Advocacy Team: Strategy

Advocacy Mission: Our mission is to help seniors on Capitol Hill, and throughout the city, stay physically, emotionally, and fiscally healthy, and to live independently for as long as they wish.  We do this through: research, education, and advocacy, as well as collaboration with implementing partners, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. 

Advocacy Strategic Goals: To successfully advocate for a continuum of high-quality affordable services on Capitol Hill, and throughout the city:  

• In-home Assistance– providing aides to help seniors with the activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, eating, and mobility 
• In-home Health Services – providing home health aides, visiting nurse and physician services, and palliative care
• Adult Day Health Center (ADHC) - providing a range of programs for seniors with physical and cognitive challenges, as well as respite for family caregivers
• A range of housing options – including market-rate and subsidized residences suitable for seniors, as well as an assisted living facility (with memory, rehab, and respite care), coupled with several integrated Green House© homes where seniors can receive skilled nursing care in homelike settings 
• Recreational opportunities – providing activities to keep seniors active and fit
• Transportation services – helping seniors with transportation which is essential for maintaining their independence and health
• Hospice services – helping seniors attend to their palliative, emotional, and spiritual needs at the end of their lives 

Advocacy Strategies: We have identified several overarching strategies to help us achieve the above goals: 

•  Understand the issues.  We will use a three-staged approach to engaging on important issues:  
  • Discover–Prior to engaging in advocacy work, we will research the issue, understand the stakeholders, identify potential partners, and, when applicable, inventory and assess existing services  
  • Develop – Once we decide to engage, we will work with relevant stakeholders to develop a course of action 
  • Deploy – We will then utilize appropriate advocacy tools to help effect the changes we seek 
• Stay agile.  We will be responsive to changing circumstances and emerging opportunities.
• Work collaboratively. We will collaborate with stakeholders, and build trust by listening and following through.
• Make the best use of limited resources. Recognizing that the Advocacy Team is comprised of volunteers whose time is limited, we will focus our efforts where we can have the biggest impact.
• Leverage undeveloped areas on or near Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill East / Reservation 13, in particular, offers an unparalleled opportunity to build an innovative multi-generational neighborhood. We will work with stakeholders to ensure the development of this and other areas include a continuum of housing and services for seniors.