CALA News & Views | Issue 55 | Elevating Engagement

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND SHAPING DECISIONS ACROSS CALIFORNIA

CALA’s Advocacy efforts start with educating elected officials on the importance of Assisted Living, Memory Care and Continuing Care Retirement Communities. As the providers that work in these communities every day, it is your stories that we are sharing. You are the experts; you are the ones providing hands-on care day and night; you are the ones that Legislators need – and want – to hear from! While CALA’s advocacy efforts echo through the halls of the Capitol year-round, it’s important for CALA members to engage on a grassroots level. Your time is valuable, and we know that it can be difficult to be away from the community. However, your efforts to foster productive, meaningful relationships with your Legislators will prove invaluable to help further CALA's advocacy and legislative goals, which in turn will help better serve our residents. Advocacy Day CALA’s flagship advocacy opportunity is Advocacy Day. This event brings over 100 CALA members from across the state to Sacramento to help shape the Legislature’s understanding of senior living. This year, CALA members ranging from executive directors to CEOs met with Legislators to explain the impact pending legislation would have on the operations of their communities and the ability to serve older adults. CALA members shared personal stories of how living in their communities has touched the lives of their residents and their families and educated Legislators and their staff on the person-centered care we focus on that offers choice and independence to residents. In addition to our annual advocacy meetings, this year CALA also hosted a Legislative Reception where participants had the opportunity to mix and mingle with Legislators and their staff in a more informal environment. This reception allowed Advocacy Day participants to meet additional Legislators and build these important relationships.

CHECK OUT ADVOCACY DAY PHOTO GALLERY HERE

Day in Your District If you missed the opportunity to participate in Advocacy Day this year, you can still make your voice heard by participating in CALA’s upcoming Day in Your District, where CALA members visit Legislators in their District Offices. It is scheduled for July 29, 2026 during the Legislative Summer recess when Senators and Assemblymembers return to their districts for a month. Day in Your District focuses on bringing providers into Legislative District Offices located close to your communities. This event focuses on building personal relationships with District Offices, educating the local staff on the benefits of Assisted Living, Memory Care and Continuing Care Retirement Communities to their constituents. Developing these relationships give a legislator someone to call when they are looking for a district perspective when deciding on how to vote on something that may affect your community. Additionally, these meetings provide the perfect opportunity to invite your Legislator to an event at your community. It’s also a great opportunity to invite them on a tour of your community. Community Tours The easiest, most effective way to immerse your Legislator in the world of senior living is to invite them to visit and tour your community. When CALA lobbies a bill in the Capitol, we are often explaining why a bill affects RCFEs and CCRCs differently than it may affect other industries. When a member of the Legislature has a personal experience visiting a community, it makes it easier to deliver the message. The Legislator will have an image in their head of a thriving community that serves their constituents. They will picture the staff member they met that has worked at your community for 20 years and loves their job; they will picture the family member that was visiting their loved one and enjoying a meal together in the restaurant; and they will picture the beautiful courtyard where residents sit in the afternoon to enjoy the sunshine. These firsthand experiences are better than any story we could ever tell them. g

Assemblymember Leticia Castillo who serves as the Vice Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee, discusses her recent visit to an Assisted Living community in her district to participate in a resident’s 100th birthday celebration. Senator Steven S. Choi, Ph.D., discusses the wide variety of Assisted Living and Continuing Care Retirement Communities his district offers and the importance the diversity of options offers his constituents.

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www.CAassistedliving.org