Legacy Health Endowment and the UC San Francisco Institute for Health Policy Studies are collaborating on a 2026 report to roadmap the health care manpower needs in Merced and Stanislaus Counties. But local initiatives cannot fix a national cultural landscape where ageism and sexism intersect to render older women invisible in public policy and medical settings.
The subtle, persistent message to the older woman is: You’ve had your turn.
Women in America can expect to live longer than men, but not necessarily better. For millions, longevity has become a liability. As they age, women face a perfect storm of economic hardship, health inequities and caregiving burdens that render them increasingly invisible. Unless the country confronts these structural failures head-on, older women will continue to be the fastest-growing face of American poverty…