Older adults and adults with disabilities face many health challenges and frequently have complex health care needs. This growing population often requires long-term care and specific services and supports to remain at home and live independently.

California’s Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities examines available data on older Californians and those with disabilities.

Key findings include:

• In 2020, California adults age 60 or older represented 22% of the population. That percentage is projected to increase to 32% in 2060.
• Half of California adults age 60 or older were people of color.
• A language other than English was spoken at home by 38% of those age 60 or older.
• In 2022, 5% of Californians age 60 or older self-reported experiencing symptoms of serious psychological distress in the past year.
• In 2022, 2.4 million Medi-Cal enrollees were either age 65 or older or disabled.

This quick reference guide is part of CHCF’s California Health Care Almanac, an online clearinghouse for key data and analyses describing the state’s health care landscape.