From AAI Program Director Linda M. Jackson:
This is the month to get ready to vote! There are numberless reasons to do so, beginning with the need to have leaders who will protect the planet’s natural resources that give us life. We also know that last year’s tax cuts will mean budget cuts next year, very likely in fields that are critical in our work of supporting older adults.
What’s at stake is the long-term viability of social security and Medicare, access to health care and affordable prescription drugs, security of pensions, and help for caregivers. We need elected officials who are willing to ask questions, seek solutions, and work together to find the path forward.
Beyond determining budgets and policy, our government officials set the tone for public discourse. September’s events caused many of us to stop in our tracks. Many women, including myself, had the unwanted reminder of moments when we were alone, startled, and attacked. While older women are particularly bolstered by the voices of younger women in the #metoo movement, they may not have access to tools to help them process trauma. Think of Marin’s older women living alone, haunted by these resurrected memories. Often, resources for victims are geared toward younger women, and may use images or language that alienate older clients.
Luckily, you in your work are in a place to help older women understand that assault — whether it took place last month or 50 years ago — was not their fault. How can we help? By being present and listening. Telling a story is healing. If a person wants to talk with a professional, they can call the RAINN sexual assault hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673). The National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life also has resources for victims, professionals, and advocates.
The Aging Action Initiative speaks up to ensure that all the people we work with have the support needed for a healthy, safe, and engaging quality of life. I witnessed the power of showing up and speaking up in the realm of housing just this last month. After a roomful of speakers asked the San Rafael City Council to deny an appeal of their Planning Commission’s approval of assisted living, the councilmembers voted unanimously for the new housing. And after receiving a stack of letters and hearing from half a dozen speakers, the Ross Valley Sanitary District unanimously approved a fee reduction for the affordable senior rental housing Victory Village in Fairfax.
You have a voice. Mail in your ballot or go to the polls on November 6. Call your family and friends in other states and wish them a successful vote day. Vote as if the health of your next year depends on it.
Looking for information on the propositions and elections?
- The California Alliance for Retired Americans recommends voting yes on Proposition 1 and Proposition 2 for affordable housing.
- The League of Women Voters is a resource about the process of voting and the propositions and candidates. The Marin LWV recommends voting yes on Measure AA for local transportation funding.
Double check that you’re registered in Marin by visiting www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/voter-registration/register/am-i-registered or calling (415) 499-6456 before October 22.
~Linda
