Berg offers plan for aging state
With California on the cusp of an aging boom, Berg outlines suggested policy changes
Article Launched: 9/28/2006 04:17 AM
The Times-Standard
Eureka Times Standard
SACRAMENTO -- Assemblywoman Patty Berg tried to rally lawmakers and seniors' advocates Wednesday to support a new plan designed to prepare California for its growing elderly population.
The state's elder population will not only grow in number, but also in percentage, going from 1 in 10 residents today, to 1 in 7 residents within two decades.
”No state has ever seen a demographic shift like this,” said Berg, D-Eureka. “There is no roadmap because it's never happened before. That's why it's crucial that we begin planning now.”
Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, and state Senate candidate Darrell Steinberg joined Berg in releasing a 26-page report meant to map a route for negotiating the demographic change.
Among the policy priorities in Berg's report are Medi-Cal funding of telemedicine; more coherent driver screening programs; building codes that reflect the needs of an aging population; and stiffer penalties for crooks who prey on elderly people.
The report, Building an Aging Agenda for the 21st Century, is the third in a series of Master Plan reports published since Berg began chairing the Aging and Long-Term Care Committee. All three reports are available electronically on her website: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a01/
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