Join us for April's #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices + #NotforProfitDifference Campaigns
April 2024, LeadingAge Texas and our members are participating in a month-long #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices and #NotforProfitDifference social media campaign, as part of our Bright Spots calendar, aiming to redefine perceptions, educate, and celebrate the essentiality of aging services while spotlighting the unique values brought by not-for-profit providers.
The aging services sector has never been more important to the lives of Americans. As our population grows older and the number of family caregivers shrinks, many families find themselves struggling to meet the needs of the older adults they love.
Opening Doors to Aging Services is a national-local LeadingAge initiative to introduce the aging services sector to millions of Americans–and to shift perceptions positively. The initiative provides clear, research-backed strategies and tested messages
to apply throughout your communications. You can help consumers understand the vital, quality services you deliver and showcase the sector to potential aging services employees by using Opening Doors guidance in your ongoing work. Learn more about the Opening Doors initiative here.
Not-for-Profits: There Is a Difference
Although the types of care and services provided by LeadingAge Texas members may vary, all are identical in one primary sense: they are not-for-profit. These providers have a long tradition of community service and concern, and these values drive the delivery of care and services. Their nonprofit approach places emphasis on providing an atmosphere of fellowship and caring; meeting the social, physical and spiritual needs of the individual; and helping older persons preserve the dignity and quality of life they deserve in their retirement years. They offer a commitment to quality that stems from a mission of service and history of compassion which has become the hallmark of the not-for-profit aging services provider.
Texas not-for-profit providers and caregivers are leading the way towards a greater purpose of helping older Texans age safely in the place they call home with innovative care and services, while treating each resident with dignity and respect.
Research shows that when we talk about our field, public confidence increases. The more we can speak with a collective voice, the stronger our sector will become.
To make it easy to participate, LeadingAge Texas is providing social media graphics, sample social posts, communication strategies, dos and don'ts, & more for members.
ENGAGE IN THE CONVERSATION!
Whether you’re using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram – or all of the above – engage your communities in the conversation.
Let’s work together to bring this new narrative to the public arena. Work with your team to determine how those resources fit your organization, your market, your community, and your brand. And then open your doors by telling your story to all
who will listen.
Be sure to follow us on social media at @LeadingAgeTexas, tag us, and use the hashtag #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices and #NotforProfitDifference in your posts. Feel free to use our sample posts below, edit as needed, and explore our social media banners and posts.
DOWNLOADABLE SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS
Not-for-Profit-Difference
#OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
SOCIAL MEDIA HEADERS:
SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS:
VIEW THE INSPIRATION GUIDE >>
SOCIAL MEDIA SAMPLE POSTS/TWEETS:
[IDEA: Develop a social media series featuring caregiving professionals and clients or residents living vibrantly with the help and support of aging services. Include testimonials from clients or their family members, whenever possible.]
- We all want to stay independent and healthy as we grow older. With extra help from aging services, we can keep contributing and better enjoy life. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- Many nonprofit aging services providers have been a special part of our communities for decades, and many are grounded in a range of faith traditions. Learn more about the not-for-profit difference: www.leadingagetexas.org/NFP #NotforProfitDifference
- Mission-driven aging services professionals, including [COMMUNITY NAME], are excited about a new focus by policymakers on the needs of older adults, and about finally building a system that supports
access to affordable care and services for all. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- Not-for-profit providers have a long tradition of community service and concern, and these values drive the delivery of care and services. #NotforProfitDifference
- As more of us grow older, most families need some kind of extra help. Whether it’s long term or for just a few days, quality care and services help us live better and thrive. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- Your community’s nonprofit and mission-driven aging services providers are dedicated to delivering a range of quality care and services. They are not motivated by the bottom line. Learn more about the nonprofit difference: www.leadingagetexas.org/NFP #NotforProfitDifference
- Texas not-for-profit providers and caregivers are leading the way towards a greater purpose of helping older Texans age safely in the place they call home with innovative care and services, while treating each resident with dignity and respect. #NotforProfitDifference
- Each of us has something to contribute, regardless of age. Whether we want to be productive in our work, volunteer in our communities, create art or ideas, or care for our families, extra help from aging services lets us keep improving our
lives and our communities. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- From basic help with daily chores to active lifestyle programs to critical medical care, aging services give us more control so we can better enjoy life. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- [Your Organization] exists to fulfill our mission of serving people while exercising good stewardship to support a sound enterprise for many years to come. #NotforProfitDifference
- LeadingAge celebrates all organizations that share a mission of service to older persons. Learn more about the nonprofit difference: www.leadingagetexas.org/NFP #NotforProfitDifference
- Many of us will need aging services—now or in the future—to help us stay independent, healthy, and lead full lives. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- At the heart of high-quality long-term care is creation of lasting relationships. [Your Organization] has been serving local communities for decades with stability that gives both residents and their loved ones lasting peace of mind. #NotforProfitDifference
- When you or an older family member needs extra help, you can trust mission-driven aging services providers to give you quality support at home and in other healthy and safe environments. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- Many nonprofit aging services providers have been a special part of our communities for decades, and many are grounded in a range of faith traditions. Learn more about the nonprofit difference: https://www.leadingagetexas.org/NFP #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- The compassionate professionals working in aging services are unsung heroes, experts in providing the essential support we need as we grow older. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- Professional caregivers are the heart of aging services. Their invaluable work keeps older Americans healthy, safe, and living life to the fullest—even under difficult circumstances. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- Aging services professionals are compassionate and dedicated, often becoming like family for those in their care. For them, providing the support we need as we grow older is a labor of love. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- We all have a right to a basic level of housing, health care, and essential support to lead fulfilling lives. Government must make a greater investment so aging services are accessible and affordable to all of us as we age. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- Government plays a critical role in meeting society’s obligations to older adults, but elected officials have failed older adults and the people who care for them by ignoring and underfunding America’s aging services for decades. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- The U.S. aging population is growing, and Americans want the government to make a greater investment to ensure aging care and services are accessible and affordable to all of us as we age. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
- DID YOU KNOW? The aging services sector provides the full array of services older adults need—from help with basic household matters at home to advanced medical care outside the home. #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices
MISSION-DRIVEN
- As a not-for-profit, [Your Organization] is committed to our mission of [describe]. As a chartered not-for-profit provider of senior services, [Your Organization] has a direct obligation to [sponsoring entity], our community at-large and our residents and clients. #NotforProfitDifference
- “Non-profit institutions exist for the sake of their mission. They exist to make a difference in society and in the life of the individual. The first task of the leader is to make sure that everybody sees the mission, hears it, lives it.” —Peter Drucker, Managing the Nonprofit Organization #NotforProfitDifference
- At the heart of high-quality long-term care is creation of lasting relationships. [Your Organization] has been serving local communities for decades with stability that gives both residents and their loved ones lasting peace of mind. #NotforProfitDifference
- As a not-for-profit, [Your Organization] is committed to innovation and continuous quality improvement, with a goal of improving the entire field of aging services. We tailor our services to address unmet needs within our communities. #NotforProfitDifference
- Not-for-profit organizations have been at the forefront of improving services for older persons, pioneering the introduction of new options such as “small house” nursing centers. Not forprofits also have been driving important reforms, including reductions in the use of restraints and psychotropic drugs in nursing centers. #NotforProfitDifference
- The main focus of [Your Organization] is not to create revenue, but to create better options for the people we serve. Our residents and clients know we are setting high standards for quality today and are focused on constant improvement for the future. #NotforProfitDifference
- Like many not-for-profits, [Your Organization] offers residents the assurance of knowing they can have lifelong access to living arrangements and services should they outlive their financial resources through no fault of their own. #NotforProfitDifference
- Like many not-for-profits, [Your Organization] offers multiple ways for older persons to find a satisfying living arrangement or the care they need, whether home-based or in living arrangements ranging from independent housing to 24-hour skilled nursing. This continuum of services allows people to access the services they need in the place they call home. #NotforProfitDifference
- The latest evolution in senior services revolves around respecting the needs and desires of the individual, rather than fitting the individual to traditional patterns of the facility. Many not-for-profit providers are at the forefront of this change. #NotforProfitDifference
GOVERNANCE
- [Your Organization] exists to fulfill our mission of serving people while exercising good stewardship to support a sound enterprise for many years to come. #NotforProfitDifference
- [Your Organization] is overseen by a board of directors whose members volunteer their time and talents to ensure quality services and management. With no expectation of financial gain, our board members are committed to making sure we remain true to our mission, respond to local needs, plan effectively for the future and manage financial resources effectively. #NotforProfitDifference
- [Your Organization] recruits board members with expertise in a wide range of disciplines that relate to our mission. The expertise of our board members helps keep our organization abreast of community needs and expectations, trends in health care and disciplined business practices. #NotforProfitDifference
- Because [Your Organization] is overseen by a board of directors, our leadership may have more autonomy to make decisions that are in the best interest of residents than the leadership of local competitors that are part of a private equity chain. #NotforProfitDifference
- [Your Organization] manages our financial resources in accordance with our mission. Like many not-for-profit providers of aging services, [Your Organization] was founded by a [faithinspired/civic] group with a rich tradition of service to others. Those long-standing values were incorporated into our organization from the start and are reflected in our governance and management today. #NotforProfitDifference
- Our volunteer board members have a deep awareness of evolving local community needs. They play an important role in bridging our offerings to people outside of our communities. [Your Organization] has a strong commitment to being an active, contributing member of the localities we serve. We embrace opportunities for social accountability, not only to identify community needs, but to exercise leadership in meeting them. #NotforProfitDifference
ADD THE #NOT-FOR-PROFIT-DIFFERENCE TO YOUR WEBSITE:
The Difference is Clear
[Your Organization]is a member organization of LeadingAge Texas, an association representing not-for-profit services and facilities for the older adults. The association is comprised of more than 350 members, including approximately 200 of Texas' finest retirement housing communities, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, nursing homes, and home and community based services providers. Over 30,000 older Texans reside in LeadingAge Texas-member communities.
LeadingAge is the leader in engaging providers, policymakers, researchers, advocates, regulators, and consumers to develop policies and practices that make our field the center of innovative, quality housing and care for those who need it most in our society.
Setting the Standard
Our nation’s not-for-profit housing, community-based, and long-term care service providers are on a mission. Their objective: to provide the highest quality and the most compassionate care to those they serve. By continuing a tradition of mission-driven, consumer-centered management and competent, hands-on care, not-for-profits set the standard in the older American housing and service continuum.
Mission-Driven Values
Not-for-profit organizations manage their financial resources in accordance with their missions. Many non-profit housing and service providers were founded by faith-based and civic groups from rich traditions, and their longstanding values are still reflected in their governance and management. They are not driven by daily pressures to increase the bottom line for owners, investors, or shareholders; quality, rather, is the barometer of a not-for-profit organization’s efforts.
Accountability
Non-profit organizations are accountable to voluntary boards of directors, who donate their time and talent to ensure that ethical management, financial integrity, and quality services are maintained. Non-profit finances are always open for public inspection, their information readily available on the internet. Non-profits have a responsibility to be active, contributing members of their localities.
Quality
Non-profit providers have a longstanding tradition of leading with quality. A review combining results from 82 studies that compared not-for-profit and for-profit nursing homes found that not-for-profit aging service organizations produced superior outcomes on several quality measures.
Showcase your affiliation with LeadingAge Texas by featuring our logo on your website & within your community… we are stronger by association!
SAMPLE EMAIL OR NEWSLETTER BLURB
Join us April 2024 for #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices and #NotforProfitDifference
Hey all,
This April, LeadingAge Texas is embarking on an insightful month-long campaign, merging #OpeningDoorstoAgingServices and #NotforProfitDifference to celebrate the significance of aging services and highlight the distinctive values of not-for-profit providers in delivering care to older adults.
The aging services sector plays a pivotal role in our livems. As our population ages and family caregiving faces challenges, understanding and access to quality care for older adults become essential. We're uniting to redefine perceptions, educate, and spotlight the critical role aging services play in our communities.
Research demonstrates that discussing our field bolsters public confidence and shapes perceptions positively. By combining our voices, we amplify our impact. Let’s collectively redefine the aging services sector’s narrative. Check
out the toolkit for more information: leadingagetexas.org/OpeningDoors
We invite you to engage with us as we delve into the significance of aging services and showcase the values of not-for-profit providers. Your participation matters!
OPENING DOORS TO AGING SERVICES - STRATEGIES:
Fear and denial about aging keeps people of all ages from thinking about aging services until they face an immediate need, and some are skeptical of the sector. But knowledge and experience with aging services increases trust, and moves many—including
skeptics—to view the sector more favorably. With Opening Doors to Aging Services, we have an opportunity to define the sector and all it has to offer older adults and their families. Click here to view the Dos and Don'ts tip sheet to keep your communications aligned with the Opening Doors to Aging Services strategy for maximum impact.
- Offer a look inside aging services.
We know our sector is not well understood by the public and other stakeholders, so invite people to experience the value you bring to older adults in your community—virtually, in-person,
or through storytelling. Show transparency, accountability, and a commitment to quality of life.
- Emphasize independence and strength.
Demonstrate how getting extra help from the aging services sector can mean greater independence and the ability to continue to do things that are important to us. Avoid framing communications
around the needs and frailty of older adults, but around their value, dignity, and ongoing contribution.
- Highlight dedicated, compassionate care professionals.
The public overwhelmingly supports front line care professionals who support us and our families even under difficult circumstances. Spotlight the people who work
in aging services, and highlight the bonds between care professionals and the older adults they serve.
- Demonstrate a commitment to delivering quality care and services.
Do not talk about the sector or individual providers as in crisis (older adults and their families are experiencing crisis). Emphasize quality and underscore
how you are mission-driven—and if you are a nonprofit, say so.
- Focus on older adults and their families, not on providers.
It’s not about providers; it’s about the people we serve. Tell stories and frame communications from the perspective of the older adults and families—and enlist
them as messengers.
- Talk about us, not them.
A majority of us will need some kind of long-term care as we age—so do not talk about older adults as “them,” but “we” and “us.”
- Frame aging services as a basic right for everyone.
The public believes that every American has a right to receive a basic level of housing, healthcare, and essential support regardless of age. Stress that a range of
care and services is available for people from all walks of life. Reinforce the government’s role in ensuring affordable access for all.
- Personality and Tone:
Upbeat, Open, Straightforward, Surprising, Compassionate, Competent, Dedicated, “We Got You.”
- Visuals and Design:
Strong design and visuals are imperative when communicating with older adults and their families. Leverage design, real-life images, and other graphics in your communications materials to capture the
viewer’s attention and maximize impact.
- Tactical Plan:
The principles of Opening Doors to Aging Services can be a filter for work across all branding, communications, and marketing. Apply the guidance and core messages in your everyday work to improve and reinforce
understanding and positive perceptions of the aging services sector and your organization. Opening Doors to Aging Services can also be used to mount a stand-alone awareness campaign in your community. Employ a range of tactics to reach
your target audience, including: Community Events and Partnerships, Social Media, Paid Media & Media Relations
GRAPHICS GUIDANCE
Images and videos are powerful. The use of photos, graphics, and videos is an effective tool to enhance your communications and the public’s understanding of the sector. Click here for the Opening Doors Visual and Design Guide.
Exclude ageist or stereotypical photos or images. Harmful stereotypes can include classic tropes of ageism like canes, buns, gray hair, and other caricatures of older adults. You should also avoid using unrealistically positive
images of older people—not all of us are skydiving and doing yoga on the top of a mountain.
Choose authentic images that capture the viewers’ attention. Use images showing people engaged in activity with one another—using photos of your own community as often as possible. Do not rely on stock images that are too staged
or steeped in sadness, frailty, or inactivity.
Depict engagement and independence. Show older adults in action, enjoying life, and being engaged with the world around them. Don’t mislead or avoid reality, but favor images that capture moments of connection, contribution, and
self-determination.
Reflect the breadth of older adults in this country. Make sure the viewer sees themself or someone they know represented in images. Include meaningful diversity of age, race, ability, behavior, and culture.
Showcase your care professionals. Your direct care staff are among your best assets, so include them in videos and photos. Capture their moments of compassion, dedication, and professionalism.
Feature people and emotions whenever possible. Include older adults, family members, and caregiving professionals in images that capture their compassion, caring, joy, and happiness. Avoid eliciting coldness or isolation with
images of buildings, empty rooms, or parts of the body like hands, without context.
TACTICAL PLAN
Community Events and Partnerships
Direct engagement with the public in your community is an ideal way to build authentic awareness of the aging services sector.
To maximize visibility, invite local public and media personalities to attend or emcee events that you host. Provide information or training on effective messages and encourage presenters to use their own words to maintain authenticity.
Host community forums: Invite community members to learn from your expertise through online or in-person sessions featuring aging experts on relevant topics, such as:
- Aging at home
- Combating isolation
- Exercise and nutrition
- Memory care
- Pandemic safety
Participate in community events: Seek out community events to attend, such as block parties or picnics, county fairs, fun runs/athletic events, or music festivals.
- Develop a short presentation and materials about your organization, its services, and people.
- Include dynamic caregiving professionals and clients/residents as speakers.
- Gather names of interested community members and encourage social media follows.
- Develop a follow-up action for interested community members.
Create community partnerships: You can implement on your own—or identify allied organizations, agencies, or businesses in your area for partnerships. Potential partners might include:
- Churches, synagogues, mosques, or other religious groups
- Civic associations (Junior League, neighborhood civic associations, Rotary Club)
- Community groups (animal rescue, friends of the parks, advocacy groups, boys and girls clubs/scouts)
- Local government (city or county) council or commission on aging
- Public safety organizations (fire departments, municipal police, National Guard, etc.)
- Community colleges and schools
- Volunteer recruitment organizations
Social Media
Capitalize on social media’s reach, ease-of-use, and cost-effectiveness to reach target audiences by posting Opening Doors to Aging Services content daily, across all channels. Be sure to monitor engagement
and boost posts that generate a strong response.
- Update social media landing pages to reflect Opening Doors to Aging Services strategies, messages, messengers, and images.
- Develop a social media series featuring caregiving professionals and clients or residents living vibrantly with the help and support of aging services. Include testimonials from clients or their family members, whenever possible.
- Host Facebook Live events to offer community members a virtual way to meet your caregiving professionals and learn from your expertise (consider holding virtual versions of your in-person community events).
- Invite caregiving professionals and clients or residents to serve as messengers for Opening Doors to Aging Services by sharing your social media posts and creating their own.
- Share LeadingAge and LeadingAge Texas social media posts to augment your content.
Paid Media
Leverage paid media, on a budget of any size, to reach new audiences. Establish benchmarks to track effectiveness and modify ads or placements as needed/possible.
- Small budget: Boost posts or create ads on social media with a targeted buy.
- Medium budget: Expand social media with radio ads/sponsorships or digital advertising on news and lifestyle sites.
- Large budget: Place local television and print advertisements. Purchase outdoor advertising (transit ads or billboards).
Media Relations
Media outlets are pivotal to shift the narrative on aging services by debunking myths about aging services and covering “good news” stories from the sector.
Educate journalists about aging services and your organization. Editors, reporters, and journalists, like members of the public, need help understanding the sector. Develop tools, materials, and opportunities for
them to learn more.
- Develop simple and clear materials to use in all your media outreach, including an informative boilerplate and fact sheets about the sector, your services, and the people you serve as a convenient backgrounder for the media.
- Invite key members of the media for a coffee chat to give them background on the sector and your organization. Be prepared to share facts and stories that embody the principles of Opening Doors to Aging Services (and don’t pitch them—just
offer yourself as a source).
- If you serve adults at a campus, community center, or congregate living community, offer an introductory tour to members of the media (when safe) to show them how you help older adults maintain their health, independence, and quality of
life.
Find, develop, and pitch feature stories. Many local outlets seek out feature stories from their community—you can be an ongoing source of inspiration and ideas.
- Begin building a story bank, with narrative and related visuals. Help the reporter by providing as many details as possible and by making relevant people available for interviews.
- Leverage holidays, happenings, and news events as a “hook” for your stories. Build those stories and pitch them in advance, so reporters have plenty of time to develop their pieces for publication.
- Create your own “hooks” for stories that don’t align with external events. Possible themes: cutting-edge technology or approaches, extraordinary clients or residents, and dedicated professional caregivers. (Many TV stations have “Hometown
Heroes” segments.)
Invite journalists to join events and celebrations. Leverage your own annual events and celebrations by inviting the media to attend. Issue a press release, make key people available for interviews, or offer key journalists
a chance to participate (as a host or emcee, for example).
Maintain a media contacts list that includes key media outlets and journalists. Keep your media lists current and diverse, including:
- Outlets covering aging, health, longevity, family, homes/ lifestyles
Reporters and editors who cover aging, health and health policy, metro/region, state legislature and lifestyle
- Opinion writers, columnists, and editorial writers who cover aging, family, health, health legislation
- TV assignment editor for general news
- Community or “good news stories” reporter and/or public service director
- Producer for radio talk shows that cover aging, health, lifestyles, family
RESOURCES
Please check out the Opening Doors to Aging Services website for more information & materials
This information is provided for general context when presenting the differences between not-for-profit and for-profit providers of aging services. We recognize that there are many quality providers of care and services both in the notfor-profit and private sectors. LeadingAge and its members salute all quality providers and celebrate the mission of service to meet the needs of senior adults.
Thank you to LeadingAge
