Fernando Torres-Gil, director of UCLA Luskin’s Center for Policy Research on Aging and professor emeritus of social welfare and public policy, commented in an article published by The World about aging immigrants and their health care needs. The story notes that the number of foreign-born older people in the United States is quickly increasing and projected to reach 23% of the total older population by 2060. However, the U.S. health care system is not fully prepared to meet the needs of this aging population. The story focuses on a hospital-based fall-prevention class for Spanish-speaking older adults. Torres-Gil said that care programs where language and culture are shared and understood are vital to immigrants “because that way, they’ll age healthier and be less of an economic health burden on the community.” At the same time, he said that providing culturally competent care may be difficult to fund considering the incoming presidential administration’s attitude toward immigrants.
Director, UCLA Center for Policy Research on Aging; Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare and Public Policy
Fernando M. Torres-Gil’s multifaceted career spans the academic, professional, and policy arenas. He is a Professor of Social Welfare and...
