Barbara Searles Squire is another one of these courageous women pioneers. She became a WASP in 1944 and did everything  from test-fly planes to help with combat training. Now, she’s a resident The Terraces of Los Gatos  who spends more time sailing than flying. But she’s still a pilot at heart:  ”When I get on a commercial flight, I ask if there are any female pilots. If there are, I talk to them and say, ‘You’re here because we were here.’ It’s just such a special thing.”

Yesterday, thousands of WASPs like Stella and Barbara got the recognition they deserved when they received a Congressional Gold Medal for their service. More than 200 WASPs, including Barbara, attended the ceremony. Along with the usual fanfare, the group honored the 37 women who died while serving as WASPs. I think Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), also the first women to serve as  leader of the House of Representatives, said it best: “Women Airforce Service Pilots, we are all your daughters; you taught us how to fly,”"Women Airforce Service Pilots, we are all your daughters; you taught us how to fly.”

There are Barbaras and Stellas living in communities across the country. You may know them as friendly grandmothers, retirement community residents or active volunteers. But whatever the case, be grateful for the role these women’s service played in protecting, and changing, our country. I know I am.

Ted Goins with his granddaughter, Addy.

Even though I haven’t met her, I’d like to thank 2-year-old Addy. She got her grandpa (and AAHSA member) Ted Goins started on the social media journey…and now he’s leading his organization, Lutheran Services for the Aging in Salisbury, N.C.

It started because Ted’s daughter refused to send more photos of Addy and urged her dad to join Facebook. Then, he started to realize the potential making Facebook “friends” could offer his organization. Almost a year later, Ted’s helped his LSA develop a blog, a Twitter feed and a Facebook page.

If you didn’t hear him speak at our conference last week, check out this blog post. Reading it will help you learn a little more about Ted and Addie, as well as the need for making social media a part of our work in aging services. Enjoy!

Recently, Coldwell Banker conducted a survey among their sales staff which found that  multi-generational living is a burgeoning trend in real estate.  More than 35% (37%)  of rea;tors stated they saw an increase in homebuyers looking for homes that could accommodate more than one generation of their family. Why? Realtors report that four in 10 clients cited financial reasons, while 29% said the housing change was in response to care needs. Just six percent cited a “strong family bond.”

These statistics don’t surprise me. I know many a person who grew up with a grandparent in the home because the older loved one needed help getting around or the parents needed help making mortgage payments. But what I’m wondering is how this trend affects people’s personal dynamics and our country’s political dynamics. As more baby boomers age, will they soon start knocking on their children’s doors asking for help and a place to live? What will this mean for their children (and their children’s children)?

How will legislators respond as more people have multi-generational households because of health and financial needs? I can think of lots of policy decisions that could help:  Build more affordable senior housing. Provide caregivers with support through a long-term services and supports insurance trust. Have Medicare and Medicaid cover some of the costs of home modifications. But the real question is, will policy makers choose to support these policies?

In this situation, I think the real experts are the people who are living in multi-generational households. What’s the experience been like for you? And what can both the private and public sector do to improve it for everyone living in your home?

I’m happy to report that goal was achieved. All day, members called and e-mailed stories about legislators and staff members from the both sides of the aisle who were ready to take on these issues head on. Among the highlights:

• One group of Ohio members visited seven congressional offices and met with Representatives  Steve Austria (R-Ohio) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio).
• Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) accepted an invitation to visit Woodmere Senior Housing Community “whenever they will have him.”
• Jim Nyberg of the Rhode Island state association met with Sen.  Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and staff. They were surprised at 202 funding elimination and discussed the issue indepth.

You can view photos from these meetings as well as live updates from members here. Let us know your Hill visit story and we’ll add it to the blog.

For those of you who don’t speak Hebrew, l’chaim is a traditional toast “to life.” Cedar Village, an AAHSA member in Ohio, has taken that phrase to heart in their work for older adults. They even produced a song and video that shows their commitment to keeping their work lively… and the blue boas are just the start of it!

How do you keep your organization focused on life?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A1_O-pplGw]

But before they visit, they’ll get armed with ideas, insights and inspiration at a Capitol Hill Caucus featuring political strategist Donna Brazile.

So far, we know of members will be visiting with Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and  Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). But other legislators have tentatively agreed to attend meetings as well.

Watch out for updates as the day progresses. And check out AAHSA’s Twitter feed for live coverage of the caucus.

CLASS is one of 10 key elements in the President’s proposal. Unlike any of the other elements, CLASS directly addresses the need to make long-term services and supports more affordable and accessible for millions of older adults and people with disabilities.  AAHSA along with dozens of other aging and disability advocacy groups have worked tirelessly to keep CLASS in health reform, and the Administration’s inclusion of it in the proposal is an important step on this journey.

Next up is the President’s health care summit on Thursday. There, both Republican and Democrat lawmakers will come together to discuss what they can do to make America’s health care system better for its people. Write your legislators and  tell them why CLASS must be a part of that new system.

Marsha’s just one success stories NCR featured in a “Faces of Affordable Housing with Services” brochure. Her story, along with four others, highlights why affordable housing with services is good public policy through names and faces, not just statistics.  These kinds of stories do make a difference. The President’s budget  funds housing with services next year.  

But  here at AAHSA, we don’t just need the success stories, we need the struggle stories.  We know there are 10 people like Marsha waiting for every unit that becomes available.  Yet, the president’s budget does not propose any funding for the 202 program. 

That’s where you can help. Who  are the people you know that are waiting for what  NCR and other housing providers have to offer?  How are they getting by while they wait? We’ll make sure to share their struggle stories as we need to Capitol Hill next week.

The theme of this year’s Homecoming is Who Decides?.  We chose this theme  as a platform to help our members launch a conversation about the future of aging in their communities. It also offers a perfect opportunity them  to highlight their organziations’ understanding of the aging population and leadership in serving elders.

Want to plan a homecoming event in your community? Use our our Homecoming Toolkit. It features event ideas, planning tips, sample resources and strategies to get media attention for your celebration. Once you’ve set a date, tell us your plans so we can feature you on the blog.

Extending Medicaid Match. The administration  called for extending by 6 months the increased federal Medicaid match that originated with last year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Many states are still hurting from the effects of the recession and this additional funding will be needed well into 2011 to prevent cuts in services for older adults.

Medicare Payment Update. Many Medicare and Medicaid issues that otherwise might appear in the budget are still tied up in health reform legislation.  AAHSA’s priority is  ensuring that our members  receive the regular Medicare payment update in 2011, whether in health care reform or budget legislation.

Affordable Housing: Good and Bad. The good news is that the Administration listened to our proposal for making the Section 202 senior housing program the platform for the delivery of supportive services. The bad news is that while the program is revamped, the administration requested  no new funding to expand the Section 202 program. We will urge Congress to restore funding for new capital advances in the fiscal year 2011 budget and spending legislation.

Older Americans Act Programs. President Obama also requested a 7.4% funding increase for Older Americans Act programs that will help providers develop and expand home and community-based services programs and support caregivers in the community. There is also a focus on eliminating fraud and abuse in Medicare will help improve health care for older adults.

Jobs. The administration is emphasizing jobs.  We must emphasize that senior housing construction equals jobs.  Services that help people stay at home equals jobs. Improved Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement equals jobs.

The next step is up to Congress.  That’s why we’re asking you to contact your legislators and urge them to support proposals to enhance aging services and to add resources that will enable their older constituents to receive  the services they need, when they need them, in the place they call home. We’ll post another update once Congress starts their work on the budget process.