Angelenos are living longer. Well, at least some Angelenos are living longer. The 2015 “Los Angeles Health Aging Report” is out and offers both happy and sad news about the health prospects of older adults residing in the City of Angels.
The report, issued on Monday by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, looked at the overall well-being of adults 50 years and older residing in Los Angeles County, with an emphasis on those persons living in South Los Angeles, East Los Angeles and in the Harbor Gateway areas. Researchers looked at health status, access to and use of healthcare, and social and economic factors which may affect healthy living. Here are two of its most startling findings:
For every 100,000 people in West Los Angeles, there are more than 1,000 physicians. For every 100,000 people in South Los Angeles there are fewer than 50 physicians.
A 50-year-old resident of West Los Angeles can expect to live more than five years longer than a South Los Angeles resident of the same age.
Researchers discovered that uncertainties surrounding the long-term funding of economic “safety net” programs such as Social Security and Medicare have exacerbated the health disparities to such a degree that these numbers will continue on into the next generation in each community.
“While we have made progress in fostering an environment for healthy aging in some areas, our sub-county data tells us that we’ve fallen behind in providing adequate and accessible health and wellness resources for many of our communities,” said William Vega, provost and executive director of the Roybal Institute at the USC School of Social Work. He added that the findings have placed a “spotlight” on several areas where changes are desperately needed.
L.A. is the nation’s largest county by population, and is one of its most socio-economically diverse. The report said county residents are expected to grow older in the near future, and in five years the population aged 50 years and older is expected to increase by 27 percent. Those aged 65 years and older will increase by 43 percent. Life expectancy in Los Angeles County rose from 75.8 years in 1991 to 81.5 years in 2011, with mortality rates declining about 18 percent compared to 13 percent for the nation overall. The report found contributing factors related to declines in coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and diabetes.
The report recommended that Los Angeles County health officials invest more in community health needs—particularly in underserved regions—and suggests more integration of social services into safety-net health centers to provide more of a “one-stop shop” for seniors eligible for federal assistance programs.
“The findings give us an opportunity to critically examine the issues confronting older Americans in Los Angeles and to find long-term solutions to the challenges they face,” said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard whose 40th district includes areas of East and South Los Angeles.
