AMWA was represented at a convening on Women and Aging, hosted by the White House Gender Policy Council and the White House Office of Public Engagement
At this briefing, Senior Administration officials delivered remarks about the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to draw attention to the economic disadvantages women face as they age. They highlighted the workplace inequities that persist throughout women’s lives due to a myriad of factors including: discrimination, occupational segregation, lack of employee benefits, and unpaid leave for caregiving. The accumulation of these challenges over the lifespan coupled with the fact that women typically live 17% longer than men lead to significant economic challenges.
Read full briefing statement and fact sheet:
- White House Facts on Economic Security of Older Women
- Biden-Harris Administration Highlights New Actions to Support Womens’ Economic Security
Among the issues raised were the overwhelming cost of health care, prescription medications and caring for ill/disabled family members that falls more heavily on women. These expenses are compounded in women as they age as many are retired , divorced, and/or living on fixed incomes. A group of senior women shared experiences of the many hurdles that they face, including having to care for family members, failing to have sufficient funds to cover necessary medications and their health care visits, and being subject to cyber bullying.
Dr. Gloria Bachmann
Another important challenge faced by aging women was raised by AMWA representative Dr. Gloria Bachmann, Professor and Associate Dean for Women’s Health and Co-Director, Women’s Health Institute at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, who spoke out on the compelling need for access to physical therapy: “Half of all women over 50 years will eventually develop osteopenia (CDC), which can lead to osteoporosis, and subsequent fractures, immobility and muscle wasting, which increases risk of falling and ultimately, for many, surgical interventions.”
Dr. Bachman asked: Would universal physical therapy help prevent these adverse changes and events? Would this relatively inexpensive intervention improve mobility, decrease injury, help with pain management (especially in those with arthritis) improve the overall quality of life? in improvement in quality of life and decreased health care spending?
AMWA Advocates for Workplace Equity for Women Physicians
The topic of economic challenges facing women has long been an area of advocacy that AMWA continues to champion, seeking gender equity for women physicians who face workplace inequities both economically and in barriers to leadership. See the AMWA/Korn Ferry report: Women in Medicine: Setting the Agenda for Change. In addition, AMWA’s initiative on caregiving highlights the importance and burden of family caregiving and the disproportionate toll that it can take on women.
AMWA was grateful to participate in this convening and have the opportunity to share our perspective. We look forward to working together with the White House and other stakeholders to improve the health and wellbeing of all women.