By Rebecca Wiessmann

This is the second of a three-part series drawn from Steve’s conversation with Brian Perry at Direct Supply.

Senior Living’s Power Leak: Fragmentation

Perry’s core argument is that the industry loses leverage by treating segments like competing brands instead of connected parts of the same system. Assisted living and skilled nursing, he says, agree on about 85% of what matters in advocacy. Yet too often they argue over the 15% — and policymakers hear a divided message.

Perry’s push is simple: be loud together about the shared priorities. Save the internal debates for later.

“Wherever They Are” Is A Strategic Frame

At Direct Supply, Perry describes the advocacy lens as caring for seniors wherever they are — in hospitals, at home, in assisted living, in skilled nursing, and in every post-acute setting between. That positioning matters because policy doesn’t stay in one lane. When one part of the continuum gets squeezed, pressure spills into the others.

He’s arguing for a bigger, clearer story: this isn’t a nursing home issue or an assisted living issue. It’s an aging-services capacity issue.

Demographics Don’t Care About Turf Wars

Steve raises a common question: could some people in skilled nursing be better served — at lower cost — in assisted living? Perry zooms out to the bigger constraint: capacity. He doesn’t see the coming decades as a tug-of-war for occupancy. He sees them as a math problem the country isn’t prepared for.

That demographic pressure, he suggests, should make it easier for policymakers to consider integrated approaches — but only if the industry helps them think proactively.

Proactive Policy Is Rare — Until It Isn’t

Steve uses a metaphor: policymakers only get serious about fire protection when the house is on fire. Perry agrees, but adds an edge — leaders can already smell sparks. He implies that the pressure of budget constraints and rising demand will eventually force smarter planning. The question is whether the industry helps shape that planning now, or gets handed a solution later.

Associations And Vendors As Multipliers, Not Rivals

Steve wants to know how Direct Supply’s advocacy fits with trade associations. Perry insists there’s no conflict because the mission is shared, even if the business models differ. Associations organize members. Direct Supply is not a membership organization — but it can help align voices across groups that don’t always coordinate.

He also makes an intentionally provocative point about capital: REITs and private equity aren’t automatically “bad words” if they are part of building the infrastructure the country will need.

Watch the full conversation with Steve and Brian Perry on YouTube.