About AzAHA

 Our Mission:
 "Promote member commitment to excellence in the not-for-profit aging services continuum"

Our Vision:

"Ensuring the future of quality, ethical aging services in Arizona"

The Arizona Association of Homes and Housing for the Aging (AzAHA) is a not-for-profit trade association representing more than 100 facilities dedicated to providing quality health care, housing and services to over 12,000 elderly Arizona citizens. AzAHA is the only association in Arizona representing the full continuum of long-term care, housing, and services including: retirement communities, HUD subsidized senior housing, assisted living and community care services, as well as nursing facilities.

AzAHA members share a deep sense of mission and a commitment to enhancing the lives of older adults and others with special needs; most are not-for-profit organizations with religious or fraternal affiliations. The association serves its members by providing leadership, education, advocacy, and opportunities for collaboration to help them achieve their mission. AzAHA is affiliated with the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), a Washington D.C. based national membership organization of non-profit voluntary and governmental homes and service providers for the aging.

Under the broad categories of Advocacy, Communication, Member Services, and Education AzAHA currently provides its members with the following professional assistance.

Advocacy:
Since its inception, AzAHA has remained on the forefront of political action and public policy development in Arizona. With the help of Don Isaacson, AzAHA’s lobbyist, and an effective grassroots network, AzAHA has ensured its significant presence in both the legislative and regulatory arenas. Advocacy efforts take on many forms and often involve member participation at political functions, legislative hearings, meetings with state or national lawmakers and key staff of regulatory agencies. To ensure timely and effective access to Arizona state legislators, AzAHA offers members an on-line link to Arizona’s legislators through Contact Your Legislator. This program complements AAHSA’s on-line advocacy initiative, Contact Congress. In addition, AzAHA’s participation in non-legislative advocacy, public affairs, coalitions and workgroups are also integral to the association’s policy goals. 

Communication:
In this time of fast-changing regulation and management practices, AzAHA provides members with the current information to enable them to better serve seniors and meet their collective mission of service to Arizona’s senior citizens. AzAHA staff is continuously filtering through volumes of news and passing the critical information along to members in a concise and understandable format.

In addition, AzAHA's committees, advisory councils, and networking groups keep members up-to-date on industry activity and help them prepare for changes by sharing information and networking with colleagues. These forums are also key to ensuring broad member involvement in the development of association policies and priorities.

Member Services:
AzAHA is always seeking to identify win-win opportunities between member facilities and business members. Association communications regularly advise facility members of the savings and services offered by AzAHA’s business members. On a broader scale, AzAHA provides administrative and department level staff with a complete list of contact and service information describing its business members. AzAHA has arranged for a series of free informational resources that allow members to ask questions and seek advice from knowledgeable professionals in the areas of legal services, accounting and HUD audit services, health care facility billing, HIPAA compliance, and even pest control. AzAHA, in partnership with AAHSA, its national affiliate, brings members affordable customized products and services designed specifically for long-term care and senior housing providers.

Education:
AzAHA offers a broad range of education and training opportunities for administrators, managers and facility staff members in retirement communities, HUD elderly housing, health care, and assisted living facilities. AzAHA’s educational programming strives to meet the professional needs of the full array of personnel that contribute to the effective operation of member facilities, while being responsive to the plethora of unanticipated regulatory changes to which members must adapt. Seminars are geared toward providing participants with “how-to” tips on the best ways to utilize what they have learned in order to benefit their facility and the quality of care and quality of life for their residents.

AzAHA’s annual Conference and Exposition offers attendees an opportunity to learn about and discuss the latest issues and trends in long-term care and senior housing and enhance their own professional skills. This event also offers AzAHA’s business members and others an opportunity to showcase the newest technology in the field and educate facility staff members about their unique products and services. The 25th Annual Conference and Exposition will be held at the Mesa Centennial Center, May 13-14, 2008, with a pre-conference program on May 12, 2008.

The AzAHA Board of Directors and the AzAHA Staff are committed to developing the programs and services required to address the needs of Association members.