Members depend on the LeadingAge policy experts to continue delivering strong and effective national advocacy on their behalf, and we depend on the authentic, boots-on-the-ground member stories to help bring color to critical issues for members of Congress. It makes all the difference. Throughout the year we fight alongside state partners and membership on key issues impacting aging services and older adults’ access to quality care and support.

Advocacy activity takes many forms. Sometimes it’s congressional meetings and relationship-building, and other times it’s writing letters and answering the call on action alerts. Urgent matters are elevated for action from our aging services community—and are a critical part of our advocacy wins.

In the past year, more than 6,400 messages were sent to elected officials nationwide calling for immediate action on significant issues, like funding for senior housing and preserving access to home health care.  

“Advocacy is vital to tell the mission and the story of who we are as an organization,” said Kimberly Bortz, vice president of mission and communications at Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community in South Carolina. “Without us taking the opportunity to meet with the lawmakers who are making decisions every single day—they don’t understand what we’re doing—so we need to tell our story and stand together to move this field forward.”

Here are a couple of examples of how members stepped up in big ways in 2023.  

STAFFING MANDATES CONGRESSIONAL VISITS

“We look forward to meeting with our senate and house members today to make an impact … We all want more and better for aging services, but we have to help them understand why it’s important.” – Donald Lilly, COO, The Woodlands at Furman in SC

LeadingAge members have told Congress for months, “Let’s Get it Right!” on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed staffing mandates for nursing homes. Gaining support for the Protecting Rural Seniors Access to Care Act, which would halt the proposed rule and instead create an advisory panel on the nursing home workforce, was a top advocacy priority. With five state partners, we’ve held 30 in-person and virtual Congressional meetings in the past two months—resulting in five cosponsors (so far!) of the bill, including Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), William Timmons (R-SC), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Ralph Norman (R-SC-5), and Gregory Murphy (R-NC).

LOBBY DAY ON CAPITOL HILL

“It really is a privilege for us to be able to share our voices and thoughts with our elected officials to make sure that the things that are important to us—the things that are important to our communities and our residents—are represented here in the halls of Congress.” – Tom Akins, President & CEO, LeadingAge North Carolina

Lobby Day, held in conjunction with the LeadingAge Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, in April, featured robust member participation, as 225 LeadingAge members—representing 32 states and the District of Columbia—visited Capitol Hill for in-person meetings with policymakers and their staff as part of the annual Lobby Day event. All told, more than 60 meetings were held with Senate offices and 90 with House member offices.

Members shared their stories of struggling to serve a growing cohort of older adults while working in a dysfunctional aging-services system and urged policymakers to prioritize action on key legislation. Examples included the overwhelming workforce crisis, barriers to accessing quality aging services, and lengthy waiting lists for affordable housing and other services. 

“Advocacy is important because this is how we make change happen.” – Vonda Hollingsworth, VP, Pennybyrn in NC

THANK YOU

LeadingAge’s national advocacy would not be possible without our members and partners who take the time to raise their voice on important issues. You are making a positive impact on aging services and the older adults you serve!