ADVOCACY & PUBLIC POLICY
New Program Gives You Support In Taking on a Role as an Advocate
The events of this year have sparked a strong desire—even a need—among many to have their voices heard. People who had not voted, volunteered, or written letters to federal representatives before changed to become fervent supporters. Many took part in local events, elections, and forums to advocate for support and changed policies for their families, communities, and states. People throughout senior living—pro-
viders, employees, families, and residents— used materials and opportunities provided through Argentum to get their voices heard. For instance, they sent about 60,000 letters advocating for more personal protective equipment, for relief funding for their busi- nesses and their heroic employees, and for vaccine priority and safe administration for their heroic residents, among other requests. The good news is that those who carried
out their advocacy through the open, acces- sible, and proper channels established for our democratic system saw this process work. Because our system works the way it does,
not everyone got everything they wanted. But as President Barack Obama told the 2016 graduating class in a speech at How- ard University, “change requires more than just speaking out — it requires listening, as well. In particular, it requires listening to those with whom you disagree, and being prepared to compromise.” “The point is, you need allies in a de-
mocracy. It can be frustrating and it can be slow. But history teaches us that the al- ternative to democracy is always worse. … And democracy requires compromise, even when you are 100 percent right. You can be completely right, and you still are going to have to engage folks who disagree with you. If you think that the only way forward is to be as uncompromising as possible, you will feel good about yourself, you will enjoy a certain moral purity, but you’re not going
to get what you want. And if you don’t get what you want long enough, you will eventually think the whole system is rigged. And that will lead to more cynicism, and less participation, and a downward spiral of more injustice and more anger and more despair. And that’s never been the source of our progress. That’s how we cheat ourselves of progress.”
An open door Understanding such principles and realities of the democratic process is key to making progress on our goals. While participating in this process is a right and responsibility, it can also be confusing, time-consuming, and difficult—especially for people fighting a global pandemic, as those in senior living must do on some level, every day. Who do you write to? What do you say?
How do you get a meeting to speak your piece? With complex and changing regula- tions, how do you know what to take action on, and when? Argentum Advocates has the answer. Ar- gentum launched this program so that you can cut through the confusion and make the progress you want to see in senior living. Assistance is tailored specifically to your
community’s needs. Argentum Advocates delivers the access, information, and alerts that make successful advocacy possible and simpler. At the same time, it helps Argentum build
its community of allies—the numbers and diverse voices that can bring effective change.
Your voice is needed While the $900 billion COVID-19 relief package signed into law at the end of 2020 contained additional funding for expanded COVID-19 testing and tracing for long- term care providers in the package, the funding allocated for the Provider Relief Fund falls woefully short of what the in- dustry needs and what former drafts of the legislation had suggested. And while Health and Human Services
realized the need to include funding for as- sisted living—partly due to advocacy, educa- tion, and raised awareness from Argentum allies—these desperately needed funds not only aren’t enough, but also have in some cases been unconscionably delayed. Argentum is leading the way with its
Argentum Advocates program, which is designed to educate and engage individuals who are interested in advocacy and policy issues related to the senior living industry. “Through the legislative process, we
have been able to educate lawmakers on the critical role of senior living for nearly two million older Americans, but there is more work to be done,” says James Balda, Argentum president and CEO. “Please join us in our fight for federal resources and in combating onerous and crippling federal regulation.” Getting your voice heard begins by going
to
argentum.org/argentumadvocates and opting in. Thank you for being part of this vital effort.
Argentum launched this program so that you can cut through the confusion and make the progress you want to see in senior living.
36 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021
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