On any given day, working in the field of aging can be fulfilling, meaningful, or, occasionally, frustrating. This enormous issue does not always get the attention it deserves. So, as much as anything, the recent White House Conference on Aging provided a welcome occasion for recognition and celebration.
At least for a day, the Conference put aging on Washington's version of center stage: the East Room of the White House (with crowd-pleasing glimpses of the Rose Garden and First Dog, Sunny).
It overflowed onto C-SPAN and Twitter (#WHCOA), as well as more than 600 "watch parties" across the country.
I was honored to attend on behalf of Grantmakers In Aging -- an invitation that clearly recognized the role that philanthropy plays in fostering new ideas and supporting great work in aging across the country.
Philanthropy was ably represented by GIA members including Terry Fulmer of the John A. Hartford Foundation, Bruce Chernof and Gretchen Alkema of The SCAN Foundation, Shelley Lyford of the Gary and Mary West Foundation, Lisa Marsh Ryerson of the AARP Foundation, and Michael Marcus of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
There were some new faces as well, with important stories to share. Home health aide Molita Cunningham spoke powerfully about how much she loves her work caring for a woman disabled by a stroke, yet how difficult it is to raise three children on her $10 an hour wage.
That session produced what was, for me, the most powerful statistic of the day: the average annual income of a home care worker in this country is $13,000. No health care coverage, no overtime, no retirement security. This is an important issue and GIA is delighted that WHCOA panelist Ai-jen Poo, Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and a 2014 MacArthur fellow, will address it further at our Annual Conference this October.
As with many celebratory occasions, most of the real work took place ahead of time and GIA was honored to host one of the earliest listening sessions, with Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee in attendance, at our last Annual Conference.
Showcasing Administration initiatives was high on the agenda. There were too many to cover them all here (for a full list, provided by the White House, click here) but a few caught my attention.
- HHS awarded grants of37.5 million to improve care for older adults, through the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (complete list of grants here)
USDA proposed to permit grocery purchasing and delivery services run by government and non-profit organizations to accept SNAP benefits as payment. HHS provided $4 million in new grants for falls prevention. The Department of Labor will clarify rules about state-based retirement savings initiatives, including state-administered 401(K) plans, the Treasury's starter savings program, myRA, and automatically enrolling employees in IRA's. HUD will clarify the Equal Access Rule, which ensures that HUD housing is open to all eligible individuals regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status, including Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly. For most of the day the audience was simply the audience, but a few visitors rose to share their hopes and fears.
Sandy Warshaw, 82, of New York City, revealed that, as a lesbian, her biggest fear is that, "after all the years of being out and an activist, I'm going to have to go back in the closet, both if I need caregiving at home and if I have to go into an institution." As moderator David Hyde Pierce responded, "The fact that you live in New York City and have that fear is very sobering."
This was actually the first White House Conference held inside the White House proper, with all its history and grandeur. Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee said she believes it was the first time a U.S. President ever mentioned the words "elder abuse." (And congratulations to her, for the tireless work that has put elder abuse on the agenda so effectively.)
A considerable part of what we gathered to celebrate were the successes of previous generations -- specifically, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. It was most appropriate that the first speaker of the day was the great Bernie Nash, the former Executive Director of AARP. Bernie was a central figure in the fight to pass Medicare, against tremendous opposition. Now those were difficult times in aging.
The President acknowledged this: "We've grown so accustomed to these programs being a part of American life -- these bedrock, foundation stones of our society -- sometimes it's easy to forget how revolutionary they were at the time. They were hard to get done. When FDR tried to pass Social Security, critics called it 'socialism.'"
As hard as it sometimes seems today to garner the attention or the funding we need, things were almost certainly harder then.
The White House Conference on Aging had much to celebrate, and did. I would just add that it would be a shame if it took another ten years for us to gather again for such a good reason. The aging of America is accelerating, and we have to keep moving. So, joyfully and deliberately, let's get back to work.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.