Leaders, Champions….Friends

Two LA County Supervisors Clear the Path and Open Doors for SBSS

It’s that time of year to give thanks for our many blessings, and to celebrate friends, family, and those closest to us. At SBSS, we have a lot to be thankful for! Through the continued and generous support of our elected officials, St. Barnabas Senior Services is able to provide exemplary service to older adults in the 1st and 3rd Supervisorial Districts.

Supervisor Sheila Kuehl of the 3rd supervisorial district has been a longtime supporter of our Hollywood senior center, and her generosity has allowed for many improvements to our facility. Next time you visit us you will notice new and improved signage that highlights our many services, upgraded technology equipment for the best possible experience at the center, and a podium for our many talks and speaker series to educate older adults. She has also supported our Annual Summit on Aging, where we educate about the policy and system changes that need to be championed locally to support healthy aging. We are thankful for her passion, drive and tenacity!

Supervisor Hilda Solis of the 1st Supervisorial District has been a longtime supporter of our Echo Park and Mid-City senior centers, and we are thankful for her! Year after year she generously donates to our holiday meal program, where we feed hungry bellies a warm dose of love and nourishment! She also visits us every year to hear stories of aging members of the 1 st district so that she can champion public policy that supports all older adults. Because of her commitment and leadership, we honored Supervisor Solis as the LAAAC Legislative Champion at our 9th Annual Summit on Aging. She has been a true friend and supporter, and we are thankful for her love, spirit and dedication!

Of our many reasons to be thankful, the support of these esteemed leaders and their commitment to older adults tops the list! Blessings abound us to have true leaders of the highest caliber representing older adults in the 1st and 3rd districts, and we will continue to cherish their friendship and warm embrace.

Fernando Delgado from Supervisor Solis’ office presents a check to provide special holiday meals. Over 250 were served the day before Thanksgiving this year.

California Plans Reflect LAAAC Influence

The Los Angeles Aging Advocacy Coalition (LAAAC) is proud to have had a prominent seat at the table as the State of California began work on its first statewide Master Plan for Aging.

For LAAAC, much of this work was carried out earlier this year, including a meeting we convened in LA in June to inform the California plan. You can read the full report of our recommendations here.

We also collaborated with The SCAN Foundation and four other regional coalitions across the state as momentum built for the statewide Aging Forum.

Elevating Voices is the final report from that work.

AGEnts for Change Attend 2019 California Master Plan on Aging Forum

From left to right : Hermie Cruz, SBSS Director of Government Relations and Advocacy Brandi Orton, Wanda McGuire, Sylvia McBride

St. Barnabas Senior Services participants and staff attended the 2019 CA Masterplan on Aging Forum in Sacramento in September. The 1-day event was hosted by The SCAN Foundation and was followed by a day of advocacy visits with legislators at the Capital. SBSS AGEnts for Change, Wanda McGuire, Hermie Cruz, and Sylvia McBride joined SBSS Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, Brandi Orton, for these important meetings to educate on the need of older adults in the LA region.

The AGEnts and staff spoke with legislators about the need for affordable housing, long term care and social services and supports, and the need for homelessness intervention for older adults. SBSS AGEnts and staff will continue to work with local elected and appointed officials to engage them in the development of local policy to support aging in place and to meet the needs of all older adults in the LA region.

LAAAC is a member of the collaborative with other organizations across the state who are concerned with long term care and supports and services for older adults.

This report was shared with the Governor’s office to inform his work being lead on the Masterplan Collaborative . You can also read more information about the Workgroup Recommendations.

Seniors Facing Housing Challenges: A Discussion with SBSS' Brandi Orton

There are currently about 1.6 million seniors in Los Angeles County and by the year 2060, 1 in 4 Angelenos will be a senior citizen.

Many renters who have historically lived in affordable neighborhoods are being pushed out due to these areas becoming popular and they face living on the streets. This creates a situation in which older adults are often the most at-risk for becoming homeless.

Brandi Orton, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy at Saint Barnabas Senior Services, talked with Alex Cohen of Spectrum News about why it is so hard to keep a roof over your head as a senior.

SBSS President & CEO Rigo Saborio Appointed to Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee

California Health and Human Services (CHHS) Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced the establishment of a Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee. In January, as part of his first State of the State Address, Governor Gavin Newsom called for a creation of a Master Plan for Aging. Also, the Governor issued an Executive Order tasking CHHS to convene a Cabinet Workgroup for Aging and a Stakeholder Advisory Committee to develop and issue a Master Plan by October 1, 2020.

“This is our time to come together to build an age-friendly California”, said Dr. Ghaly. “Government cannot do this alone — I challenge all Californians to join us in building a California Dream that is inclusive of our older and disabled neighbors.”

The Stakeholder Advisory Committee will work across sectors to develop a roadmap that envisions a future where all Californians, regardless of race, economic status or level of support, can grow old safely, with dignity and independence. The Stakeholder Advisory Committee will advise the Cabinet Workgroup on Aging in the development of the Master Plan.

Among distinguished leaders from across the state, SBSS’ Rigo Saborio was appointed to the Advisory Committee.

This diverse group of stakeholders with varying expertise and experiences will help to develop components of the Master Plan, including best practices and data metrics, to guide the work of state government, local communities, private organizations and philanthropy to build environments that promote an age friendly California.

Read the Executive Order issued by Governor Gavin Newsome.