It has been a whirlwind year for an organization that has fought for the rights of low income older adults for the past 43 years! Having changed our name just 10 months ago from National Senior Citizens Law Center to Justice in Aging, we’re looking forward to continuing our legacy of fighting senior poverty through law, and we’re grateful for everyone reading this and to all of our partners and funders for their roles. In case you missed it, you can watch the video about our continuing work under our new name here.
As more seniors age in poverty, the need for effective advocacy is growing. We must all work together to ensure that all seniors get the health care they deserve and the economic security they need to age in dignity. We need you and more people like you right there with us.
What Does Justice in Aging Mean to You?
When we changed our name, we asked many of you what Justice in Aging means to you. We got a lot of different answers ranging from “ensuring all seniors live healthy and fulfilling lives”, to “fair and equitable.” We think of Justice in Aging as a big tent that everyone can get underneath. Not only does everyone deserve Justice in Aging, but everyone can play a role in making Justice in Aging a reality for all.
This year the milestone anniversaries of most of the prominent programs that serve seniors provided a great opportunity for advocates to highlight the importance of these programs now and in the future. Social Security turned 80, Medicare and Medicaid and the Older Americans Act turned 50, and it was the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
It has been a busy and fruitful year for us. Tens of thousands of direct service advocates attended our trainings and webinars, and used our issue briefs to help their clients; dozens of media outlets talked about the impact of poverty and the discrimination poor seniors face in accessing health care and long-term services and supports; with partners, we filed class actions on behalf of seniors and people with disabilities, and received a favorable court decision in a case against the Ohio Medicaid program; we advanced policies at the agency level that directly impact beneficiaries; filed dozens of comment letters; and worked with lawmakers to introduce federal legislation that will help SSI recipients buy food and pay the rent.
Thanks for playing a part in all of this work. Your participation and support is crucial. Here’s to a year of big impact in 2016.
