Members requested solutions to elevate their work and deliver greater impact—so LeadingAge developed tools to help you do that. Providers across the continuum are now using research-backed strategies, message guidance, and audience insights to revamp their communications to reach two vital audiences: older adults and potential employees.

Seeking to sharpen members’ competitive edge in workforce recruiting, LeadingAge prepared How to Talk to Potential Employees. This valuable tool pairs the most effective messages with the most desired job attributes for potential employees who expressed interest in seven core job categories. This material is part of the Opening Doors to the Aging Services Workforce initiative to help you position your openings to best appeal to potential employees. Longtime member Roger Myers, president & CEO of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, says, “Opening Doors to the Aging Services Workforce is an extremely strategic, impactful, and practical resource to all member organizations.”

Want to see how it looks in real life? Take a peek at the strategies and message frames with suggested messages. Then visit LeadingAge member Ohio Living’s Careers web page to see how to effectively implement the strategic guidance.

For non-recruitment communications, members are using the Opening Doors to Aging Services strategies, messages, and messenger recommendations developed with market research. These communications tools are your roadmap to speaking with the general public in an authentic way that will increase awareness of and confidence in aging services. See examples of how members are using the advice in the Provider Inspiration Guide.

Of course, we’ve made some cheat sheets to get you going:

• Dos and Don’ts
• LeadingAge Language Guide
• Visual and Design Guide

Would a presentation help you absorb the material? More than 500 members have joined an Opening Doors virtual workshop. If you’re ready to flip the narrative and tell the positive stories of aging services, start with Getting the Message Out, which kicked off a four-part workshop series. One participant said the “excellent workshop was practical, forward-thinking, and positive.” You can view the full series at the LeadingAge Learning Hub.

For too long, others have told our stories—and frequently the results are inaccurate or incomplete. There are no better storytellers than you and your professional colleagues. Use these tools to tell the public about the quality care and vital services your organization delivers to older adults.