Raising resident voices

“The most meaningful advocacy occurs when the people the work sets out to impact are sharing their own stories,” says Emily Levine, 2Life Chief of Advocacy. Emily explains that an important tenet of 2Life’s work to improve the systems that serve seniors is to include those very seniors in the work of changing the policy landscape. 

“Seniors speak eloquently about issues like loneliness, affordability, and what living in community means to them,” she says. “They also identify the barriers they encountered prior to living in community.” 

Education and engagement 

2Life recently led a session at Brown Family House aimed at preparing residents to engage more directly in our organizational advocacy efforts. The session covered everything from what lobbying is (and is not) to current policies and statistics illustrating barriers to better serving older adults in Massachusetts. It also explored where residents’ stories fit in and provided a forum for residents to help guide 2Life’s advocacy agenda by identifying issues they are concerned and passionate about. 

At the conclusion of the session, participants put what they learned to work, advocating for the passage of the Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act — legislation authorizing the largest investment in affordable housing in Massachusetts history. The legislation advances tools to produce significantly more housing, particularly for individuals and families with the lowest incomes. The bill also includes immediate policy initiatives to put housing dollars to work in the most meaningful and strategic ways. One of those initiatives is a senior housing commission tasked with recommending ways to produce significantly more service-enriched housing for seniors across the state. 

“The residents wrote thoughtful notes to their legislators, telling their personal stories of how challenging it can be to find affordable housing,” says Emily. “They emphasized that all older adults deserve the experience and community life they have found at 2Life, and they doubled down on why a commission that focuses on the unique needs of seniors is vital. We’re now beginning to hold meetings between residents and their state legislators at each of our campuses to ensure their voices are heard on an ongoing basis.” 

Participant perspectives 

Carolyn Jackson, a resident at Brown Family House, is an enthusiastic participant in this program. “I believe it is important to give policymakers a more comprehensive picture of their constituents who fall under the median income requirements for good housing options,” she says. “I encourage others to get involved in this program because it’s informative, it provides a forum for asking questions, and there is strength in numbers.” 

The program also facilitates employee advocacy, providing staff with updates on legislation impacting housing for older adults. Becky Keane, a resident services coordinator at Golda Meir House, says the program has sparked her passion for advocating for older adults. 

"As people on the front lines, we believe in the 2Life model and in our ability to make an impact for older adults. I think it’s imperative for the employees to stand together and represent that. We’re louder as a unified front,” she says. “This new program makes it very easy for people who do not have experience in advocacy to support our ability to accomplish big things.” 

Just the beginning 

While the advocacy program is just getting started, it will be rolled out across all 2Life campuses, offering similar sessions at each through the end of the year. While the initial focus is on state policies, we look forward to opportunities beyond Massachusetts, helping residents take their passion to Washington, D.C. 

“The sky’s the limit,” Emily says. “There is a good deal of momentum at both the state and federal levels to make a meaningful impact to ensure that models like 2Life’s can be scaled broadly.” She further notes that 2Life is committed to partnering with other organizations to catalyze positive change beyond its own service area — a rarity in today’s fragmented senior housing marketplace. 

Achieving meaningful legislative change is a long journey requiring partnership among all stakeholders, including residents and those who work with them. “Leveraging the voice of older adults must be grounded in a belief that their voice really matters,” says Emily. “We partner with others who share that belief.”