Shari Horne spends much of her day caring for her husband Hal in their sunny apartment in Orange County’s Laguna Woods, where she was once mayor.
I’m sharing the Hornes’ story in my inaugural column for the California Health Report. Over the next year, I’ll write about health equity and aging, drawing on my personal experiences, as well as those of the people I interview.
Medically tailored groceries are just one of the more creative methods advocates are using to get food to the most vulnerable Californians, including those who are disabled or elderly.
With federal delays in dispersing SNAP benefits in November and other looming changes, people who work on the front lines of food access say this creativity is essential; it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation.
For many older adults, especially those with low incomes, mobility is not a luxury. It is the foundation of independence, emotional well-being and dignity. Yet access to basic mobility support varies widely across the state. That gap has serious consequences.
As a physical therapist working in post-acute and long-term care, I see this divide every day.
As federal health programs shift and immigration raids continue, a Bay Area alliance is stepping up its work to help families and prevent child abuse, which can increase during times of stress.
”We need to really take a step back and take a look at what we are doing as a society to ensure that no one is living in poverty,” said Pegah Faed CEO of Safe & Sound in San Francisco.
As a rehabilitation clinician and director working directly with older adults, I see how effective early mobility support can be. Mild losses in leg strength or balance respond well to structured, simple routines when they are addressed early. The greatest need is access.
Several programs across California demonstrate how this access can be expanded.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the value of multiple generations sharing living spaces. However, people living in multi-generational households also have increased risk of infections.
These risks can be reduced with preventative health measures, experts say.
As a licensed vocational nurse who has worked in emergency rooms and mental health settings throughout Southern California, I’ve seen the impact of Substance Use Disorder.
While California has taken major strides in addressing the opioid epidemic and decreasing the risk of unnecessary opioid prescriptions for patients, a major gap exists for some of the most vulnerable populations.
Veterans have long stood at the forefront of national service — a dedication that deserves not only words of gratitude but also a firm commitment to their well-being. Yet, for far too many veterans in California, military service has been followed by the struggle of living without a home due to skyrocketing rent fees, as well as untreated health conditions and health care barriers.
As policymakers grapple with the government shutdown, Ted Lempert in California is keeping tabs on how it may affect kids here.
The president of the nonprofit Children Now is paying particular attention to potential cuts to Medicaid, or Medi-Cal in California, which provides health coverage for roughly half of the state’s children.
Most parents are not “anti-science” or “anti -vaccine” by default. They are trying to make the best choices in a world that feels more complicated and less trustworthy than ever before.
The solution isn’t more statistics or louder voices. The solution is trust.
State leaders estimate that the federal Medicaid cuts will force 3.4 million Californians out of our version of the program, known as Medi-Cal. But we do not have to sit idly by and wait for the fallout. In fact, states and communities still hold real power to blunt the worst outcomes and protect coverage for millions.
California can implement the law in the least harmful way: creating broad exemptions, simplifying paperwork and deploying technology to reduce administrative friction.
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