master Plan for Aging (MPA). Currently, more than 5.1 million seniors live in California, a number expected to grow to 8.6 million by 2030, the same year 1 in every 5 Americans will be 65 or older for the first time in history. The MPA calls for a system of care that is “affordable, easy to navigate, and enables access to the necessary services at the right time and in the setting of choice.” For West Health, that also means care that is specific to the needs and challenges facing seniors. In two short years, we’ve seen progress in several areas including the greater access to geriatric emergency care, expansion and new tools for telehealth, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and enhancements to home and community-based care. West Health has been a driving force on these senior-specific models of care for many years and will continue to fuel these types of programs and more.
Create millions of new housing options for communities that are age-, disability-, and dementia-friendly and climate- and disaster-ready.
Ensure that all Californians have access to both health care and services that optimize quality of life, with a focus on closing equity gaps and increasing life expectancy.
Increase life satisfaction by providing opportunities for work, volunteering, engagement, and leadership that are free from isolation, discrimination, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Create one million new caregiving jobs to better assist support older Californians and their families throughout the aging process. throughout our lives.
Close the equity gaps in aging and increase economic security for older adults.
California is one of only five states with a Multisector Plan for Aging, but that will soon change. West Health is collaborating with The SCAN Foundation and the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust to help 10 more states develop or advance cross-sector plans through the Multisector Plan for Aging Learning Collaborative, led by The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS).
Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vermont are all working on their own Multisector Plans for Aging. These plans are referred to by different names —e.g., Master Plan for Aging, Action Plan on Aging Well, Strategic Action Plan on Aging, but no matter what it’s called — the Multisector Plan for Aging movement has begun!
The Aging Roadmap is San Diego County’s regional vision and framework for supporting healthy aging so that people of all ages and abilities can thrive. Focus areas include caregiver support, social engagement, health and community support, housing, transportation, medical care and social services.
The Master Plan for Aging Playbook is designed to assist state and local government, communities, and private and philanthropic organizations in building environments that promote an age-friendly and disability-friendly California. The Playbook provides seven “plays” for action with relevant resources and models for planning and implementation.
With support from West Health and The SCAN Foundation, Grantmakers in Aging (GIA) launched a new “Funders Community, Multisector Plans for Aging,” a shared space where grantmakers can build on age-friendly community investments and discuss strategies and solutions related to Multisector Plans. The goal is to improve the aging experience through innovation, collaboration, and shared accountability.
2020
Seniors living in California
2030
Fastest growing population group
In less than two decades, older adults are projected to outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. By 2035, people age 65 and over are expected to number 77 million, while children under age 18 will number 76.5 million.
Starting in 2030, when all boomers will be older than 65, older adults will make up 21 percent of the population, up from 15 percent today.
Seniors face significant challenges in accessing high-quality and affordable healthcare, dental care, supportive services, housing and transportation. A rising and diverse population will put even more strain on the state’s fragile system of care, which is largely fragmented, poorly coordinated and not designed or sufficiently resourced to meet the specific needs of older adults.
Shelley Lyford
CEO and Chair, Gary and Mary West Foundation
Member of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee
Californians are encouraged to share their own vision and insights. Recommendations and comments can be submitted either online through EngageCA.org or through public forums and events.