WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, LaShuan Bethea, executive director of the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), authored a new op-ed in McKnight's Senior Living that calls for stakeholders to support assisted living and its essential role in long term care as America’s senior population grows. The article comes at an exciting time for the profession with the observance of National Assisted Living Week from Sept. 13-19, 2026, and NCAL celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout the year.
Bethea reflects on the need for the nation to make decisions today that will support the future of assisted living, emphasizing the need to form a stronger caregiver pipeline, thoughtful use of new technologies, and state-led policies that reflect the unique makeup of each community. She underscores the need for highly personalized quality care as the nation faces a growing elderly population.
Read the full column below.
Celebrating Assisted Living Means Strengthening Its Future
McKnight’s Senior Living
LaShuan Bethea
September 13, 2026
Every person carries a lifetime of stories. In assisted living communities across the country, those stories are told and written every day. Friends laugh over a game of cards. A caregiver plays a favorite song to brighten a resident’s morning. A family gathers together to celebrate a birthday.
Those moments may seem ordinary, but they represent something important: older adults are living with purpose, connection, and independence while receiving the support and care they need.
This is what we celebrate during National Assisted Living Week, Sept. 13-19. This year’s observance is especially meaningful as the National Center for Assisted Living marks its 25th anniversary. The theme, Shining Through The Years, offers an opportunity to celebrate how far assisted living has come and recognize the vital role it will play as America grows older.
I have the privilege of visiting assisted living communities across the country and speaking with residents, families, and caregivers. I am often reminded that there is no “right” way to age. Some residents are active and independent with busy social calendars. Others require more support to live fully. But the goal remains the same: to provide residents with the care they need while retaining as much autonomy, choice, and connection as possible.
Looking to the next 25 years, this goal will be more important than ever.
America is aging, and as the number of seniors in America rises, the need for care rises, too. Today, nearly 15 million Americans are 80 or older, and that number is expected to double in size over the next two decades. Millions of individuals and families will face deeply personal questions about where and how they will age and what they want that experience to look like. They will want options that adapt to their specific care needs.
Assisted living must remain one of them.
Throughout my career, I have watched our field evolve alongside changing demographics and expectations. Residents today are living longer and often arrive with more complex needs. Families expect, and residents deserve, highly personalized quality care. Technology is creating new ways to support residents and caregivers. Yet the purpose of assisted living remains constant: helping people receive the care they need without losing sight of the life they want to live.
The future is not an abstract set of years. It is a series of tomorrows. And preparing for it must begin today.
It starts with people. Caregivers are the backbone of our profession, bringing skill, patience, creativity and tremendous heart to their work. As demand grows, our country must strengthen pathways into caregiving careers, expand opportunities for training and advancement, and give caregivers the tools they need to succeed.
We must also embrace innovation thoughtfully. New technologies – including artificial intelligence – improve coordination, reduce administrative tasks, and give caregivers more time to focus on what matters most: residents. Used responsibly, these technologies will complement professional judgement and person-centered care, not replace the trusted relationships and human connection at the heart of assisted living.
Policymakers have an important role in preserving what makes assisted living distinct. The beauty of assisted living comes from the fact that the individuality of the residents, workforce, geography, and community shape each facility. State-based oversight allows leaders closest to these communities to respond to these differences while maintaining strong standards for quality and accountability.
These issues are not for providers alone; rather, they’re a prompt for our nation to reflect on how we will support a growing population of older Americans who will want, and deserve, meaningful choices for their lives and care.
National Assisted Living Week is an invitation to tap into assisted living. Visit a community. Speak with older family members about what matters to them as they age. Policymakers and community leaders should come inside and hear the stories of the people who call assisted living home. Greater understanding can bring greater appreciation for what assisted living makes possible in the lives of millions.
For 25 years, NCAL has championed this key part of the long term care continuum that help older adults live with purpose, dignity, and autonomy. As we look to the next 25, our responsibility is bigger than simply preserving what exists today. We must ensure assisted living evolves to meet the needs of tomorrow.
After all, our residents are still writing their stories. They are our parents, grandparents, veterans, teachers, community leaders, and friends. It is up to us to ensure they have the right care, in the right place, and every opportunity to continue shining through the years.