Los Angeles Launches Anti Aging Plan to Combat Prejudice Against the, Err, Elderly

What a drag it is, getting older. Well, you can ride the MTA busses for 35 cents (Santa Monica Busses are 50 cents after 55, still a major discount). Anyway, on August 6th, 2018, the County and City of Los Angeles Released Age-Friendly Action Plan for the Los Angeles Region. Their press release is hereinbelow:

As part of the Purposeful Aging Los Angeles (PALA) Initiative, the County and City of Los Angeles released the Age-Friendly Action Plan for the Los Angeles Region 2018-2021, which will guide efforts over the next three years to enhance our region's age-friendliness in key areas such as transportation, housing, emergency preparedness, social participation and outdoor spaces.

"With an older adult population that is rapidly growing, we must prepare our communities for the future of aging in Los Angeles County. That's why we launched Purposeful Aging Los Angeles two years ago," said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, who authored the original motion at the Board of Supervisors calling for these recommendations. "By uniting L.A. County, the City of Los Angeles, and the entire region through PALA, we are creating an age-friendly future for all of our residents. The Age-Friendly Action Plan incorporates the feedback of older adults and communities throughout our region, and provides a roadmap to ensure that all older adults, regardless of where they live, can thrive in their homes and neighborhoods."

"Every Angeleno deserves a city that works for them, and meeting the needs of older adults helps make Los Angeles stronger - now and for the future," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "Whether it's improving public transportation for people with limited mobility or bringing library services to people who can't leave home, our City will keep working to become the most age-friendly city in the world."

The Action Plan was developed through PALA, an Age-Friendly Initiative launched by the County and City of Los Angeles in 2016 to prepare the Los Angeles Region for a growing older adult population that is also becoming more racially and ethnically diverse than ever before. PALA led an extensive effort to engage diverse older adults and stakeholders in developing the Action Plan, which included launching a countywide survey in 2017 to identify community priorities, conducting listening sessions throughout the County and City of Los Angeles, recruiting local research scientists to analyze data and convening community leaders and experts. This Action Plan will build age-friendly communities that will improve the lives of not only older adults, but everyone in Los Angeles County.

"As we age, most of us hope to remain in our homes and communities for as long as possible," said Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. "This means we must ensure that our communities are age-friendly, and include walkable streets, easy access to grocery stores and services, as well as opportunities for older adults to stay engaged through volunteering or other community activities."

In addition to spearheading an extensive effort to engage residents, communities and other stakeholders in developing the Age-Friendly Action Plan, PALA has launched or supported critical events, programs and initiatives to improve the lives of older adults in our region, including the Annual Older Adult Summit, the Dementia Friends awareness campaign, the Aging Mastery Program, and the Bringing our Loved Ones Home Initiative.