Argentum-led SENIOR Act is Introduced!

Argentum is pleased to share that Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) have introduced the SENIOR Act (Safeguarding Elderly Needs for Infrastructure and Occupational Resources). The legislation came at Argentum’s request and addresses the imminent need for investing in human infrastructure to support America’s rapidly aging population.

This legislation would sustain senior living caregivers in the wake of COVID’s financial devastation and renew America’s attention to the value of frontline healthcare workers assisting our seniors by:

1. Growing the senior caregiver workforce. The SENIOR Act builds upon existing workforce programs that have proven successful in meeting our nation’s varying healthcare requirements. Specifically, it bolsters workforce development programs within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) by emphasizing geriatric care and the needs of this vulnerable population. Expanding the caregiving workforce and increasing the number of individuals eager to serve our nation’s seniors will address the systemic workforce shortages that have been exacerbated by COVID.
2. Creating a Caregiver Sustainability Fund for struggling caregivers. The SENIOR Act establishes a Caregiver Sustainability Fund (CSF) to ensure that critical caregivers who are still struggling financially due to extreme COVID-related losses and insufficient federal relief—such as assisted living communities—can keep their doors open. Assisted living caregivers incurred over $30 billion in losses while keeping seniors safe during the pandemic yet received less than 1% of the Provider Relief Fund. The majority now operates at a financial loss. The CSF would stabilize assisted living caregivers and other senior congregate caregivers who can demonstrate significant and uncompensated COVID-related losses due to direct senior care.

The legislation is a result of our continued advocacy campaigns: Save the PRF (July 2021), Release the PRF (August-September 2021), and Don’t Leave Assisted Living Behind, Again (October 2021-present), where we placed billboards, yard signs, media, activated grassroots and grasstops outreach, and leveraged other campaign resources at key lawmakers to generate interest in targeting provider relief for assisted living.

Argentum hosted a briefing for Congressional staff yesterday, which included remarks by Representative Trahan on the importance of the SENIOR Act:

We will be working closely with lawmakers to increase support of the bill, drawing on months of advocacy informing Congressional offices on the urgent and specific needs of assisted living providers that have not been met in prior phases of the PRF or through other pieces of legislation.

We Need Your Help! We need as many constituent letters as possible urging support of this legislation. Pre-written letters are available here that can be sent by any senior living advocate: a resident or their family member, a frontline or administrative staff member, or anyone else passionate about the residents for whom we care.