Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) and Lori Trahan (MA-3) introduced the Caring for Our Seniors Act, bipartisan legislation designed to tackle two urgent challenges: the skyrocketing cost of senior care and the growing shortage of long-term care workers.
America’s senior population is on track to outnumber children within the next decade—but our long-term care system is dangerously out of sync with that reality. The cost of assisted living is rising beyond reach, the care workforce is shrinking, and families across the country are being left with fewer and fewer options.
The Caring for Our Seniors Act offers a responsible, bipartisan solution—fully funded by reallocating unspent and recovered federal COVID-era relief dollars. It creates no new burden on taxpayers and adds nothing to the national debt, while delivering targeted, lasting reforms to strengthen care for our aging population.
The Caring for Our Seniors Act takes a two-pronged approach:
- Establishes a Senior Care Cost Reduction Program that provides eligible low-income seniors with a monthly $1,000 benefit to help cover assisted living expenses—an affordable, community-based alternative to nursing homes.
- Expands federal workforce training programs through the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services to recruit, train, and retain the next generation of direct care professionals.
By lowering costs, strengthening the workforce, and easing long-term pressure on Medicaid, the Caring for Our Seniors Act delivers a sustainable path forward for aging in America.
“Caring for our seniors is one of our most fundamental responsibilities—and right now, we’re falling short,” said Rep Fitzpatrick. “Families are struggling to afford care, providers are facing a historic workforce shortage, and the current system is putting unsustainable pressure on taxpayers. The Caring for Our Seniors Act delivers real, practical solutions: lowering out-of-pocket costs for families, investing in training programs to grow our care workforce, and supporting more affordable care models that reduce the long-term burden on Medicaid and taxpayers. This is how we protect our seniors and build a smarter, more sustainable system for the future.”
“For millions of seniors, assisted living isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline. But rising costs are putting that care out of reach, leaving families with nowhere to turn and caregivers stretched to their limits,” said Rep. Trahan. “The bipartisan Caring for Our Seniors Act will help keep these doors open, protect access to care, and ensure our seniors can age with the dignity they deserve.”
“The Caring for Seniors Act is a two-fold answer to our nation’s long-term care challenges. It both makes critical investments in our workforce and also helps to make care more affordable to more Americans,” said Maggie Elehwany, Argentum Senior Vice President of Public Affairs. “Our nation faces a steep task to recruit and retain more than 20 million workers by the year 2040. Every effort must be made to meet this need, and the Caring for Seniors Act advances common-sense and no-cost solutions to meet this objective. And as our nation grows older and more seniors will need care, the cost-reduction program will help to make access to care that much more achievable. We applaud Representatives Fitzpatrick and Trahan for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the Caring for Seniors Act and look forward to working with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to advance this important bill this year.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Fitzpatrick for his leadership in introducing the bipartisan Caring for Seniors Act alongside Congresswoman Trahan,” said Susan Saxinger, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association (PALA). “This important legislation recognizes the urgent need to make assisted living more affordable for seniors and to invest in the workforce that supports them. By expanding access to care and strengthening workforce training, this bill is a meaningful step forward for our aging population and the providers who serve them.”
“The Caring for Seniors Act represents a critical step forward in addressing the workforce challenges facing assisted living communities while expanding access to care for older adults in Massachusetts and beyond,” said Brian Doherty, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association. “By investing in innovative and dedicated workforce training as well as affordability and accessibility measures, this legislation strengthens our ability to meet the needs of an aging population with dignity, independence, and choice. We thank Congresswoman Trahan for her continued leadership and urge the timely passage of this bill.”
Key Findings Driving the Legislation:
- Nearly 80% of older Americans cannot afford four years in assisted living or two years in a nursing home.
- Assisted living—offering 24/7 personal care, disease management, and housing—costs half as much as skilled nursing and a third the cost of round-the-clock home care.
- The senior living industry must fill over 20 million jobs by 2040 to meet demand.
Fitzpatrick and Trahan—both long-standing advocates for bipartisan health and aging policy—are calling on Congress to unite behind this effort to protect seniors, support caregivers, and build a long-term care system that’s ready for the future.