After Velma M. left her abusive partner — afraid the violence would put her in the hospital — she and her four children became homeless.
Month: January 2015
By 2050, one fifth of the US population will be 65 years or older. As the aging population continues to rise, poverty, hunger, and the need for long term care are just some of the issues they increasingly face. Particularly in Silicon Valley, where the cost of living is quite high, the demand for resources for senior citizens continues to grow. However, one organization has an innovative program that provides assistance to older adults, helping to keep them living independently for longer.
When law enforcement and people experiencing a mental health crisis intersect, it’s often not clear to either of them what they are dealing with or how to proceed. A new program in Butte County seeks to make those encounters safer for everyone.
Imagine you are an older adult in your 60s or 70s, perhaps even your 80s. You’ve lived a long life of exquisite joy and sorrow. Today, you suffer from diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and a mental health problem like depression or anxiety. Then, one day in the mail comes a blue envelope.
In this story we go to the small cities southeast of Los Angeles which have among the highest childhood obesity rates and the fewest parks in the state. The region has been notorious for poverty, pollution and dirty politics. But, now as reform-minded politicians take over some local city halls, young people are pushing for change. One group of high school students is learning to lobby for green space and greater play opportunities for the area’s youngest children.