By Kristin Janeiro
At Goodwin Living, our mission has always centered on people, both those we serve and those who make our work possible every day.
That commitment took center stage in Washington D.C. last week as Goodwin Living President and CEO Rob Liebreich and Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads resident Rita Seibenaler took part in a press conference on Capitol Hill alongside bipartisan lawmakers and national business leaders.
The event, hosted by the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), focused on the urgent need for common-sense immigration policies that strengthen America’s workforce, including caregivers that support older adults.
Rita, a lifelong social worker and passionate advocate, delivered a powerful message.
“Unless there is a pathway to citizenship for workers in health and senior care, you are putting American seniors at risk. We seniors are the people who educated your children, staffed hospitals and churches, served in the Armed Forces, paid our taxes and invested in our economy. Don’t deny us trusted caregivers.”
Rita’s words resonated deeply. A vast percentage of Goodwin Living team members are foreign-born, representing more than 80 countries. Their talent, compassion and dedication are essential to the care we provide to nearly 4,000 older adults each day. Nationwide, immigrant workers make up 28% of the overall direct care workforce for long term care services and 32% of home care workers, according to a KFF analysis.
Rob echoed this reality at the event.
“By 2030, 73 million Americans will be over 65 years of age. By 2060, the number of people over 85 will nearly triple. To serve an already large and growing older adult population, we need more hands.”
He also reminded listeners of another consequence of failing to act: what he called “Care-flation,” which occurs when a shrinking workforce leads to higher costs of care. “America can meet the responsibility to serve our grandparents, parents and neighbors by passing legislation that leads to a secure workforce,” said Rob.
A Resident-Led Movement for Change
Rita’s voice at the Capitol represents the power of advocacy that has grown within the Goodwin Living Community. In 2018, her idea helped launch the Goodwin Living Citizenship Program, which has now supported nearly 240 team members and their families who have earned or are on their path to U.S. citizenship.
Funded through the generosity of donors to the Goodwin Living Foundation, the program is now being modeled by senior living and healthcare organizations across the country.
Goodwin Living residents continue to be strong allies in this work. Goodwin House Alexandria resident Judy Hansen helped strengthen the resident tutoring program that prepares team members for the citizenship exam. At Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads, residents Joan Lewis and Claudia Blake have played active roles in national advocacy through the National Continuing Care Resident Association (NaCCRA), which has voiced support for immigrant caregivers as vital members of the workforce.
Continuing the Conversation
Following the press conference, Rob and Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer Lindsay Hutter joined ABIC members for meetings with numerous lawmakers and legislative staff. They shared how the DIGNITY Act, introduced by Reps. Maria Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX), could help ensure a stable, trusted workforce to meet the care needs of America’s aging population.
Throughout these conversations, leaders in Washington praised the Goodwin Living Citizenship Program as a model of what’s possible when compassion and strategy meet action.
In a letter to the Goodwin Living family, Rob stated, “You have shown that faith and hope combined with hard work and thoughtful strategy are critical in a time when so much looks impossible.”
Goodwin Living is proud to stand together as residents, team members and leaders in calling for solutions that honor the dignity of work and uphold the care that older adults deserve.
Learn More
Click here to watch the full press conference and hear remarks from Rob and Rita, or explore more coverage on Goodwin Living social media. Learn more about the Goodwin Living Citizenship Program and our amazing team members here.
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Kristin Janeiro is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Goodwin Living, where she supports operations, social media and storytelling efforts across the organization. Originally from Northern Virginia, she is passionate about sharing the people and purpose behind Goodwin Living. Beyond the keyboard, Kristin is probably perfecting a new recipe, negotiating for couch space with her dogs or diving into her latest book.
