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What You’re Helping to Accomplish In Washington—and What’s Ahead

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The adage says that you can’t be in two places at once, but through Argentum, senior living advocates are able to have their voices heard in Washington while serving their communities.
In the past three months alone, Argentum has:

  • Met with more than 100 congressional offices and shared timely updates reaching every office on our federal priorities. Staffers receive an average of three updates each week.
  • Placed more than 9,000 phone calls directly from constituents.
  • Garnered nearly 3,000 emails sent directly from senior living residents and loved ones, caregivers, and other advocates.
  • Brought hundreds of Argentum members together for our virtual Public Policy Institute (PPI).
  • Helped more than 250 advocates at our virtual PPI meet directly with congressional offices.
  • Hosted seven members of Congress giving short addresses at PPI, who underscored the need for relief for senior living communities.

What it means to you

Last year, Argentum was successful in many advocacy initiatives that made and will continue to make a difference down to the individual community level:

  • Secured eligibility for senior living in the Provider Relief Fund and secured at least three distributions for eligible entities. This means some communities were able to get the funds they needed to make up for their significant investments in COVID-19 protection.
  • Led a 50-state initiative to establish liability protections for workers and facilities based on our model executive order. Creating the model lets people who understand senior living have a voice.
  • Advocated for priority testing and vaccination distribution and funding, ensuring that people in assisted living, for example, were among the first tiers.
  • Advanced workforce advocacy efforts to ensure adequate caregiver availability.
  • Led and funded the Standing with Seniors media campaign and grassroots efforts, helping raise awareness and educate the public about our industry.
  • Supported the reauthorization of Older Americans Act, including the definition of assisted living as a long-term care facility as defined by statute—this is a critical component of our advocacy to secure federal relief for senior living communities.

Paving the way

Unfortunately, President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package did not include any dedicated relief for long-term care facilities, including senior living.

  • Argentum had been able to secure several amendments that would have provided direct relief, but these didn’t make it into the final American Rescue Plan: An amendment offered by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) that directed $35 billion in new Provider Relief Funds and specifically enumerated assisted living as defined by the Older Americans Act, along with other senior congregate home providers.
  • An amendment from Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) to secure targeted funding for vaccines, testing, PPE, and other COVID-related costs, specifically referencing independent living, assisted living, memory care, continuing care retirement communities, personal care homes, adult care homes, and residential care facilities for the elderly.

While these amendments were not adopted, the efforts are not in vain. Our tireless efforts educating lawmakers on the critical needs of senior living operators is paving the way for future action. At the time of publication, letters are circulating on Capitol Hill at the request of Argentum: Bipartisan groups of lawmakers are urging the Biden administration for a fair and equitable allocation of the estimated $23 billion in remaining relief funds to senior living providers.

These letters, combined with the letter we sent to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra immediately following his confirmation, help underscore the need for relief.

It’s been just over a year since the pandemic dramatically altered our lives. A year ago, we could never have imagined the sheer scope of its horrifying impact, but so too we could never have imagined the progress we are making as cases plummet.

As communities begin to return to normal, Argentum will remain on the front lines advocating on behalf of the nearly 2 million seniors who call our communities home and our million caregivers who serve them. We remain committed to securing immediate financial relief through any means possible to recoup losses sustained from serving this most at-risk population, and counteracting increased oversight and scrutiny as we work to preserve the state regulatory oversight model that has served our communities and residents for decades.

Together, we can and will lead the industry in our advocacy efforts. We encourage everyone in the industry to join Argentum Advocates, a free program designed to educate and engage individuals who are interested in advocacy and policy issues related to the senior living industry. Collectively, we can influence change that will improve senior living care and services.