California’s Master Plan for Aging
Disrupting the Status Quo
West Health is all for disrupting the status quo when it comes to aging. This is why we’ve been involved from the very beginning in the creation and implementation of California’s Master Plan for Aging, a groundbreaking and historic public-private partnership that spans healthcare, housing, social services, mental health, transportation, caregiving, public policy and financial security. Everyone should be able to age in place with access to high-quality and affordable services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence.
As California’s MPA enters its third year with much accomplished, 95 initiatives are planned for implementation over the next two years. State and local government agencies, philanthropies, aging experts, advocates, and seniors and family caregivers themselves, continue the hard work of making successful aging a reality for all Californians and our Master Plan for Aging an inspiration for other states and the nation. Check out the progress and join our movement!
Enabling Data-driven Transparency and Accountability
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 for Life
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.
5 Bold Goals for an Age-Friendly California
OUR FOCUS
Goal 1
Housing for All Ages and Stages
Create millions of new housing options for communities that are age-, disability-, and dementia-friendly and climate- and disaster-ready.
OUR FOCUS
Goal 2
Health Reimagined
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.
OUR FOCUS
Goal 3
Inclusion and Equity, Not Isolation
Increase life satisfaction by providing opportunities for work, volunteering, engagement, and leadership that are free from isolation, discrimination, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
OUR FOCUS
Goal 4
Caregiving that Works
Create one million new caregiving jobs to better assist support older Californians and their families throughout the aging process. throughout our lives.
OUR FOCUS
Goal 5
Affording Aging
Close the equity gaps in aging and increase economic security for older adults.
Every State Needs a Multisector Plan for Aging
California is one of only three 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 20 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).
The collaborative is currently supporting 10 states — Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington State — 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
Framework and Vision for San Diego County
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 Playbook
Resource for
Local Planning
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.
Master Plan for Aging News
Past Events
Together we can provide a bright future for our seniors in California
More than 5.1 million seniors live in California, a number expected to grow to 8.6 million by 2030.
2020
5.1M
Seniors living in California
2030
8.3M
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.
"California’s Master Plan for Aging can be a shining example of how senior-specific healthcare combined with smart policy can improve lives of older adults and support families and communities."
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.
West Health does not accept unsolicited business plans or proposals.