As the dust settles from the results of the 2024 general election, senior living advocates and organizations will be closely monitoring signals from the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump and 119th Congress.
Trump officially secured Wisconsin’s electoral college votes, pushing him past the 270 required to win the White House. On Wednesday the senior living industry woke up facing a hazy path ahead.
Leaders from organizations representing the industry called on the incoming Trump administration to craft policies that prioritize senior living industry’s best interests, including by promoting affordable housing and care. Leaders also were wary how the Trump administration’s strict immigration stance could negatively impact the state of America’s health care workforce.
Trade organizations monitor impact on senior living, care industries
Multiple senior living and care organizations have weighed in following the results of Tuesday’s general election result. The organizations, which included Argentum, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), LeadingAge and ACHA/NCAL, urged the president-elect to consider more policies that would aid senior living operators nationwide.
Argentum is calling upon the incoming Trump administration and new Congress to craft policy solutions that help older adults afford care needs, while also creating the workforce needed to provide increased services to older adults.
“Assisted living, a predominantly private-pay model, is the critical solution to the long-term care crisis. Because our communities are the most cost-effective form of LTC, policies are needed to allow our communities to thrive,” President and CEO James Balda said in a written statement provided to SHN. “Common-sense policies such as utilizing current federal workforce training programs, expanding public-private apprenticeship programs, and legal and targeted immigration reform can do much to solve the crisis.”
In the future, Balda said the Trump administration and new Congress must create opportunities and eliminate regulatory barriers to help meet the industry’s “great need” when it comes to providing affordable housing options and care.
“We believe we have opportunities with the new administration and Congress, but the senior living sector must do its part and ensure they fully understand the great value that our communities provide,” Balda said.
ASHA President David Schless noted the organization will continue to seek bipartisan solutions to various aspects impacting the future of senior living and health care.
“ASHA will remain committed to working with both sides of the aisle to educate policymakers about the significant value seniors housing makes to the overall health care system and federal government, in terms of Medicaid and Medicare dollars that are not spent when older adults access private care for their supportive housing,” Schless said.
In regard to potential future immigration reform that could be coming down the pike, Schless noted the importance of working with lawmakers to find solutions to the myriad workforce challenges faced by senior living operators and care organizations.
“There is recognition in Congress that immigration reform is necessary to address the shortages, but the political environment to date has not allowed for meaningful debate. We must continue to remind policymakers that the aging population will demand more workers soon. Any federal efforts that disrupts our ability to effectively staff and operate senior living communities is concerning and we must seek opportunities to influence sensible solutions,” Schless said.
In a statement issued to Senior Housing News on Wednesday, AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Clif Porter said the organization was “optimistic” that the incoming Trump administration would rescind the “unrealistic” staffing mandate, but noted the “multiple paths” for Congress and the courts to address the contentious issue.
“We are optimistic that a Trump Administration would rescind the unrealistic staffing mandate, but there are still multiple paths for Congress and the courts to address this issue as well. We will continue to pursue all angles to protect access to care and push for more meaningful workforce solutions,” Porter wrote in a statement.
Porter also noted it was “critical” for the incoming Trump administration and 119th Congress to “prioritize, support and invest in America’s seniors and their caregivers.”
“While we are eager to get to work, there is still much that can be accomplished before the end of the year. We urge lawmakers to pass legislation during the lame duck session that rationalizes regulations, expands workforce development, and increases access to care for seniors and individuals with disabilities,” Porter said.
LeadingAge CEO and President Katie Smith Sloan said the organization would work with Congress and presidential administration “regardless of party affiliation.” Smith Sloan also added that LeadingAge would continue to assess the political landscape as “there are still many unknowns” going forward.
“Near-term, we will focus on working with the Trump transition teams to share LeadingAge’s agenda and to gain a clear understanding of the new administration’s housing, aging, health- and long-term care goals,” Smith Sloan said. “As we learn more, we’ll have a better understanding of their potential impact on our members and those they serve – wherever they call home. That’s our top priority in the short term.”
LeadingAge Senior Vice President of Policy Linda Couch added the organization expects to “see movement on funding and policy goals” as it relates to America’s health care industries in the new administration’s first 100 days.
She added that “any anti-immigration stance” must be understood within the context of potential ramifications on the health care sector.
“As a rapidly aging nation, we simply do not have the bandwidth to dismiss legal immigration as a source of critically needed workers for our sector,” Couch told SHN. “We are focused on welcoming foreign-born workers through existing programs.”
Any potential deregulation and potential funding cuts are things the health care sector “cannot withstand,” and LeadingAge supports decreasing the administrative burden, but recognizes the importance of requirements ensuring programs are accountable to taxpayers while supporting the “necessary continuation of resources.”
“We hope this administration works with us to find the right balance,” Couch added.
Some ‘cautiously optimistic,’ others see ‘stark choice’ ahead
Senior living ownership groups and operators are also weighing in on the results of the general election.
National Health Investors (NYSE: NHI) CEO Eric Mendelsohn said during a third quarter earnings call with investors that the real estate investment trust (REIT) would be monitoring impending appointments made by the incoming Trump administration as it relates to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), citing former administrator Seema Verma’s leadership.
Mendelshon commended Verma’s leadership as being friendly to businesses operating in the health care sector.
“It’s still early days, but there’s definitely some pluses and minuses,” Mendelsohn said. “…If you recall, the head of CMS under the previous [Trump] administration was Seema [Verma]. She was actually very industry-friendly, so I’m cautiously optimistic.”
Mendelsohn highlighted supplemental CMS payments made to organizations since the Covid-19 pandemic that are “not a given” to continue in perpetuity.
“It’s very local, legislature-driven and very lobbyist-driven,” Mendelsohn added. “So those are some things we’re watching closely.”
Priya Living CEO Arun Paul noted the impact an incoming Trump administration, which campaigned on stringent immigration reform, could have on the availability of workers senior living organizations vitally depend on to care for millions of Americans.
“If we make choices that limit the availability of workers, we make choices that directly impact the cost and accessibility of care for our aging population,” Paul wrote in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday morning. “It’s important for everyone to understand the connection between policies, labor shortages, and rising costs of care.”
Paul notes that the senior housing and care industries face a “stark choice” between importing more workers to improve the caregiver shortage or face the tough reality of sending loved ones overseas to seek care.
“There’s an undeniable human and economic cost to ignoring this reality. And when the time comes for each of us, or our loved ones, to seek care, we’ll all feel the weight of these decisions. I hope the new administration carefully weighs these consequences and acts to ensure our seniors, and all of us, have access to care here in the U.S.,” Paul said.
