203: Building Hope: Advocacy for Older Adults During Terrible Times

Dr. Callie Freitag is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work. Her work focuses on safety net policies related to aging, disability, and poverty. Prior to that, Callie was a policy analyst & advocate focusing on aging and long-term care policy in California. We recorded this conversation on January 6, 2025, a difficult day in America, when insurrectionists tried to take over the Capitol building in 2020. An auspicious day. The new administration in Washington is already looking to be a disaster for many Americans, especially for people over 65 who qualify for Medicare and Social Security, and are disabled or poor and qualify for Medicaid. Our guest has been studying social policy and aging and has some great insights and ideas about how to mobilize our energies. We are delighted to bring this hopeful conversation to all of our listeners! If you'd like to get in touch with Dr. Callie Freitag, you can find out more here. And if you'd like more information about some of the groups mentioned on this show: Groups working on immigration reform: National Immigration Law Center National Immigrant Justice Center Here are some resources to track anti-trans and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation: Anti-Trans Legislation Tracker ACLU Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2024: Human Rights Campaign Map: Attacks on Gender Affirming Care by State Additional resources: Third Act Indivisible Diverse Elders Coalition National Immigration Law Center National Immigration Justice Center For information on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and their state-level affiliates. If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!