CDA is your connection with California’s range of programs, services, and resources for the state’s growing population of older adults, adults with disabilities, residents of long-term care facilities, and family caregivers.

Getting older often changes the way we think about community, health, and support. For some older adults, aging can bring loneliness or uncertainty. Friends and family may live far away. Health needs may change. Daily tasks like preparing meals, getting to appointments, or managing a home can become more difficult over time. Findings from California’s first statewide survey of LGBTQIA+ older adults highlighted the importance of connection, community, and welcoming support systems as people age.

Californians of all ages step up every day to care for loved ones, friends, and neighbors. That might mean driving someone to appointments, helping with meals, or managing medications and memory loss. Even when it starts small, caregiving often becomes more than you expected.

Every weekday, Manuel walks from his home to Las Palmas Park, his local community center, to enjoy sharing a meal with friends. He greatly values the sense of community he’s found there. But it wasn’t always like that. Manuel’s first experience with older adult nutrition programs was through the home-delivered meals program, after he had been placed on bed rest for two months. Thanks to nutritious meals and friendly interaction with meal delivery people, he was able to fuel his recovery and know he was not alone.

As we age, our nutritional needs change. Eating a well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients can help support strength, energy, and overall health. Proper nutrition can help manage chronic conditions, support healthy weight, and promote overall well-being. Eating well helps support our ability to stand and walk, decreasing falls, which is the number one cause of injury in older adults, Williams notes. Here’s a guide to the most important nutrients for older adults.

Heat waves can be more than just uncomfortable – they can be dangerous. As temperatures rise across California, it’s important to take steps to stay cool, healthy, and safe. Older adults can be more likely to have heat-related illness because the body becomes less efficient at regulating temperature with age. Certain medications and health conditions can also affect how the body responds to heat, increasing the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke.

As we age, routines can play an important role in helping us stay active and engaged in daily life. Retirement, health changes, caregiving responsibilities, or losing loved ones can disrupt the structure that once filled each day. Over time, it might feel easier to stay home or withdraw from favorite activities.

Scammers often create a sense of urgency, impersonate trusted organizations, and pressure people to act before they have time to verify the information. According to the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report, adults age 60 and older filed more than 201,000 complaints related to internet crimes and scams, with reported losses exceeding $7.7 billion. The average reported loss was more than $38,000, and more than 12,400 older adults reported losing at least $100,000.

Mental health is part of your overall health, and it’s something you can support through small, everyday actions. It’s shaped by consistent habits like how often you connect with others, how you move, and how you take time to reset.

As you get older, when is the best time to time to talk with loved ones about your future? As the saying goes, yesterday was best but today is the next best thing.

Starting the conversation can build confidence, reduce stress, and bring peace of mind for everyone involved.

May, 76, didn’t think she had a problem with her balance. She walked her dog regularly, played on the floor with her grandchildren, and carried heavy things, like dog food bags. So it was a surprise to her and her family when May fell while walking across the backyard deck.