Once Merrill Gardens President Tana Gall found her voice in advocacy, she said, she became “attached” to telling senior living’s story.
Gall shared her experience with lawmaker site visits to several Merrill Gardens communities during Wednesday’s Argentum Advocates webinar, saying she realized she didn’t know what policymakers needed to do.
“My job was to tell our story, tell them who we support, how we support them, and how as lawmakers they can support us and the thousands of residents we support, and our team members,” Gall said. “I want my team members to understand how important this is.”
Gall, a 2021 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee, said she dove into advocacy because she “owes something big to this industry because I love it so much.” Stepping outside of the comfort zone of her company, she added, allowed her to support the industry on a bigger plane.
Throughout the year, Gall said, she encourages Merrill Gardens communities to host lawmakers from all levels of government—city, state and federal.
Argentum Director of Government Relations Dan Samson said that community tours provide lawmakers with a picture that allows them to make a connection to their constituents and gain a deeper understanding of what senior living provides for older adults and their caregivers, providing the human side of what’s at stake for senior living residents and their caregivers.
“One of the most effective ways to tell your story is through direct conversations with lawmakers, so they can see first-hand the daily life of residents and caregivers,” Samson said, adding that lawmakers need to hear how communities are affected by issues and how legislation can meet their needs in the future. “Show what life is like in our communities and how senior living is a solution to the long-term care challenges that face our country,” he said.
Various lawmakers have toured a variety of Merrill communities, Gall said. Among them are The Pines of Newmarket, an assisted living community in New Hampshire, as well as a Truewood by Merrill middle-market community in Seattle.
“It’s important for them to see the whole spectrum of people we serve,” Gall said. “It’s not just one — it’s a lot of different kinds of people.”
Samson shared several Argentum resources to help shape site visits with lawmakers, including its Standing With Seniors website, which was launched earlier this year and includes interactive maps with district and state data. Argentum also created a Community Visits with Lawmakers Toolkit with sample invitations, itineraries and best practices on hosting legislators, he said. In addition, the I ❤ Assisted Living campaign shines a spotlight on the positive experiences and role of senior living communities in the long-term care continuum.
