Glendale seniors deserve health care they can count on

Lupe Conchas

Submitted photo/city of Glendale

OPINION — Glendale is a place where people put down roots. Many of our seniors worked hard for decades, raised families here and chose to retire in the West Valley because it felt like a community they could rely on.

As a member of the Glendale City Council, I spend a lot of time with seniors at Coffee with a Councilman, townhalls and community events. I hear the same message again and again. Seniors want to stay in Glendale. They want to age in place, close to their doctors, their families and the neighborhoods they helped build.

That is why Glendale needs a real, intentional strategy to support seniors as they age. Too often, the default outcome is that older adults are forced to leave the city for care facilities outside our boundaries, not because they want to, but because the support systems are not in place here. We can and must do better.

I think often about the seniors who live at Cascalote Apartments. For many residents, independence depends on access. That is why I was proud to help advocate for a new bus stop serving Cascalote.

For seniors living on fixed incomes, transportation is not a luxury. It is the difference between making it to a doctor’s appointment, picking up prescriptions, buying groceries or staying socially connected. These are the kinds of practical investments that allow seniors to remain safely in their homes and communities.

Health care plays a central role in any plan to help seniors age in place. For many seniors in Glendale, Medicare Advantage is how they access care. These plans often combine medical coverage with prescription drugs, vision, dental and hearing benefits, along with transportation assistance and post hospital support. These services help seniors remain active, independent and engaged instead of being pushed into higher cost care settings before they are ready.

As Glendale’s population continues to age, we need a coordinated approach that connects health care, transportation, housing, and cost of living. On the City Council, I have consistently focused on keeping costs down and protecting services that matter most to people on fixed incomes. Whether it is utility rates, access to transit or neighborhood investments, I ask how each decision affects seniors who want to stay in their homes.

Supporting Medicare Advantage is also part of strengthening our city. When seniors are healthier and supported, families face less strain, emergency services are less burdened, and residents remain engaged in civic life longer. I see that engagement firsthand when I’m out knocking on doors where people not only to raise concerns, but share ideas and help shape the future of Glendale.

Even small changes to Medicare Advantage can lead to higher monthly costs or reduced services. Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its 2027 Advance Rate Notice.

Given the rising costs of health care and daily expenses, this marginal increase in payment rates is not enough to keep health care costs stable. More than half of all Medicare beneficiaries nationwide have chosen Medicare Advantage, and they are depending on that choice being protected. It’s imperative that Arizona’s delegation works with the administration to ensure that the rate is adjusted accordingly before it’s finalized in early April.

Protecting Medicare Advantage is not a partisan issue. It is about honoring the people who built our communities and ensuring they can continue to live with dignity and stability. I appreciate leaders like Sens. Gallego and Kelly, who recognize the importance of protecting programs seniors rely on.

Glendale’s seniors deserve more than good intentions. They deserve a clear plan to age in place with access to health care, transportation, and affordable living. I will continue listening, showing up, and pushing for policies that allow our seniors to stay right here in the city they call home.

Lupe Conchas is a member of the Glendale City Council. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.