[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 20, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2587]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             THOMAS SLEMMER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARY JO KILROY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 20, 2009

  Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding 
leader in the field of affordable housing and long-term services and 
supports for people as they age. Thomas Slemmer is the outgoing chair 
of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging 
(AAHSA), and I congratulate him on what he has accomplished for his 
field during his two-year term.
  AAHSA members (www.aahsa.org) help millions of individuals and their 
families every day through mission-driven, not-for-profit organizations 
dedicated to providing the services people need, when they need them, 
in the place they call home. The 5,700 member organizations, many of 
which have served their communities for generations, offer the 
continuum of aging services: adult day services, home health, community 
services, senior housing, assisted living residences, continuing care 
retirement communities, and nursing homes.
  With Tom Stemmer at its head, AAHSA championed the combination of 
supportive services with affordable housing to enable seniors to remain 
in their communities and has taken a leadership role in developing 
realistic, workable solutions for Congress and states facing the 
impending long-term service and support needs of the aging baby boom 
generation.
  Mr. Slemmer co-chaired AAHSA's Affordable Housing Finance Cabinet, 
which is developing recommendations for building and preserving housing 
to meet the physical and financial needs of a growing elder population. 
He also saw the introduction of the landmark Section 202 Supportive 
Housing for the Elderly Act, which would promote the construction of 
new senior housing facilities, streamline the preservation of existing 
housing, and support the conversion of existing housing into assisted-
living facilities with supportive health and social services.
  Prior to becoming AAHSA's chair, Mr. Slemmer participated in the 
organization's Long-Term Services and Supports Financing Cabinet to 
find a more rational, sustainable and responsible system for funding 
aging services where he helped shape recommendations for a national 
insurance plan founded on three core principles: consumer choice, 
fiscal responsibility, and good stewardship of provider and public 
resources, and equity of benefits.
  These recommendations closely aligned with the Community Living 
Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act introduced and championed 
by the late Senator Edward Kennedy. AAHSA has united a wide range of 
stakeholders to work for the inclusion of CLASS provisions in health 
care reform, and these provisions are reflected in two of the health 
care reform measures drafted by congressional committees. AAHSA members 
from all over the country have advocated tirelessly for a mechanism to 
enable Americans to plan responsibly for their own long-term services 
and supports needs while also addressing the issues of access and cost.
  To address other issues facing the nation's aging population, 
families, service providers and policymakers, Slemmer has overseen 
AAHSA member task forces on workforce, nursing home quality, home- and 
community-based services, and issues specific to rural and inner-city 
areas. Under his leadership, AAHSA has undertaken pilot technology 
projects, ``living laboratories'' linking member operations with 
research to demonstrate the effectiveness of applied technology to 
improve quality, make operations more efficient, and enable people to 
live independently wherever they call home.
  In addition to his service as AAHSA's chair, Tom Slemmer is the 
president and chief executive officer of Columbus, Ohio's National 
Church Residences, where he has had a thirty year career. From a single 
affordable housing facility established in 1961, National Church 
Residences has grown to provide affordable housing, supportive 
services, assisted living, and skilled nursing care to low and 
moderate-income elders, families, persons with disabilities, and 
homeless families and individuals in facilities throughout the United 
States. In Central and Southern Ohio, NCR provides home and community 
based supportive services to allow elders to age in place in dignity in 
the comfort of their own homes. Its ministry serves over 22,000 
individuals in 300 properties nationwide.
  In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, National Church Residences and 
AAHSA launched a hotline to help displaced seniors find affordable 
housing. Low-income seniors and family members were able to call around 
the clock to be connected to housing resource professionals trained to 
evaluate and locate available affordable senior housing communities 
nationwide. Hundreds of evacuated elders were able to find temporary or 
permanent housing through National Church Residences and other AAHSA 
members. Based on this experience, AAHSA and National Church Residences 
submitted recommendations to Congress on improving coordination among 
aging services providers and federal, state, and local agencies in the 
event of natural disasters.
  Because of the importance of supportive services to seniors' ability 
to remain longer in their communities, Mr. Stemmer was instrumental in 
establishing the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC). 
AASC's over 2,000 members serve seniors, people with disabilities, and 
low income families living in affordable rental housing and the 
surrounding community. Service coordinators assist senior and disabled 
residents in identifying, locating, and acquiring the services 
necessary for them to remain independent and help families achieve self 
sufficiency and economic independence.
  Mr. Slemmer also has served on the boards of the Association of Ohio 
Philanthropic Homes, Housing and Services for the Aging; the National 
Affordable Housing Trust, the Stewards of Affordable Housing for the 
Future, and the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in commending Tom Stemmer for his 
longstanding service to our nation's elders and his work to develop 
realistic solutions to the challenges a growing elder population will 
pose in the years to come.

                          ____________________