Reposting with additional clarity:
Do any other communities have resident-led groups focused on emerging policy and community-wide issues?
We are part of a non-profit Life Plan Community of approximately 250 residents, and for the past several years, we have had a Committee on Life Plan Community Issues. The purpose of this committee is to take a proactive, forward-looking approach to issues that may affect residents within our own community as well as across the broader Life Plan Community field.
Rather than focusing primarily on day-to-day resident concerns (e.g. transportation, health services, culinary issues) our committee seeks to:
- Identify emerging issues, trends, and policy developments that could affect residents and the future of our community
- Research and better understand these issues from a resident perspective
- Develop constructive recommendations and explore potential solutions
- Collaborate with community leadership, management, resident groups, and outside organizations when appropriate
- Advocate for approaches and policies that support resident rights, wellbeing, financial security, and quality of life
- Monitor any proposed expansion of property/facilities by our non-profit corporate owners and offer to help with planning and ensuring a positive transition.
Some of our work so far includes developing a resident bill of rights and responsibilities, increasing resident financial education, exploring healthcare and service-delivery models within CCRCs/Life Plan Communities, and broader policy developments affecting the aging services field.
We are interested in connecting with other communities that have a similar resident-led, policy-focused group. We would love to learn how your group is organized, what issues you focus on, and how you work with community leadership, management, and external organizations to address longer-term challenges and opportunities. Thank you!