Let Mayor Bowser know what District residents need to age well in our city. You can get involved by joining AARP DC and writing to the mayor using the link in the box below, and by participating in the Mayor’s Senior Budget Engagement Forum on February 28^th. Engaging in both opportunities is the most effective way to have your message heard.

Last week, AARP DC called on the Mayor and the Department on Aging and Community Living (DACL) to fulfill its promise of an Age-Friendly DC by preventing budget cuts and filling service gaps for essential senior support services. These initial budget priorities include Senior Villages.

Excerpt from AARP's Message on Senior Villages:
"Senior Villages are quickly proving to be an essential lifeline to older adults and a cost savings to the District’s budget. AARP is happy to learn of DACL’s commitment to secure equal funding for all 13 villages in FY2025. According to the 2022 DC Village Impact Report, DC Villages provide over 27,000 hours of unpaid service for elder Washingtonians within a 12-month period totaling $1.59 million in value. This included 5,000 medical and recreational rides, 1,800 grocery deliveries, 3,974 socialization events, 12,069 friendly visits, high intensity support to over 600 older adults, and a host of other services."

There is power in numbers! Let your voice be heard! NNV Full Members who need help navigating these online advocacy options can request volunteer help by contacting the office at 202-935-6060 or info@nnvdc.org.

Calls to Action:
Join AARP DC in calling on Mayor Bowser to support older adults across the District. Click and SHARE the following link to send your own letter, sharing the priorities listed below:
https://action.aarp.org/secure/tell-mayor-prevent-budget-cuts-and-fill-gaps

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Attend Mayor’s Senior Budget Engagement Forum
Wednesday, February 28 at 11:00 a.m.
Call In: (844) 881-1314
RSVP: Visit budget.dc.gov. After you RSVP, scroll to the bottom of the page to complete the survey.

Watch parties will also take place at all Senior Centers. Click here for a list of Senior Centers.
The Ward 3 Watch Party will be held at St. Albans' Active Wellness Program, located at 3001 Wisconsin Ave, NW - in Satterlee Hall. No RSVP required.
Directions: St. Albans is located just north of Cathedral Ave, NW and the entrance is on Lych Gate Road – a quick right turn just past the bus stop.
Parking: Free street parking is available on both sides of Wisconsin Ave., NW.

Issues to address in your survey and letter (Read the full list of AARP priority issues here):

• Caregiving and In-Home Support Services
• Senior Villages
• Hispanic/Latino Senior Services

In addition to those issues addressed by AARP, please urge Mayor Bowser to support the Direct Care Workers Amendment Act of 2023 to address the Direct Care Worker Shortfall Crisis:

For years, Villages across DC have joined the Long Term Care Coalition (LTCC) to advocate in support of direct care workers. There is an alarming shortfall in the Direct Care Workforce.This workforce includes Home Health Aides, Personal Care Aides, Certified Nurse Aides, and Certified Medication Aides who are all vital for the wellbeing of older individuals.

In January 2024, an annual survey by the LTCC of direct care worker staffing agencies indicated a deepening crisis. Indeed, in the past year alone, DC lost 4,489 direct care workers, representing 30% of total workforce. Despite this, meaningful reforms have yet to be enacted by District leaders. To rebuild this workforce, we need to support the Direct Care Workers Amendment Act of 2023.

This bill, recently introduced in the DC City Council, aims to address these issues, particularly by raising wages to competitive levels and reenacting pandemic-era waivers for hiring workers credentialed in Maryland and Virginia.