Thank you for spreading the word in your local community about aging services. Here are some general tips for using the resources that LeadingAge created for its members. If you have questions, please contact Gwen Fitzgerald, gfitzgerald@LeadingAge.org.

• Put the focus on your team members, especially the frontline, professional caregivers. Use real, not stock, photos. Include photos and quotes of employees, as well as residents and clients, if possible.
• Use the social media hashtags provided. Tag #LeadingAge in your Facebook and LinkedIn posts and @LeadingAge on Instagram.
• The more the merrier (get it?)–share multiple social media posts this season. Use photos of teams, pairs of care professionals and residents/clients or individual staff members.
• Make it fun. Can someone in your organization kick-off the series with an action in line with the theme? Plugging in lights. Sharing who they consider a bright light. Warming up with hot chocolate. Wearing a bright red nose.
• Incorporate video. Use mobile phone videos to spice up your social media. Videos don’t need to be highly produced. Short, genuine video messages from staff or residents will liven up your feed.
• When using the sample text (especially the letter to the editor), please modify the text a bit. We shared the letter with all LeadingAge members and want to reduce duplicate letters being published. Include your staff members’ or residents’ names (if they are comfortable) to personalize it.
• The letter to the editor is most likely to be published in medium to small cities and towns.