During 2020, LeadingAge has called on all Americans to Act for Older Adults.
LeadingAge Took Action
Amplify Our Voices
Five Essential Actions
About the Campaign
LeadingAge Took Action
Across the country, executives, care workers, residents, and their families and friends reached out to demand that Congress enact comprehensive relief for older Americans, including:
Contacting Congress
Members of Congress heard from providers who were on the front lines of this pandemic caring for and supporting residents, clients, staff, and families, by sending a message to their congressperson telling them that aging services providers need more resources to care for older adults.
Meeting with Your Member of Congress
LeaidngAge members scheduled virtual congressional meetings with their members of Congress. Our stories are very powerful in educating our leaders on what is needed. We provided members with materials to help with these meetings, including a Five Essential Actions overview, general talking points, Medicare home health talking points, and affordable housing talking points.
Direct Care Worker Appreciation
Six months after the day the World Health Organization declared coronavirus a global health emergency, we invited all Americans to acknowledge those who have gone above and beyond to protect the health and well-being of older adults during this pandemic. We saw an overwhelming show of love and thanks for care workers. Each post, picture, video, and message helped to ensure that our leaders in Congress see our support as they decide whether or not to fund care worker relief in the next legislation package. You can find many of the posts through the hashtag #Hearts4CareWorkers.
Five Essential Actions
LeadingAge is advocated for urgently needed protections for older adults and their care workers in nursing homes, assisted living, affordable housing, hospice, and home settings.
In April, LeadingAge outlined Five Essential Actions to protect older Americans from COVID-19. The only way to stop this slow-motion catastrophe is to provide real relief, which includes:
- Immediate access to ample and appropriate PPE for all providers who serve older Americans.
- On demand and fully funded access to accurate and rapid-results testing for older adults and their care providers.
- Assurance that states will consider the health and safety of older Americans as they reopen.
- Funding and support for aging services providers across the continuum of care—in nursing homes, assisted living, affordable housing, hospice, or wherever they call home.
- Recognition for the heroic frontline workers who are risking their own lives serving older people during this crisis.
About the Act for Older Adults Campaign
LeadingAge’s Act For Older Adults is a rally call to Americans from all walks of life to add their voice to our fight for older Americans. For too many months, pleas from older adults and aging services providers have gone unanswered. Together, we can ensure Congress hears their urgent call.
As Congress considers another COVID-19 relief package amid continued outbreaks across the country, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, urges lawmakers not to walk away from millions of older adults and their care providers.
As states continue to loosen restrictions, older adults and the people who care for them continue to become infected and many die. Aging services providers continue to grapple with the implications of a weak federal response at the start of the pandemic. Despite promises and press events from leaders, many nursing homes and other aging services providers are still without adequate PPE, testing, and other critical resources needed to safeguard older adults and their care workers.
We launched the campaign at a virtual press conference featuring LeadingAge President and CEO, Katie Smith Sloan, and two providers members. Visit our coronavirus page for all our media statements and coverage.