When LeadingAge members arrived in Washington, DC, this week for our annual Leadership Summit, most had four goals in mind. As in previous years, members wanted to network with peers. They sought to gain new insights and strategies through high-quality educational opportunities. They wanted to visit the offices of their Congressional representatives during Lobby Day.

From all reports, members achieved these goals during our three-day gathering. Unfortunately, their fourth goal remained unreachable.

Members came to Washington, DC, seeking clarity. They wanted to make sense of our unprecedented, chaotic, fast-paced, and uncertain times. That clarity was not easy to find this year.

Aging services providers and the people we serve face serious threats as we anticipate congressional action on issues that are central to our mission. We worry about the fate of Medicaid, affordable senior housing, tax-exempt bond financing, and funding for home-and community-based services, especially in rural areas. We continue to be challenged by the shortage of professional caregivers and troubled by disturbing misrepresentations of the role nonprofit organizations play in communities around our country.

We cannot predict the outcomes of these and other debates currently taking place in Washington. However, we should all be very concerned that policymakers are even considering actions that we know will negatively affect the health and well-being of older adults. These debates represent a call to action that none of us can afford to ignore—and they raise two questions that are very hard to answer:

What should we do? Where do we start?

I have three suggestions.

First, look within your organization and across our field to identify your levers—specific strengths, characteristics, or strategies that equip you to address current challenges. One such lever is LeadingAge membership, which aligns you with 5,500 mission-minded organizations, millions of employees, residents, and clients, and thousands of board members, family members, and partners. Other significant levers include your deep expertise, years of experience, passion for the work you do, and stories of lives touched, changed, and supported every day through that work. Use these levers to become an effective advocate for our field and the people we serve.

Second, tap into the power these levers give you to innovate, tackle thorny challenges, grow, shift, pivot, and transform. We must use all the levers we have—every one of them—not just once but regularly. Don’t be afraid to start small and do what you can. You can always build on small successes. Inaction gets us nowhere.

Third, resolve to become an active member of our provider community. Do your part to support your aging services colleagues by sharing your knowledge, resources, and strategies. Work with us to ensure that older adults can live their best lives and that no one is left behind.

Together, we can become formidable advocates for older adults and potent sources of innovation and change for our nation. LeadingAge will work tirelessly—with you and for you—to this end. Thank you for your commitment, strength, and leadership.