I recently heard a member remark “we need to write the book we want to read,” which made me reflect on the power of the collective LeadingAge narrative.
As mission-driven, dynamic, aging services organizations, you have the ability to influence the social fabric of your communities and the well-being of individuals and families.
As your national association, we have the determination to influence public policies that impact your daily operations. And, we have the ambition to think beyond today’s needs to shape a better tomorrow for older adults and their families.
Our policy team pursues both tracks relentlessly – fighting for our members in their local communities and for national policies that affect us all. We are fighting for:
- Older Americans Act funds.
- Sensible Medicare policy with respect to the 3-day stay.
- Funding for capital to increase the supply of and preserve existing affordable senior housing.
- Demonstration projects to prove the efficacy of aging services technology.
We believe in sound arguments, solid analysis, and persistent advocacy. Yet, we are in an era of incremental change, of a propensity for inaction over action, and a seemingly pervasive belief that older adults’ needs have already been met. An uphill battle for sure – but we march on.
In the context of our broader social impact agenda, we are pursuing policies that will shape the future we believe in. A future where aging adults have access to quality services and supports. One that has solved the seemingly intractable problem of how individuals pay for the services and supports they need. One which elevates the workforce in aging services so that quality is ensured and services are expanded. And one that acknowledges that our society is aging and we are ill-prepared.
Are we punching above our weight? Perhaps. What gives us the moral authority to be so bold is the deep experience of our member organizations, the unwavering commitment to doing better for those we serve, and our mission to be the trusted voice for aging – today and for many tomorrows to come.
We can’t achieve the policy impact without you – your voices and your experiences. Tell your stories to your policy makers. Join us in Washington whenever you can for visits to the Hill. Invite your residents, staff, and families to join the Seniors Action Network to be the clear, strong voice for policies that truly make a difference.
The only certainty with the coming election is that there will be change. We are planning for a number of possible scenarios, tossing around the “what ifs”, and trying to draw attention to the issues we care about. Whatever the outcome, it will change our world and set new directional signals to advance our agenda.
Within the parameters of our nonprofit, nonpartisan status, we are far from idle bystanders, and we are just as anxious as you to have the election behind us so we can doggedly pursue our agenda with whatever results it brings.
Thank you for your continued effort to pursue an advocacy agenda that is absolutely critical to the future of our field and the older adults and their families that depend on us.