Issue Position: Seniors

Issue Position

Our Seniors Need Support.
Our elders built our communities into what they are today. It's our responsibility to provide for them into the future.
Almost 20% of New Orleans residents are 60 or older, and in our city, seniors are particularly vulnerable: they're more likely to be disabled, living alone, and suffer from income instability compared to their peers throughout the country. As of 2018, Louisiana ranked dead last in the country for senior healthcare and senior poverty. Louisiana notably lags behind the rest of the country when it comes to providing public funding for in-home care. Meanwhile, our nursing home quality, especially state homes, often rank last or near the bottomnationally, yet prices have continued to skyrocket over the last decade. These issues stem from a lack of support for seniors, overpriced care, and misappropriated funding. We have a responsibility to care for the seniors of Louisiana, and that means refocusing on the quality of care for our seniors.

Each and every one of us should care about how we treat our elders. Most of us have a valued family member or friend who is a senior - for me, that's my mom - and if you don't, you'll be old too someday, after all. I want my mom and every other senior to feel like they're a treasured part of their community, because ultimately they're responsible for everything we enjoy in our communities today: they built them.

We can support our seniors by investing in health care and by emphasizing senior center programming. Senior center programming often primarily serves lower-income seniors and has proven effective in positively impacting health and quality of life for seniors, increasing life satisfaction and social interaction. America's Health Ranking cited social isolation as one of the major public health crises facing seniors today, and identified Louisiana as one of the biggest culprits. We need to take action to show the seniors of New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana that they are not alone and we are committed to their safety, well being, and agency.

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