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Goodwin House Seniors Take Their Message to Capitol Hill: ‘Caregivers Are Indispensable’

Zebra April 30, 2026

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A group of seniors from Goodwin Living stand together on the steps of the U.S. Capitol holding blue “Seniors Care for Caregivers” signs, joined by supporters and caregivers, with several participants using walkers and smiling toward the camera.A group of seniors from Goodwin Living stand together on the steps of the U.S. Capitol holding blue “Seniors Care for Caregivers” signs, joined by supporters and caregivers, with several participants using walkers and smiling toward the camera. — Residents of Goodwin Living and neighboring communities gather on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on April 28 to advocate for immigrant caregivers, holding signs reading “Seniors Care for Caregivers” as part of a rally supporting Temporary Protected Status. (Courtesy photo)

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Seniors from Goodwin Living didn’t mince words this week when they stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol: protect the immigrant caregivers who make their daily lives possible.

On Tuesday, April 28, residents from Goodwin House Alexandria and Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads joined care workers, advocacy groups, and lawmakers for a rally pointedly titled “Seniors Care for Caregivers.” Organized by Care for Seniors and Care for America, the gathering came just one day before the Supreme Court of the United States was set to hear arguments on the future of Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

For the seniors who made the trip, the issue is not abstract—it’s deeply personal.

Immigrants currently make up 28% of the U.S. direct care workforce, a figure advocates say underscores the essential role these workers play in homes and facilities across the country. Without them, they warn, an already strained caregiving system could face collapse.

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U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley speaks at a podium on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during a rally supporting Temporary Protected Status, with seniors from Goodwin Living standing behind her holding “Seniors Care for Caregivers” signs. — U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley , MA, addresses the crowd during the “Seniors Care for Caregivers” rally at the U.S. Capitol on April 28, joined by Goodwin Living residents advocating for protections for immigrant caregivers. (Courtesy photo)

Lawmakers including Ed Markey (Massachusetts), Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware), Ayanna Pressley (Massachusetts), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Florida) joined the rally to demand immediate legislative action. But the day’s most impactful moments came from the seniors themselves.

Pierre Shostal, a resident of Goodwin House Alexandria, reflected on his own immigrant journey and the warm welcome he once received in America, calling the current immigrant staff “indispensable” to seniors in their final stages of life.

Rita Siebenaler, representing Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads, further dispelled the myth that immigrants take American jobs, pointing instead to the thousands of vacancies that only this workforce can fill.

Both residents emphasized a fundamental truth: the promise of aging with dignity is impossible to keep without these dedicated caregivers.

By bringing this message directly to Capitol Hill, these Northern Virginia seniors offered a powerful reminder that protecting immigrant caregivers is essential to ensuring the safety and health of America’s aging population.

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