In 2018, West Health and The SCAN Foundation launched the nonpartisan, nonprofit We Stand with Seniors … Will You? campaign to educate policymakers about the needs of California seniors. They completed a statewide voter survey that showed an overwhelming majority (84 percent) of California voters would be more likely to support a candidate for governor who has a vision and long-term master plan to address the state’s increasing need for senior services—and more than half (57 percent) would be willing to support a tax increase to fund it.
Since the launch of that campaign, both candidates for governor, businessman John Cox and Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, have signed a pledge to #StandWithSeniors and support the development of a statewide plan to ensure seniors’ needs are met. Each candidate has committed themselves to creating and implementing a long-term solution that addresses the cost and delivery of healthcare, dental care, housing and supportive services that our seniors need to age safely and with dignity.
Openhouse is proud to partner with We Stand with Seniors to support the creation of a statewide master plan for aging. It is our goal to ensure that the plan reflects the unique needs and strengths of LGBTQ seniors, and the multiple marginalized communities represented in the LGBTQ population.
Openhouse invites community members, senior service and housing providers, educators and researchers to join us for a panel discussion that brings together the advocacy for a statewide plan for aging with the LGBTQ community. The panel will include a review of the findings from the statewide voter survey commissioned by We Stand with Seniors, an overview of the unique needs of the LGBTQ senior population, next steps in the education campaign and development of a statewide plan, and how the plan will reflect marginalized communities. There will be ample time for questions, comments and input from the community.
Speakers will include:
Dr. Marcy Adelman, Openhouse Founder; California Commission on Aging
Cecilia Chung, Senior Director of Strategic Projects, Transgender Law Center
Bill Earley, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, West Health; California Commission on Aging
Tom Nolan, Manager- Special Projects, San Francisco Department of Adult and Aging Services
Dr. Karyn Skultety, Executive Director, Openhouse
Sarah Steenhausen, M.S., Senior Policy Advisor, The SCAN Foundation
Senator Scott Wiener, California State Senate
The event Advocating for LGBTQ Seniors in the Master Plan for Aging in California, hosted by We Stand with Seniors and Openhouse, will be held on October 11 from 9–11 am at the SF LGBT Center (1800 Market Street). Register at http://bit.ly/rsvp-panel-event
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