Mr. President, Don’t Leave Seniors Behind, Again

The nation stands at a significant crossroads on the vital issue of how we care for our nation’s seniors in the aftermath of what we hope is the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon, we will face a care crisis: this country will have a greater share of elderly making up its population than ever before, with fewer and fewer people to tend to their needs.

As we progress through what has been a severely challenging year for long-term care, and more specifically assisted living and memory care, the problems staring down the industry are shared by the entire country.

Here in Washington, D.C., we witness a daily play-by-play of the turmoil, where lawmakers walk a tightrope in trying to avoid stumbles that could send our economy tumbling, without agreements on debt ceilings, government funding, and massive spending plans.

Set against the fiscal cliff that looms just a month or so away, the Biden Administration and its allies in the House and Senate are attempting to finesse the passage of nearly $5 trillion—with  a “T”—in new spending to rebuild our nation’s hard and soft infrastructure.

Added to the burdens for the long-term care profession has been the recent opening of Phase 4 of the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) application process. While largely playing out behind the scenes, this process will dole out some $17 billion to many different types of health care providers—without targeting any of this relief to senior living communities.

Assisted living does not usually take from the government; most assisted living residents are not reimbursing their care via Medicare or Medicaid. But this once-every-century pandemic is unique. The people most prone to fall ill from COVID need this help now.

The average age in assisted living communities is 85, and nearly one of four residents needs assistance with activities of daily living, such as eating, using a bathroom, or bathing.

Assisted living supports people in variety of ways beyond the 2 million Americans who call it home. These communities also support the nurses, aides, and staff who make all of the care possible. Yet these communities were not specifically written into the PRF funding program as priority recipients.

Many in Congress understand the need to support assisted living facilities, and have asked the president to target relief for seniors—but there is still no answer.

Facing this uncertainty, we have to ask the tough and basic question: Can you rebuild this economy and country without also building back senior care?

We say no, you cannot.

We need to make sure that our caregivers and communities that have been devastated by COVID-19 receive the investment, resources, and support the Administration spoke up for early on. The coming crisis presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Administration to launch what should be no less than a “Marshall Plan” for long-term care, including assisted living and Alzheimer’s and dementia care.  

The Provider Relief Fund is not designed to do enough. All providers are eligible for funding, and at the same levels; chiropractors and counselors will receive the same level of support as our caregivers, despite senior living communities having saved thousands of lives throughout the pandemic at great financial loss.

Well over 100,000 providers are anticipated to apply for relief via the PRF. Senior living will be forced to compete for amounts woefully inadequate for recovery. Millions of seniors’ homes will be at risk—as will the jobs of nearly 1 million caregivers. 

What assisted living facilities are asking for is simple: targeted pandemic relief from the Provider Relief Fund, and support for this critical infrastructure in upcoming spending legislation. We can’t build back America without building back senior care.

James Balda is the president and chief executive officer of Argentum, the senior living advocacy association based in Alexandria, Va.