PHOENIX—As senior living providers adapt to the “new normal” of negative lay media attention and calls for federal oversight, they must step into the role of educator and share with lawmakers and others how the sector delivers high-quality services, care and experiences to 1 million residents.
That’s according to Maggie Elehwany, Argentum senior vice president of public policy, who spoke Wednesday during a session at Argentum’s Senior Living Executive Conference.
Various legislative initiatives are “percolating” at the federal and state levels that could affect what senior living providers are doing, Elewhany said. That’s why it’s important for providers to tell their stories, she said.
Congress, for example, kicked off 2024 with a focus on assisted living through a US Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing that focused on assisted living quality. The committee requested an investigation by the Government Accountability Office into senior living cost and transparency of assisted living. Just last week, three federal agencies — the Department of Labor, the Federal Trade Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — announced a “regulation dump” of rules affecting senior living providers and others on the long-term care continuum.
More recently, the FTC, Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice launched a cross-government public inquiry into private equity’s role in healthcare, including assisted living. In addition, an anticipated Health Over Wealth Act calls for greater transparency and accountability into healthcare entity ownership, but Elehwany said the bill improperly targets assisted living communities along with more clinical healthcare settings such as nursing homes and hospitals.
To counter the negative attention, Argentum called on stakeholders to share the value proposition of senior living, including its cost effectiveness, quality of life, improved outcomes and high resident satisfaction.
“It’s going to take all of us fighting to educate our policymakers,” Elehwany said.
Upcoming events
Also during the convention, Argentum announced two new events to address challenges and promote innovation in the senior living industry.
The Argentum Workforce Symposium will convene Aug. 5-6 in Arlington, VA, to explore issues in workforce development and management in senior living. Industry experts, thought leaders and executives will have the opportunity to collaborate with organizations such as workforce boards, community colleges, American Job Centers and Job Corps.
The Senior Living Leadership Summit, Nov. 18-20 in Austin, TX, will take a deep dive into the sector’s most pressing issues, including operational efficiency and resident care innovation, according to the association.
The conference ended Wednesday. Next year’s meeting will be May 19-21 in Tampa, FL.
