Aging

As the population ages and the baby boomer generation retires, nurse shortages are projected in California and on the Central Coast. This challenge comes on top of the already depleted health care workforce due to the pandemic.

Professor Peter Rupert, director of the UC Santa Barbara Economic Forecast Project, said the Central Coast population over 65 is bigger than other parts of the state.

Comparing Medicare plans proves tough sledding — even for a veteran journalist tracking such plans for decades.

Four families share how the pandemic changed their care plans during an "emotionally horrifying" year.

Experts urge people to think now about the type of care they want in the future.

Emily DeRuy reported this story while participating in the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2021 California Fellowship.
Other work by her includes:
COVID forced Bay Area families to make agonizing elder-care decisions. Is there a fix?
Getting older doesn’t have to be scary. Things to con

The media has largely taken a pass on covering the dark side of Medicare Advantage plans, so people don't understand how the plans’ cost-sharing and provider networks really work.

The media, the medical community, and academic drug experts all quickly questioned the FDA’s approval process — a rare occurrence.

COVID-19 outbreaks in local nursing homes have been one of the main drivers of Tulare County COVID-19 infections.

COVID-19 pandemic has had a deadly toll at residential care facilities for the elderly, and cases and deaths dropped dramatically after mass vaccinations