LeadingAge members around the country are inviting elected officials to their communities while Congress is in recess. These visits are a terrific opportunity to demonstrate nonprofit providers’ services and the care that allows older adults to thrive. Face-to-face meetings are also a forum for senators, representatives, and their staff to see firsthand what aging services workers do, and how staff shortages limit older adults’ and families’—their constituents—access to care. 

The workforce crisis is not limited to one county or state, however; it is a national concern. As this LeadingAge video featuring several voices from across our nationwide member community explains, the need for more people is, as Jeff Weatherhead, president and CEO of Plymouth Harbor on Sarasota Bay, FL, says, “the primary challenge for everyone in our field.”

Share this video, part of our Aging Services Workforce Now campaign, to support public awareness of the aging services workforce crisis. As LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan says, “Every month that we don’t act, makes it harder and harder for America’s families and their loved ones to get access to the care and services that they need.”

Your advocacy with lawmakers and staff during the Congressional recess can make a difference. Use our Congress in Your Neighborhood: Step-by-Step Guide to Congressional Visits for useful planning tips and checklists to make your visit a success.