URC hosted seven political candidates, as well as staff member from Sen. Tim Johnson’s (D-S.D.) office for a intergenerational event that brought together their nursing home residents and kids from their child development center. This isn’t that unique, but then there’s the 4-H club members and their “kids,” which included chicks, goats and a hen. Everyone got a chance to interact with these special visitors, whose visit was part of the organization’s Alleviating Loneliness in a Vibrant Environment (ALIVE) program for older adults.

But it wasn’t just about fun.  After the activity, URC staff talked with candidates about rising costs in long-term care. Employees shared statistics and gave a snapshot of the typical person URC cares for and the financial challenges this person may face. Staff also took questions from the visitors about the topic and their organization’s other programs and initiatives.

What’s the moral of the URC story? That interacting with policy makers can be fun, and sometimes, it’s that fun that helps them recognize the value providers offer to their older (and sometimes younger) constituents.

Has your organization hosted a unique event with policy makers? Let us know and we’ll feature it on the blog.

Grassley addresses a group of residents during his visit.

When a legislator visits, it’s easy to get caught up in the celebration and forget to talk about both the challenges and opportunities that come with helping older adults.

That didn’t happen at the Good Samaritan Society’s nursing home in Manson, Iowa.  Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) visited the organization last week and he got an honest take from staff about their work and that challenges that come with regulations.

When Grassley passed by the nurses’ station, he stopped to talk with nurse Diana Snow.  She was working on  paperwork, and the senator asked  if she thought she  spent too much time on paperwork and not enough with the residents. Diana hesitated, but the organization’s administrator and the senator encouraged her to respond honestly.  Here’s what she had to say: “All of this paperwork is due to some regulation.  and I don’t have enough time to spend with my residents.”  The senator told her he was  afraid she was going that regulatory compliance came  at the expense of spending time with residents.

Grassley also go feedback from a group of residents. He got questions on everything from his wife (they just celebrated their 56th anniversary) to more controversial subjects like Medicare and health reform. Grassley must have enjoyed the conversation, because a 60-minute question and answer session became a 90-minute one.

Whether you are talking to a U.S. senator or a city council member, I think that following Diana’s example is an important element in effective advocacy. Sharing challenges helps personalize the policies that these officials are developing and debating. Who knows, Diana’s comment to Sen. Grassley may make him take a second look at future regulatory legislation.

The original Hebrew Home at 415 M Street NW

If you talk Washingtonians about long-term care in the area, their responses will likely include the “Hebrew Home in Rockville” (also known as the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington). Either they’ve regularly  passed the community’s 30-acre campus in Rockville, know a friend of loved one who’s lived there or read about it in the newspaper. But I bet that most of these people don’t know that this organization began  a 100 years ago with a young Jewish immigrant helping his elder have a place to live.

In 1910, 22-year old Hymen Goldman  arrived to America with 20 cents in his pocket, but the experience of seeing his elder on the street encouraged to ask his father-in-law to help raise enough money for the man to live in a $3 a week boarding house. That boarding house later became the Hebrew Home’s first location. The home housed fifty older people and a matron who helped them. Today, the organization serves nearly 550 people , making it the largest nursing home in the mid-Atlantic region.

While the location and size may have changed, the tradition of service still remains a cornerstone of the organization’s work. ”There was a sense back then . . . that continues to exist today, that we have an obligation to care for vulnerable members of the community and to take care of our own. ” Hebrew Home CEO Warren Slavin said. Slavin’s statement is reinforced by talking to the people the organization. There’s immigrants, Holocaust survivors and war heroes and thanks to Hymen’s compassion, all of them have a place to call home.

Enter Omar Cain. He’s a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at a Philadelphia nursing home. He’s also a rapper who draws inspiration from both his co-workers and the people he serves. He asked them to share their experiences in the nursing home and used it as the basis of a rap called “Be Proud.”  He’s been entertaining residents and clients ever since.

He also got chance to share his talent outside the organization’s wall. On a trip to the state capitol, Cain shared a recording of “Be Proud” with a state legislator who later asked him to perform for a group of fellow legislators and staff members. He also performed a rap at the recent Pioneer Network conference that was written especially for the event.

You can hear Cain’s talent for yourself in this video. I know his words and wisdom got me thinking about how my interests could help improve the lives of seniors. What can you offer?

Representatives from AARP, the Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, the Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging and the local Social Security Administration office joined Foster at this event along with dozens of Fox Knoll residents.  The guests enjoyed cake as well as conversation with the congressman about issues affecting older adults in the district. Topics ranged from prescription drug prices to Social Security benefit changes.

Ethel Kiefer, a 103-year old resident, shared her memories of the program’s passage. “We didn’t think it would last!” she exclaimed.  Let’ s hope that Ethel’s prediction never becomes a reality.

The race for Florida’s open seat in the U.S. Senate is a hot topic both inside and outside the beltway, and AAHSA member Miami Jewish Health Systems (MJHS) is part of the action.

On Aug. 4, MJHS hosted Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I), who is also running as an independent candidate  for the Senate spot.  Crist spent almost two hours at MJHS, which is the largest provider of services for seniors in the state.

Crist toured the organization’s Rosomoff Comprehensive Pain Center, ambulatory health clinic and culture change dining program. He also took time to talk with a group of assisted living residents about different policies and programs that help Florida’s seniors, including the Silver Alert program that’s designed to help locate missing seniors.

Has your organization hosted a candidate for public office? We want to know. Please contact Sarah Mashburn at (202) 508-9492 to share your advocacy success story.

In the meantime, check out Governor Crist’s appearance at MJHS. What do you think about his remarks?

On July 29, I attended a candidate forum focused on the senior issues with my fellow blog writer Morgan Gable.  AAHSA, AARP DC and Iona Senior Services, along with several other local groups, sponsored the event that the D.C. Senior Advisory Coalition organized. Attendees were given the chance to submit questions for each of the three candidates to answer in just under a minute. As you can imagine, hot topics included housing , transportation and aging in place programs. It was interesting to hear the ideas and insights that each candidate shared.

Take current Mayor Adrian Fenty. He discussed his work to restore and build affordable senior housing in D.C. During his administration, more than 650 units of affordable housing have been built or restored, and he’s got plans to do more of that work if he’s re-elected.

D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray talked about his work to provide services to seniors inside and outside their homes. He discussed his advocacy for a recreation center in Ward 7 as well as his efforts to work with the different Villages popping up throughout the District.

Leo Alexander’s never held public office, but he has no shortage of ideas on how he could help seniors as mayor. He supports reducing the cost of cab fares for seniors and eliminating senior bus fares entirely so it is more affordable for seniors to navigate the city.

What I found interesting is that the seniors, and the candidates, got most excited to talk about the issues that affect voters of all ages, like education and crime. And I don’t think that the District’s older voters are unique in this regard. That’s why I would encourage more organizations to host similar forums in their communities. Does your organization have one planned? Let us know so we can promote it on the blog.

Not surprisingly, it’s a personal story that makes the case.  Charles Schrader’s first-person article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune about his family’s experience when the Ashton Care Center in Pipestone, Minn., closed.

The first part of Charles’ story is below. Let me know what you think. Is this just one story? Or does it foreshadow a trend we’ll see if change doesn’t happen?

Whoever said that “life’s what happens while you’re making other plans” got it right.

We briefly put our evening on hold to give ourselves time to “check our e-mail.” My wife’s was a real date-killer. Judy carefully handed me our laptop. “Here,” she said, “What do you make of this?”

A cryptic but carefully crafted e-mail from the management of Ashton Care Center, Pipestone, Minn., where my 98-year-old mother-in-law had been living the past two years, invited — no, urged — our attendance the following Monday evening at a family/ community meeting to discuss the “financial challenges” facing Ashton.

Our calm gave way to angst. What could this mean? Increased fees? Reduced services? Then it hit me: “The place is closing,” I suggested.

Last Friday night my wife and I had other plans. A pleasant supper out on the deck, followed by reading in the den, then a movie . . . Read Charle’s full article here.

Take Meals on Wheels. Or, the bus that takes your older aunt to her doctor’s appointments. There’s also the National Family Caregiver Support Program, which supports state and local programs to offer caregivers respite and supplemental services. These are just of the programs and services that are available thanks to the OAA.

Another thing you should know about the OAA is that the program’s reauthorized every 5 years. That gives policy makers and the public the opportunity to investigate how the OAA programs can be expanded and enhance to meet future needs. The reauthorization process is going on right now, and it’s time to share what you think needs to be added or improved in the OAA.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is hosting a national “idea exchange” focused on the OAA and what can make it better. On the exchange, you can share ideas big and small, comment on others’ thoughts and vote for what you think are the best opportunities to expand this legislation’s impact.

Look for a blog post later from AAHSA’s Morgan Gable highlighting some of our ideas.

State Senator John Carey (far right) poses with Bristol Village's residents and staff members.

Like many AAHSA members, National Church Residences offer seniors a variety of services that are designed to promote independence. NCR also knows it is important to share information about these services with policy makers. That’s why the organization recently hosted two state legislators at sites that showcase the different options NCR makes available to their older constituents.

In Columbus, state Representative Ted Celeste visited NCR’s InCare program. This program brings a variety of services, including therapy and hospice care, into everywhere from single-family homes to  affordable housing communities to help seniors maintain the highest quality of life while remaining independent.

A group of 15 InCare staffers talked about the program and specifically addressed what housing means for the people they serve in Representative Celeste’s district. Celeste also learned about the Stay UA program, a collaboration between InCare and the city of Upper Arlington, Ohio, where a part-time service coordinator fields non-emergency calls received by the Upper Arlington Division of Fire and makes referrals to social-service agencies that assist senior citizens with everything from preventing falls to home maintenance.

A couple of hours south, state Senator John Carey toured Bristol Village Retirement Community. Hospice also came up in the conversation there, but Carey also toured organization’s skilled nursing facility and met with home care staff to discuss their work with older adults. He also met with community volunteers and family members who’ve benefited from Bristol Village’s hospice program offerings.

From hospice to home maintenance, there’s plenty of programs out there that legislators should recognize and understand. What do you think is the “best kept secret” when it comes to legislators and aging services?