Media plan for National Senior Center Month

Your local media are always looking for a good story about how your community is supporting older adults. This is a great time to share upbeat, empowering examples of how your center is the key to aging well with exciting virtual and in-person programs and a focus on healthy living. We’ve made reaching out to local reporters easy. This media plan will help you generate newspaper, radio, and television interest in your center’s participation in National Senior Center Month.

1 month before your celebration . . .

• Make a list and contact reporters or outlets you want to cover your events.
• If you are creating a virtual event, make sure it will be easily accessible to media, and they can record or have same-day access to a high-definition recording of the event.
• Ensure your spokespeople and participants will be available in person (in a safe manner) or virtually for media interviews.

FOR NEWSPAPERS:

• Find out which editor or reporter covers community events. Is there another reporter who covers issues specifically relating to seniors or families? Note the reporter’s name, email address, and phone number.
• Find out if your local and/or community newspapers accept calendar announcements. Note where to send the announcement, the information to include, and how far in advance the paper needs to hear from you.

FOR RADIO AND TELEVISION:

• Collect phone numbers and email addresses for the station assignment editor.
• Call and ask for the phone number and email address for the producer of the particular show on which you would like to appear. (Tip: Generally, local news stations include community, non-policy issues in the morning show and in the early evening newscast.)
• If your local stations have a local lifestyle show, it may have a different booker for guests or stories. Check their website for contact information. Also consider asking their host if they would participate in one of your activities (if appropriate).
• Ask if the station or website accepts calendar announcements. Find out where to send them, what information you should include, and how far in advance the station needs the information.
• Inform the staff of local elected officials about your celebration. Consider calling or emailing your governor’s office, U.S. House and Senate offices, state offices, mayor, city council, etc., to invite them to support your senior center and its virtual or on-site programming.

1 day before your celebration . . .

• Email a final media advisory or news release to newspapers, daybooks, radio stations, and television stations. Be sure to include a phone number where reporters can reach you in the evening or early morning.
• Make follow-up calls to the media you invited personally to see if they are planning to cover your event, if they haven’t already committed to attending.

Your celebration day!

• Carry your cell phone or check your messages frequently. Often media outlets don't decide until the last minute whether to cover your event.
• Assign a staff person to “meet and greet” reporters. This person will also be responsible for helping the reporter arrange any interviews or photo opportunities.

After the event . . .

• Phone or email reporters to thank those who covered National Senior Center Month or one of your events. You can also use this opportunity to offer to be a resource for future stories about aging in your community or aging policy stories.
• Compile your stories, articles, and photos in a special section on your senior center website to highlight the accomplishments of your celebration.

Share your success! Send links to your media coverage to Simona Combi, Public Relations Manager, and Binod Suwal, Senior Manager, NCOA Center for Healthy Aging.

Media tools

• Sample Calendar Announcement (Word doc)
• Sample Media Advisory (Word doc)
• Sample Press Release (Word doc)

Sample pitches to reporters

The most personal kind of contact you can have with a reporter is to send them a pitch. Below are two suggestions of how to pitch reporters about your center’s activities for National Senior Center Month. Pitches should include a story idea and information about the elements you can provide to tell the story. Be sure to customize these pitches and adapt them for email or telephone. Try to make your initial pitch 1-2 weeks in advance, and then follow up once or twice with new information about the event as it gets closer.

Pitch #1

Dear [REPORTER’s NAME]:

Today’s senior centers are a vibrant, action-packed combination of [DESCRIBE 3 MAIN PROGRAMS,  FOR EXAMPLE: local fitness center, job and volunteering headquarters, transportation hub, and tasty dining locale OR DESCRIBE 3 CURRENT PROGRAMS FOR EXAMPLE: a virtual connection to online fitness, fun activities, support groups and friends]. During National Senior Center Month, [NAME OF CENTER] is celebrating how senior centers are places of powerful connections.

Join us on [DATE OF EVENT], for [NAME OF EVENT OR VIRTUAL LINK] to experience what a senior center means for today’s older adult, and how the center is a community nexus where older adults find friendship, meaning, and purpose.

I would be happy to talk with you about our programs and services or put you in touch with some older adults who have benefited from them. You can reach me at [PHONE] or [EMAIL].

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]
[EMAIL SIGNATURE or TITLE/PHONE]  

Pitch #2

Dear [REPORTER’S NAME]:

Please join us on [DATE], as more than [#] older adults in our community [BRIEFLY DESCRIBE ACTIVITY]. The event will take place at [TIME] in [SENIOR CENTER/or at LINK] to celebrate National Senior Center Month.

If you’re interested in covering it, I would be happy to arrange interviews and photo opportunities with some of the participants. I’d also love to talk with you about what a senior center means for today’s older adult, and how senior centers deliver vital connections to aging well. You can reach me at [PHONE] or [EMAIL].

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]
[EMAIL SIGNATURE OR TITLE/PHONE]  

Sample background text

Use the following text in your invitation to policymakers to explain the history of senior centers:

The senior center was introduced in New York City in 1943 to provide social activities, nutritious meals, and case management to adults age 60 and older, particularly those with low incomes. More than 80 years later, senior centers are one of the most widely used   services supported by the Older Americans Act of 1965. More than 10,000 centers support millions of older adults from all walks of life as they continue to thrive in their communities.

Today’s senior centers are connecting older adults with meaningful work and volunteer opportunities and increasing their access to valuable benefits and resources. Through evidence-based programs, older adults are managing their health and finances, so they can continue to live independently in their own homes as long as possible. Senior centers  are evolving to reflect a new view of aging that empowers the people they serve.

Sample Email to Your Member of Congress

Dear [SEN./REP. LAST NAME]:

September is National Senior Center Month, and we would be honored for you to join us on [DATE], as older adults in our community gather for [BRIEFLY DESCRIBE ACTIVITY]. [NAME OF EVENT] will take place at [TIME] in [SENIOR CENTER or LINK] to celebrate our unique senior center and its impact in the community.

As a new generation is redefining retirement, senior centers are evolving to reflect their more empowered vision of aging. Participants look forward to sharing their stories about the role our senior center has played in empowering them to age well.

We invite you to be part of the celebration. During the event, you will have an opportunity to talk with selected participants and learn more about the important role our senior center plays in strengthening community connections as a place where older adults find friendship, meaning, and purpose. We also look forward to hearing about your activities in Congress to benefit older Americans.

Please contact me at [PHONE] or [EMAIL] to arrange your visit [or virtual meeting] or if you need additional information. Thank you in advance for your favorable consideration of this invitation.

Sincerely,
[SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR]

Hosting an elected official for the first time

8 questions to get the conversation started

Eected officials will have varying levels of understanding about your work and your  direct support of older adults in the community. Three facts make your senior center a prime destination for  elected officials looking to connect with their constituents:
(1) Seniors vote;
(2) Aging is not a partisan issue; and
(3) Senior centers are local experts in aging.

Many elected officials would be happy to visit your center or arrange a virtual event to meet with you and the older adults you serve. This is the opportunity to educate them about your goals and successes. Use these eight questions to gather the kinds of information that will particularly interest policymakers.

1. How does your center foster independence and keep older adults active, engaged, and healthy? How do your services save the government money? Illustrate your point with stories of active members, but don’t reveal identities without advance permission. You may want to spotlight members who are over age 90 or 100 and still living independently with your center’s help.
2. What’s happening with your local senior population? What have been the most important needs of local seniors during the pandemic, and how did your center meet those needs? Is the local older adult population increasing due to the pandemic and/or aging baby boomers? Is there a large 85+ population? What’s unusual or needs attention?
3. What are your biggest organizational challenges—both now and for the future? If you are experiencing COVID challenges, describe them and how your senior center is faring.
4. What are your biggest “draws” or unique programs? Explain what geographic area your center serves, as well as the average daily/weekly/monthly attendance or online engagement. How many volunteers assist? Do you have multiple sites? Do you have online programming?
5. How is your lunch program funded? Are you currently providing a grab and go program? Is it paid through Older Americans Act Title III, American Rescue Plan, or private funds? Describe where food is prepared and served, the number of participants, and how meals meet nutritional guidelines.
6. How many home-delivered meals do you serve and where? Tell about your volunteers and how many days per week they visit. Do you have a waiting list? Share any stories about drivers helping seniors during the crisis. Describe the vehicles you use for delivery and what challenges they present. Offer your opinion about decreasing frequency of delivery or having services like UPS or FedEx make deliveries.
7. What kind of transportation services do you provide? Tell how your service differs from public transportation, especially if you serve people in rural areas or where there is limited or no public transit. Detail any federal dollars that support these services. Do you have a waiting list? Describe how many trips you provide per year or how many miles driven. Do you limit trips to medical and grocery? Do you use volunteers? How many vehicles do you use, and what challenges do they present?
8. What community supports do you offer? Describe how you help older adults stay independent through programs like civic engagement and lifelong learning; in-home supports like homemaker, health aides, shopping, and bill paying; adult day programs or respite services; grief counseling and support; and caregiver support groups. Tell what kinds of calls  and visits you get from community members seeking information about aging or services for seniors. Talk about partnerships you have with other agencies and services and why they’re so valuable.

Before the visit or virtual meeting ends, be sure to find out who on the elected official’s staff is the “go-to” person on aging issues. Also, ask if they have any caseworkers on staff who assist seniors, and offer to help link them to services and benefits. Exchange business cards and keep that contact information for future interaction.

If any policy discussions arise that you aren’t comfortable engaging in, please feel free to offer to direct the official or staff to Marci Phillips, NCOA’s Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy.

Meeting with an elected official is a terrific way to begin building a relationship. They want to know what’s happening with the older adults in their district, and you have a great story to tell. You can form important alliances to coordinate and expand services to older adults in your community.

Tips for responding when a political candidate comes calling

Candidates running for elected office know that many older adults vote. They will likely make it a priority to reach out to their local senior centers to ask to convene a forum, attend an online event, or participate in a senior center activity. This could provide a great opportunity to build a relationship with your representative or senators and allow your community to meet the people they’ll be choosing from at the polls.

Hopefully, all senior centers will be able to use this chance to educate their elected officials about the work they do and the older adults they serve, but when those individuals are running for re-election or a new position, the rules often change for many organizations.

Rules and rights of election year activity

Many public agencies and private nonprofit entities prohibit candidates for elected office from participating in any events at their facilities. Others have some flexibility when the election is nonpartisan or if all candidates are given an equal opportunity to participate.

What are best practices when it comes to senior centers and elections? Find expert
advice for nonprofit election year activities from Alliance for Justice and Nonprofit VOTE.

How to get an elected official to attend your event

Whether you’re inviting the president of the United States or your local sheriff, you can easily enhance your event by following the guidelines below. And remember, when dealing with politicians:

Be persistent. Be polite. Be patient.

Plan as far in advance as possible

• Politicians’ schedules fill up early. Create a list of the top three elected officials you’d like to attend and get invitations out to them ASAP. This will put you on their radar, and, in case your first choice declines, gives you enough time to reach out to other options.
• For federal (and some state) officials, contact their local office. This shows you are respectful of their time and will almost always get a response.
• If relevant, describe the benefits of the official attending (e.g., ability to talk about an issue that is important to them or the chance to meet with a significant number of older voters  in the district).

Prepare for the event

• The event can be small, to deliver an award, talk with an intimate group of dedicated volunteers, or an online event.
• Work in coordination with the official’s staff so everyone is on the same page about expectations. Be clear about what you hope the official will do (e.g., present an award or introduce a part of the program). Try to make it as easy for them as you can.
• Provide staff with a complete agenda. Give them a full list of the media you expect to attend as you get closer to the date.
• If you present an award to the official (always a great idea), alert their staff in advance and ask that the official say a few words of thanks and support.

During and after the event

• Have a staff photographer on hand to record your event. Put it in your newsletter or other communications, including social media channels. Be sure to send copies to the official and their staff and tag them in your social media post.
• To get the ball rolling, have one of your senior center staff ask the first question if there is a Q&A session. Be sure to let the official’s staff know which question is coming.
• Following the event, thank the official with a note or card, photos, feedback, stories, and anything you’d like to share.
• Be sure to follow up in a timely manner to any questions they may have asked you during the event that you couldn’t answer. This allows you to continue your connection with the official after the event.
• Finally, don’t be offended if a staff member shows up for the official at the last minute. Politicians are very busy and are often pulled in multiple directions.

Sample proclamation (Word doc)