Access to an EXCLUSIVE KIRC interview, upcoming events & ICYMI…
Hello KIRC family!
We are approaching the end of June, which is designated as LGBTQ ( (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer ) Pride Month.
This week’s calendar takes a closer and more detailed look at some of the events and issues focused on the LGBTQ community and the intersection of aging.
Courtesy: Canva
Have a wonderful week ahead and remember: BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL TO OTHERS.
Regardless of your background and personal beliefs on the many hot-button social issues ripping at the heart of our nation right now, the one thing we ALL have in common: we are all aging!
We must find a way to bridge our differences, come together and work toward solutions to adequately care for our population which all across the country – is aging. That means all of us.
Related articles
(Become a SUPPORTING SPONSOR to access this exclusive video interview)
*United States of Aging: Will We See Beyond Our Differences Enough to Care for Others?
KIRC Calendar for the Week of June 26 – July 2, 2022
California Department of Aging
Thursday, June 30, 2022
4:00 PM – 5:15 PM (Pacific)
Aging with Dignity: An LGBTQ+ Focused Webinar
In the news…
From Justice in Aging:
On June 15, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals. The EO contains a number of measures to advance and secure the rights of LGBTQI+ communities.
The measures are intended to:
Address discriminatory legislative attacks
Address the harmful practice of “conversion therapy”
Safeguard healthcare and prevent suicide among LGBTQI+ youth
Support LGBTQI+ children and families
Expand federal data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI)
To read the White House Fact Sheet describing the Executive Order click here:
From AARP: LGBTQ Adults 45+ Are Worried About Discrimination and Support as They Age
To read the full article click here
Keeping It REAL Caregiving recently took part in a web meeting hosted by the California Coalition on Family Caregiving.
One of the topics discussed was the the number of licensed California nursing homes which have closed in the past several years.
The data corresponds with national numbers pointing to staffing shortages.
KIRC cannot stress the importance of understanding this landscape as we all age, and consider planning and preparing for a loved one and ourselves.
Nursing Home Staffing Shortages
The Center for Medicare Advocacy provides an in-depth look at the issue of staffing and properly trained care-workers within the nation’s nursing homes. Here is an excerpt:
During the coronavirus pandemic and as of January 2022, nursing facilities lost 238,000 staff members, 15% of their total workforce.[1] According to a survey by the trade association American Health Care Association (AHCA), more than 87% of facilities report insufficient numbers of staff, which they say threatens their ability to remain open.[2] Kaiser Family Foundation reports, in its analysis of CMS COVID-19 Nursing Home Data, that, as of the week ending March 20, 2022, 28% of facilities reported that they had any staffing shortage.[3] Regardless of the actual percentage of facilities that are short-staffed, it is undisputed that staffing levels at nursing facilities have not rebounded from the pandemic (when they were already too low) and that staffing levels remain unconscionably low. What are the solutions?
*Related article
What to watch
From World Channel
Thursday, June 30, 2022
on TV, online & on the PBS app
Courtesy: World Channel
Before You Know It | America ReFramed
Dennis, Ty and Robert are pioneers in an “out” generation. They are also among the estimated 2.4 million LGBT Americans over the age of 55. The film celebrates the lives of active gay senior citizens who have witnessed unbelievable change in their lifetimes, from the Stonewall Riots to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and gay marriage rights.
Until next time,
Julia
*Header Image: Courtesy Getty Images/Namthip Muanthongthae
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