On June 3rd, the California Women’s Law Center co-hosted “Aging, Women and Poverty In California Forum” at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. CWLC was honored to partner with the California Commission on Aging and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls to discuss the priorities and perspectives that community and policy leaders should address as our population ages. With 34,000 Californians turning 65 each month, the Golden State needs to prepare for a dramatic change in the priorities of its citizens.

We thank the moderators, panelists and speakers for sharing their experience and knowledge regarding the dynamics, demographics and realities aging Californians must consider.

We also thank the participants of the forum for discussing the factors contributing to higher rates of poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, abuse, fraud, lack of medication and loneliness for women in particular and families in general.

Nationally, one in six Americans age 65 and older is living in poverty. Over the next two decades, the older adult population in California will nearly double by more than 4 million people, which will have demonstrative effects on nearly every aspect of our society. To be clear, aging in California is a women’s issue because women represent 40% more of the over-65 population than men.

CWLC looks forward to continuing our work with the California Commission on Aging, the California Commission on the Status on Women and Girls and many other policy and elected leaders who can impact and implement changes to address the challenges women and families in California face, and build a strategy of awareness and action throughout the state.

CWLC remains committed to the ongoing fight for women’s rights and elder justice. Together, we will continue to act on these matters and hopefully brighten the Golden Years of our aging citizens.

If you would like to view documents shared at the Aging, Women and Poverty In California forum, please go here. To view the forum’s white paper, click here.