On June 15, 2010, more than 20 NAELA members from 11 states travelled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. Representatives and Senators offices to discuss issues of importance to older adults.

Together, participants visited 36 offices in order to highlight the importance of issues such as appropriations for the Elder Justice Act, the need for an extension of an increased federal match for Medicaid, and patient self-determination (advance care planning.

This was the old-fashioned kind of lobbying in which concerned citizens (or in this case the lawyers who work for elder citizens) directly spoke with their representatives about their issues of concern.

Everyone could participate in this kind of lobbying just by calling or writing their member of Congress. If you have issues you would like to advocate, and don’t want to do so yourself, consider contact a NAELA member and asking them to bring the subject up at the nest “Hill Day.”