In communities and homes across the country, older adults and their caregivers develop deep emotional connections and genuine love—especially during the difficult past year together. Through social media and PR efforts, LeadingAge and our community of members will showcase the heartfelt commitment of care workers, and how they have become friends and family with those they serve.

From Thursday, February 11, to Sunday, February 14, LeadingAge will transform our social accounts into a #CareIsLove celebration, including a targeted paid social effort to ensure maximum engagement among our social network and to expand our reach and visibility.

We’re inviting staff, residents, clients, families and all our members to send valentines messages, videos, and photos that embody the holiday theme to remind everyone that when it comes to aging services, #CareIsLove. To make it easy to participate, LeadingAge is providing customizable social graphics and templates, sample social posts, op-ed templates and sample pitch notes for state executives and members.

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LeadingAge Valentine’s Campaign

#CareIsLove

February 11-14, 2021

PR Templates:  We’ve created plug-and-play draft op-eds, media advisories and phone scripts for reporter pitches that you can customize for use around Valentine’s Day. We recommend filling in as many local details as possible about 1) efforts to help connect clients/residents with loved ones and 2) anecdotes or observations of how the last few months have strengthened connections between staff and clients/residents. Nursing homes, assisted living and other residential providers will want, of course, to customize and adjust in accordance with current visitation status.

Art Project:

Print out our Valentine’s Day template cards to have residents and staff color and write meaningful messages to each other.

Social Media Activities:

• Send a valentines message to the special care worker or an older adult in your life, or post a video or photo of you together.
• Add the hashtag #CareIsLove to your posts/tweets so our communities can see the wonderful messages.
• Share and “like” #CareIsLove content on our and others’ pages to help spread the message.
• Use our digital valentine’s cards on social media. 
• Upload our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profile banners to your pages. 
• Like @LeadingAge

Social Media Graphics: 

• Infocards
• Profile banners
• Photoframe cards

Sample Social Media Posts: 

• This Valentine’s Day, we’re shining a light on the bonds of love between older adults and their caregivers. What are the ways your staff, residents, clients, and families demonstrate that #CareIsLove?
• We love how much the older adults we serve and our staff care for each other! Join us today in celebrating these relationships. #CareIsLove
• In our community, care = ❤️ #CareIsLove
•  #CareIsLove and in aging services, it’s abundant. This Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting the deep emotional connections that develop between older adults and their caregivers. 
• Today we celebrate the bonds between our elders and care workers who lift each other up every day. Who would you like to celebrate today? #CareIsLove
• Every day, aging services professionals provide vital care to older adults and their families. This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating the deep bonds that grow between older adults and their caregivers. Share how your community demonstrates that #CareIsLove!
• The pandemic has highlighted the extraordinary bonds that develop between older adults and aging services professionals who provide them care. This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating these connections that demonstrate how #CareIsLove.

This campaign is part of our ongoing effort to combat the deeply held public misperceptions of our field. Often rooted in ageism, these false beliefs are made possible because of an incomplete understanding about aging and aging services. Showcasing the rich and diverse life experiences happening within aging services is one way that we can tell a multi-dimensional story of our work.