1-A. What AI-Driven Solutions Will Impact Aging Services?

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help aging services organizations provide the best possible care while relieving pressure on overburdened staff and engaging older adults in preserving their health, independence, and dignity. During this session, a global aging expert, technology innovator, and aging services provider will discuss the current and future market for AI-driven solutions in senior living and the innovations that promise to make the most significant impact now and in the future. Presenters will showcase Cypress Living in Ft. Myers, FL, which is using an AI-powered solution to detect and prevent falls. You’ll go home ready to begin your AI journey.

• Roeland Pelgrims, CEO And President, Nobi USA
• Sarah Thomas, Venture Partner, Meztal
• Joe Velderman, Vice President of Innovation, Cypress Cove

14-A. Living Well Initiative: A Sea Change for Community Planning

Housing the country’s future aging population will require a sea change in how architects and planners think about community spaces, services, and what it means to grow older. That sea change is already taking shape through the Living Well Initiative, a consortium of Milwaukee-area corporations seeking to help future architects and designers consult with older adults as they imagine the future of senior housing. This session will describe a participatory research experience during which University of Wisconsin Milwaukee students worked with older adults to create alternative models of university-affiliated communities for older adults. Presenters will show you how to use the same techniques to imagine new housing options while integrating older adults into the community’s social fabric.

• Eric Harrmann, Chief Design Officer, AG Architecture
• Brian Schermer, Professor, School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

26-A. Helping Frontline Caregivers Navigate Microaggressions

Many frontline professional caregivers have experienced microaggressions at one time or another while working in senior living organizations. These everyday slights, insults, and putdowns generally come from well-intentioned individuals who may be unaware they have engaged in demeaning ways. Intended or not, microaggressions can profoundly impact individuals across a wide range of identities. This session will delve into the nature of microaggressions and offer actionable strategies to help individuals and leaders address them. Presenters will demonstrate a mindfulness technique that helps professional caregivers proactively address and cope with microaggressions. You’ll return home better able to recognize the manifestations and impact of microaggressions and create a proactive and supportive environment for frontline caregivers in your organization.

• Marsha Wesley Coleman, Dir of Leadership Development & Training, Friends Services Alliance
• Jennifer Jimenez Marana, CEO/Founder, Marana Consulting

39-A. How to Gain Resident Buy-In on Substantive Changes

Is your life plan community planning a substantive change that needs buy-in from residents? Then this session is for you. Senior Living experts in operations, strategy, communications and marketing will fill you in on a strategic process that stresses the importance of transparent and frequent communication, education, and resident involvement. Learn the importance of raising awareness and understanding to build resident support when you announce a prospective change and maintain community engagement. Take home evidence-based recommendations and best practices that will prepare you to implement positive and lasting change within your organization.

• Len Weiser, Board Member, LeadingAge PA
• Sandy Taccone, Principal, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Blaze Associates, Blue Blaze Associates
• Wendy Scott, Principal, Chief Strategy Officer, Blue Blaze Associates

52-A. Should You Transition Away from Skilled Nursing Care?

The demand for skilled nursing home care has waned in recent years due to the improved health of older adults, reimbursement changes, and increases in care provided in non-skilled settings. This session will focus on three senior living communities that are transitioning from skilled nursing to alternate care models. Presenters will describe a renovation project that converted skilled nursing spaces to memory care, a campus expansion that closed an on-campus skilled nursing setting, and a ground-up life plan community development that offered comprehensive care without on-campus skilled nursing. Join colleagues to discuss how transitions in care delivery can impact financial performance and their implications for strategic planning, financial management, resident relations, and operations.

• Frank Rockwood, Co-Founder, Rockwood Pacific
• Mary McMullin, Chief Strategy & Advancement Officer, Front Porch
• Mary Linde, Chief Executive Officer, Heritage on the Marina

53-A. Senior Living: Revitalizing and Energizing Communities

Nonprofit senior living organizations are redefining themselves as catalysts that revitalize and energize the communities in which they operate. This session will explore how Landis Communities has taken steps to revitalize and energize its Lancaster County, PA community. Presenters will describe how the organization’s affiliation strategy fueled its sustainability in a community it has served for over a century. They’ll explain how Landis Communities developed a satellite middle-market product and how it adopted a more holistic approach to dementia care so it could serve people with cognitive impairment who are living in their own homes. Review the historical evolution of this nonprofit senior living organization and learn from its example how your organization can remain relevant, robust, and innovative.

• Evon Bergey, Vice President of Operations/ COO, Landis Communities
• Elizabeth Soto, Diversity Consultant, Landis Communities
• Max Winters, Senior Designer, RLPS Architects

73-A. Three Critical Components of a Successful Sales Program

After years of high inflation, it’s more important than ever for your senior living community to maximize its revenue by rebuilding and maintaining high census levels. There is no single strategy for accomplishing this goal. Instead, your organization must ensure that all facets of its marketing and sales programs work together to maximize sales and revenue. This session will examine three critical components of a successful sales program: developing a solid brand, ensuring consistently strong lead generation, and maintaining strong sales practices. Presenters will focus on how two life plan communities dramatically increased their independent living census by successfully implementing strategies to improve all three elements.

• Rob Love, President & CEO, Love & Company, Inc.
• Troy Cannaday, CEO, Carlyle Place
• Dick Wager, CEO, St. James Place
• Genie Heer, Strategic Sales Advisor, Love & Company, Inc.

74-A. Elevate Your Brand with Owned and Earned Communications

Two powerful communication tools can help position your senior living organization in a consistent, positive light and differentiate it from the competition. One is earned media, and the other is owned media. During this session, you’ll learn how to use both tools. Presenters will show you how to maximize the impact of earned news coverage and interview opportunities through media sources your audience trusts. They’ll also give you tips on making the most of the communication channels you own, including your website, social media channels, and email campaigns. Learn how to define and reach your most important audiences and determine the right mix of earned and owned communication to position your brand.

• Mike Gross, President, AKCG – Public Relations Counselors
• Howard Braxton, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Communications, Kendal-Crosslands Communities
• Jessica Buhler, Dir. Communications & PR, The Kendal Corporation
• Terry Kovach, Director of Sales & Marketing, Kendal at Oberlin

86-A. Prison Break: Lessons in Emergency Preparedness

In 2023, an escaped convict eluded authorities for weeks as he roamed Chester County, PA, the home of Kendal~Crosslands Communities. The life plan community found itself in the middle of the crisis when SWAT teams descended on its campus after the escapee was sighted nearby. This session will delve into critical aspects of emergency preparedness planning and how it can ensure a community’s safety during unexpected crises. Presenters will discuss the crucial role community leaders play during crises and provide insights into the importance of conducting risk assessments and paying attention to emerging threats. Find out how Kendal~Crosslands Communities navigated its 2023 crisis by establishing a command center, conducting ongoing communications, and depending on resident and staff resilience and teamwork.

• Michele Berardi, Senior Director, Communications and Public Relations, Kendal-Crosslands Communities
• Seth Beaver, Vice President of Community Operations, Kendal-Crosslands Communities
• Lisa Marsilio, CEO, Kendal-Crosslands Communities
• Roy Manno, Director of Facilities, Kendal-Crosslands Communities

87-A. Moving Forward Coalition: 2024 Update

The Moving Forward Coalition recently began its third year of work to advance recommendations from a 2022 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine report to improve nursing home quality. With new funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation, the coalition has begun a second phase of work focused on implementing three action plans to address residents’ goals, preferences, and priorities; strengthen resident councils; and using apprenticeship programs to expand career pathways for certified nursing assistants. Join this session to discover what the coalition accomplished during its first two years of work and what it hopes to achieve in the future.

• Isaac Longobardi, Project Director, LeadingAge

101-A. Health & Wellness Programming in Affordable Housing

Residents of subsidized senior housing communities are at high risk for poor health outcomes and functional challenges due to their low incomes, advanced ages, and racial and ethnic diversity. This session will present an alternative. Presenters will share research showing that health and wellness programming activities in affordable housing communities can improve quality of life and enhance the ability of residents to perform activities of daily living. Representatives from three LeadingAge provider organizations will offer an overview of affordable housing-based programs that connect residents with education, technology, programming, and community resources. Presenters will provide guidance on program startup, implementation, and performance tracking and explore how to ensure that program models meet specific community needs.

• Judy Collett-Miller, Director of Technology Innovation, Parker Health Group, Inc.
• Alisha Sanders, Director of Program Design, Evaluation & Strategy, Volunteers of America National Services
• Amanda Oberg, LivWell Program Manager – Affordable Housing, Springpoint Senior Living

117-A. Federal Policy Updates Across the Continuum

You don’t have to be a “policy wonk” to stay current on federal policy issues. You just need to spend an hour with the LeadingAge Policy Team. During this session, those team members will fill you in on the latest federal policy news for provider types spanning the aging services continuum, including affordable housing, nursing homes, and home and community-based services. LeadingAge policy experts will break down the latest news from the congressional, executive, and judicial branches and share their efforts to advocate for improved and expanded access, funding, and regulatory environments.

• Linda Couch, Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, LeadingAge
• Nicole Fallon, VP, Integrated Services and Managed Care, LeadingAge
• Mollie Gurian, VP, Policy & Government Affairs, LeadingAge
• Janine Finck-Boyle, VP, Health Policy & Regulatory Affairs, LeadingAge

136-A. Resettlement Agencies: Partners in Workforce Development

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there were 108.4 million displaced people and 35.3 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2021. More than 60,000 refugees entered the United States in 2023 alone, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that migration will be the primary driver of our nation’s population growth by 2030. This session will explore how providers of aging services can recruit members of growing migrant and refugee populations to fill the millions of direct caregiver openings projected for the coming decade. Presenters will share strategies for hiring and training migrants and refugees by establishing formal partnerships with refugee resettlement agencies. Learn how to prepare your organization for a new, robust pipeline of caregivers.

• Jenna Kellerman, Director of Workforce Strategy & Development, LeadingAge
• Robin Wolzenburg, Vice President of Housing & Clinical Services, LeadingAge Wisconsin

2-B. Using Data to Improve Resident and Organizational Health

Data is revolutionizing the landscape of senior living. During this session, representatives of LeadingAge Gold Partner Sentrics will help you understand how your organization can leverage data to enhance operational efficiencies and resident well-being. Presenters will share examples of how data and analytics can improve social determinants of health for residents and positively impact their lives. They’ll also explore how senior living organizations can use data and analytics to streamline operations and optimize resource allocation, staffing, and facility management. You’ll gain a new appreciation for how data can promote positive outcomes across the entire spectrum of senior living programs.

• Kunaal Goel, VP of Analytics & Insights, Sentrics

15-B. Montessori Memory Care for New and Existing Settings

Montessori principles have been used to educate countless youngsters worldwide since Maria Montessori opened her first school in 1911. These same principles are now being adapted to provide cognitive, emotional, physical, and social benefits to older adults living with dementia. This session will explore the architecture and interior design strategies that enable independent residents with dementia to care for themselves, others, and their community. Hear an overview of the Montessori philosophy, the principles of Montessori for dementia, and the quality standards that will help you implement those principles. You’ll gain practical ideas and best practices for successfully integrating Montessori principles into new and existing service settings.

• Amy Laughlin, Director of Residential Life, Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina
• Scott Hendrix, Architect, Project Manager, Mcmillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

27-B. Harnessing the Strength of Leaders from All Generations

The field of aging services is preparing to welcome a new generation of professionals as record numbers of its current leaders get ready to retire. These new leaders will bring a range of perspectives to their leadership roles. This session will help you make the most of these varying perspectives. Panelists will include a baby boomer with 40 years of service, a Gen X executive with over 25 years of experience, and a Millennial/Gen Z administrator. Speakers will explore the impact of generational differences on organizations and the importance of creating environments where these differences can be shared and appreciated. Discover how your organization can shape the future by harnessing the strengths of all generations.

• Jere’ Hales, Chief Operating Officer, Lambeth House
• Scott Crabtree, CEO/President, Lambeth House
• Cayla Scott Kennedy, Administrator, Lambeth House

40-B. Do You Need Better Board Members or Better Board Processes?

How can senior living organizations help their boards lead in times of change? This session will help you investigate how new board processes, not necessarily new board members, could help your organization develop best-in-class governance. You’ll gain tips for maintaining the board’s strategic oversight, holding discussions that make the best use of board member skills, using committees to advance broader decision-making, and setting expectations to ensure board members remain connected to the organization. Let CEOs and board chairs tell you about the processes they’ve used to create high-quality boards, how to recognize the signs of declining board effectiveness, and how to attract effective board members.

• Diane Burfeindt, Managing Principal, Trilogy Connect
• Doug Leidig, President & CEO, Asbury Communities, Inc.
• Daphne Schneider, Former Board Chair, Emerald Communities

54-B. Expand Your Mission and Market with Continuing Care at Home

Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) offers the services of a life plan community to older adults while they live independently in their own homes. Providers of aging services have long worried that CCaH programs could dissuade older adults from moving to a life plan community. Those concerns will be eased during this session when representatives of three life plan communities describe how CCaH helped them expand their mission, grow their market territory, and increase their revenue diversification. You’ll gain valuable guidance to help you use the CCaH model to serve older adults who remain at home, motivate waitlist prospects to commit to your organization, and attract a younger, more diverse population to your life plan community.

• Cecily Laidman, Executive Director, Springpoint Choice
• Erin Strain, Executive Director, Givens Choice, Givens Choice
• Michelle M Pandolfi, Executive Director, Thrive at Home, Whitney Center, Inc.
• James Tavormina, Vice President of Sales, Springpoint Senior Living

55-B. Identify and Build on Your Community’s Unique Strengths

Whether you are a new community or one that has been around for decades, it’s more important than ever to establish a distinct market niche. That’s what Trinity Landing did. The Life Plan Community in Wilmington, NC, began planning and preparing for its opening by solidifying a unique position in the market and using it to create a clear competitive advantage. During this session, you’ll hear from the financial advisor, marketing firm, and sales team how to build a brand around your community’s unique selling points and capitalize on its unique strengths.

• Ann Pressly, Director of Sales and Marketing, Trinity Landing
• John Franklin, Founder and Principal, Pearl Creek Advisors, LLC
• Rob Love, President & CEO, Love & Company, Inc.

75-B. Creating Community Connections That Count

Senior living organizations can boost their success and position themselves for future collaborative opportunities by participating actively in their local communities through strategic networking and volunteerism. This session will teach you techniques for developing relationships with community stakeholders and using advanced communication skills to make valuable connections in your local community. Presenters will discuss tactics for securing coverage of events and pertinent topics, positioning your leaders as media resources, and pitching newsworthy stories. Learn how to market your senior living organization by cultivating community alliances and building media trust. Get ready to unlock opportunities by demonstrating your sincere desire to improve your local community.

• Laura Long, VP Independent Living, Fellowship Community
• Kelly Gould, VP of Development & Marketing, Fellowship Community

88-B. Value-Based Care: Transforming Aging Services at the Bedside

Medicare Advantage, accountable care organizations, and other value-based care payment models are playing a growing role in aging services. However, the aging services model must change significantly before providers can successfully transition from a volume-focused fee-for-service approach to one that supports prevention and population health management. This session will explore the policy, technology, and clinical changes necessary for a successful transition. Presenters will describe technologies that could enable providers of aging services to access real-time data and provide virtual access to specialty care, all at the bedside. They will also introduce you to the models and technologies that promise to transform care delivery, teach you about potential barriers to delivery system transformation, and give you reasons for optimism.

• Fred Bentley, Managing Director, ATI Advisory
• Tom Haithcoat, President, Ceptor Consulting, LLC
• Adam Perry, Health Policy & Aging Fellow, ATI Advisory

89-B. Accelerate Improvement through Collaborative Learning

Legacy Lifecare is a network of charitable, nonprofit senior care organizations with a common managerial infrastructure. Founded in 2018 by Chelsea Jewish Lifecare and JGS Lifecare, the network gives its nonprofit affiliates access to managerial resources usually available only to large, proprietary organizations. This session will explore how the Legacy Lifecare Management System takes a collaborative learning and continuous improvement approach to connecting each organization’s mission with its strategic direction. Presenters will offer guidance to help you analyze how your organization does its work, find new ways to collaborate internally and externally and adapt to a rapidly changing environment. Get an up-close view of how operational expertise and continuous improvement methodologies can help your organization address complex challenges.

• Adam Berman, President, Legacy Lifecare
• Betsy Mullen, COO, Legacy Lifecare
• Katherine Santos, Chief Strategy Officer, Legacy Lifecare

102-B. Helping Residents Manage Mental Health Challenges Across Settings

Providers of aging services across the continuum strive to address the needs of residents who live with untreated mental health and substance use conditions. This session will highlight how Westminster Communities of Florida is helping residents manage these conditions. Representatives of that organization will be on hand to review statistics showing the enormous challenges facing older adults in need of mental health support. They will demonstrate how strong metrics, data sharing, and collaboration can strengthen resident health and well-being outcomes in nursing and assisted living settings and how housing professionals with limited resources can support residents experiencing ongoing or acute mental health crises. Learn how these interventions can improve team member and resident satisfaction—and the bottom line.

• Alex Piriz Mookerjee, Executive Director, Westminster Communities of Florida, Inc.
• Terry Carr, Executive Director, Westminster Manor of Bradenton
• Jacqueline Sahhar, Health Services Administrator, Westminster Communities of Florida, Inc.

118-B. Looking to the Future of Affordable Senior Housing

Join this engaging discussion focusing on the role of mission-aligned affordable housing in the continuum of care and services for older adults. Presenters will help you look beyond “today” to learn more about new housing and services programs, policies, and implementation updates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. You’ll gain insights into how pivotal changes in our federal administration could impact the future of affordable senior housing and the older adults you serve.

• Juliana Bilowich, Director, Housing Operations & Policy, LeadingAge
• Linda Couch, Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, LeadingAge
• Ethan Handelman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing, Department of Housing & Urban Development
• Richard Cho, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

119-B. Life Plan Community Update

Two influential forces drive legislative activities in life plan community oversight: consumer advocacy groups and LeadingAge. Working closely with its state partners, LeadingAge proactively tracks legislative and consumer advocacy activities and supports efforts to protect life plan communities and the older adults they serve. This session will provide a thorough review of current state and federal activities related to life plan communities. An expert panel will discuss the implications of these activities for providers, explore the role that LeadingAge and its state partners are taking to influence those activities, and look ahead to anticipate strategic preparations that must take place now to secure the life plan community model for the future.

• Dee Pekruhn, Director, Life Plan Communities Services & Policy, LeadingAge

137-B. Testing Ways to Bolster Home Care Profession

Two home care agencies in Richmond, VA, are testing a four-pronged approach they hope will bolster the home care profession by acknowledging the value of professional care providers and increasing their retention rates. The pilot programs are assessing the effectiveness of four interventions: increasing professional caregiver compensation, offering subsidies to increase caregiver access to transportation, providing high-quality training and career advancement activities, and improving the capacity of agencies to track data and measure outcomes. During this session, representatives of the two agencies and a home care aide will share their experiences with the pilot programs and assess the impact those programs have had on both agencies and caregivers. You’ll take home lessons you can apply to your organization.

• Natasha Bryant, Senior Director of Workforce Research & Development, LTSS Center, LeadingAge

3-C. How Much Technology Is “Enough” for Your Community?

Most senior living providers understand the importance of technology but don’t know whether their technology infrastructures are adequate to meet long-term needs. This session will introduce you to a process that can help you determine how much technology is “enough.” Presenters will show you how to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of your technology infrastructure by inventorying your current technology systems, cataloging their shortcomings and limitations, and then modifying or adding to those systems to accommodate current and future technology needs. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to plan, design, and implement a successful technology infrastructure and gain buy-in from all stakeholders.

• Michael Sanzotti, Principal; Director of Technology Solutions, Reese Hackman
• Deborah Shughart, Chief Financial Officer, Foxdale Village
• Mark Nunnikhoven, Director of Client Relations, ProviNET Solutions

16-C. Preserving Owner-Occupied Homes with a Health Action Plan

Health Action Plans offer affordable housing developers an evidence-based process for embedding health-promoting features into the design of new housing or the repair of existing structures. This session will explore how six community-based organizations used these plans to address the health of older adults while repairing and modifying their homes. You’ll learn how to identify the health needs of older homeowners, ensure their full engagement in the home modification process, and work with design and public health partners to select healthy building materials. Presenters will describe Health Action Plans used to preserve owner-occupied housing in Michigan and Maryland. You’ll take home templates you can use to implement a Health Action Plan in your community.

• Claire Louis, Director of Thome Aging Well Program, Enterprise Community Partners
• Mary Ayala, Senior Program Director, National Initiatives, Enterprise Community Partners
• Jessica Eiland Anders, Michigan Program Director, Thome Aging Well Program, Enterprise Community Partners

28-C. Leadership Diversity: Welcoming Young People of Color

Increasing the diversity of your leadership team can help your organization improve its workplace culture and bolster its success. This session will show you how to help younger people from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups understand the opportunities available to them in the field of aging services. Learn about LeadingAge initiatives that can help you recruit and retain a diverse team and build the leadership skills of team members once they are hired. Leaders of color will be on hand to share their experiences working in aging services and to offer advice for building a diverse leadership team by opening doors for younger people of color and providing the support they need for a long and fulfilling career in our sector.

• Beryl Bannerman, Administrator, Witherspoon Senior Apartments
• Natasha Bryant, Senior Director of Workforce Research & Development, LTSS Center, LeadingAge
• Laiya Haywood-Rollins, Manager, Membership & Workforce, LeadingAge Virginia
• Adrienne Powell Ruffin, VP and Head of LTSS Strategic Initiatives and Operations, LTSS Center, LeadingAge
• Lisha Galloway, Resident Services Director, Edenwald

41-C. Are Residents Welcome to Help You Govern and Lead?

Now and in the future, new senior living models will be driven by the needs and preferences of a diverse population of older adults who differ markedly from previous generations. These “New Age Older Adults” will live longer than their predecessors, actively pursue purposeful longevity, want control over their lives, and seek to be involved in their senior living community’s governance, leadership, and decision-making. During this session, senior living CEOs and resident leaders will explain how these new older adults influence governance structures and leadership models in their organizations. Presenters will share the collaborative leadership and governance innovations they are undertaking and describe how they balance resident participation with their organization’s legal responsibilities.

• Olivia Mastry, Founder, The Collective Action Lab
• Jane Mack, President/CEO, Friends Services Alliance
• Daniel Murray, CEO/President, Pennswood Village
• Steven Fuller, CEO, Army Residence Community
• Lawson W. Magruder III US Army Retired, Lt General, Resident Board Member, Chairman of Strategic Planning Commitee, Army Residence Community

56-C. Do Life Plan Communities Need a Skilled Nursing Component?

Many life plan communities are looking for a different way to address the long-term care needs of their residents. Some organizations are reducing or eliminating their skilled care component or building new communities without skilled nursing. Others are re-building their long-term care products to be more consumer-friendly. This session will look closely at both options. Presenters will explore whether skilled nursing care is an essential part of a continuum in life plan communities, the steps involved in deciding whether to strengthen or dismantle a skilled nursing setting, and the financial implications of that decision. Learn about alternatives to including skilled care in the continuum and how to determine what your community needs.

• Anita Holt, President/CEO, The Forest at Duke
• James Rothrock, President & CEO, Episcopal Communities & Services
• Ron Schaefer, Chief Operating Officer, Lutheran Senior Services
• Mary Munoz, Senior Managing Director, Ziegler
• Melissa Destout, Associate Principal, Perkins Eastman Architects PC

57-C. Become a “Go-To” Resource for Prospective Residents

Is your life plan community looking to reach an untapped market of younger prospects and retain current wait-list depositors—all while generating revenue? Consider following the example of Ingleside, a multisite organization in the nation’s capital. Ingleside partnered with a provider of concierge services to offer current and future residents of its life plan communities a variety of on-demand services—from dog walking and grooming to help with downsizing and decluttering. This session will explore Ingleside’s choice to partner with an outside vendor rather than buying or building its concierge program from scratch. Presenters will show you how current and future residents shaped the service menu and how the concierge program helped Ingleside amplify its brand as the “go-to resource” for prospects and their families.

• Hersh Fernandes, CEO, Dorvie, Inc
• Christen Milstead, Vice President of Marketing, Ingleside
• Kristin Shanks, Vice President of Sales, Ingleside

76-C. Drive Occupancy with Journey-Based Sales Enablement

Sales enablement is a strategic approach that uses information, tools, and relevant content to help sales teams sell more effectively. This session will illustrate why it’s essential for multisite aging services organizations to develop and implement an intentional sales enablement strategy focusing on the customer experience. Presenters will share best practices for providing high-value content that supports the customer journey at all phases and improves conversion using a playbook that can be assessed, measured, and optimized over time. Learn how to increase occupancy by building monthly content calendars focused on topics that will motivate your audiences, targeting marketing efforts to influencers like adult children, and using owned, earned, and paid media to create an ideal inbound experience for prospective residents.

• Trisha Haber, Group Account Director, ThomasARTS
• Paul Barlow, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Transforming Age
• Kelly Ornberg, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Oakmont Management Group

90-C. Saving the Planet One Life Plan Community at a Time

Wake Robins, a life plan community in Shelbourne, VT, is committed to nurturing and protecting the environment. This session will provide an overview of how the community lives out that commitment in its daily operations and through resident engagement committees promoting climate change awareness. Presenters will showcase the community’s earth-friendly groundskeeping practices, which emphasize the use of native plants, herbicide-free care, a comprehensive forestry plan, and electric lawn maintenance. They’ll share the results of the Flexible Load pilot program Wake Robins is implementing with its local electric company and its strategies to reduce food waste through composting and biodigesters. You’ll hear about the community’s success stories, challenges, and lessons learned on its journey to environmental sustainability.

• Leslie Parker, Director of Environmental Services, Wake Robin
• Meagan Buckley, President & CEO, Wake Robin
• Steve Silverman, Resident, Wake Robin

103-C. Accompanying Families on the Dementia Journey

Being a caregiver for a person with dementia is demanding and requires substantial support. Three-quarters of dementia care partners express concerns about their health, and more than half report experiencing elevated emotional stress. This session will show you how providers of aging services can help. Presenters will introduce you to the KnAC© approach, which provides a framework for care partners to focus and ground their thoughts, attitudes, and actions. A senior living executive and a dementia expert will guide session participants through the KnAC© process so they can help caregivers make decisions, set care goals, and change their environment, mindset, attitudes, knowledge, and emotions. Learn how to help caregivers connect with the person living with dementia, the community, and themselves.

• Anne Kenny, , Kendal at Home
• Lynne Giacobbe, Chief Executive Officer, Kendal at Home

104-C. Empowering Residents through Community Forums

Residents who don’t have feelings of empowerment, agency, and purpose may have difficulty thriving in their senior living community. Engaging older adults and their families in open dialogue about what matters most to them can help. This session will explore the benefits of resident and family engagement, which allows aging services providers to hear everyone’s ideas, brainstorm solutions, and implement changes based on suggestions. Presenters will share strategies for developing three engagement opportunities: community councils for the general resident population, community forums for residents with varying cognitive abilities, and family forums for residents’ loved ones. Find out how this engagement process can enhance resident satisfaction and demonstrate your commitment to resident well-being.

• Rhonda Glyman, Executive Director, Assisted Living, NewBridge on the Charles
• Leticia Prieto Alvarez, Program Manager, Expressive Therapies and Brain Health Initiatives, Hebrew SeniorLife
• Bonnie Lundquist-Edes, Program Specialist, Assisted Living, NewBridge on the Charles

120-C. Federal Nondiscrimination Laws: Updates and Considerations

A plethora of federal laws prohibit discrimination against care recipients and employees based on disability. This session will provide an overview of how these federal laws apply to aging service providers. Presenters will outline regulations and guidance released in 2024 that enforce these federal requirements. They will also address practical issues facing providers and identify steps and strategies for assessing risks and establishing and maintaining effective programs to support compliance.

• Jonathan Lips, Vice President, Legal Affairs, LeadingAge

138-C. Working with a Labor Union to Fill Staffing Gaps

When Cabrini of Westchester in Dobbs Ferry, NY, found itself with a severe gap in staffing after COVID-19, its Human Resources team knew it had to “think outside the box” to hire the certified nursing assistants (CNA) it needed to serve a growing resident population. This session will highlight Cabrini’s solution: collaborating with 1199 SEIU, the Service Employees International Union, to plan, implement, and manage a nursing assistant apprentice program. Presenters will describe the program, which offers on-the-job training and pay to apprentices who join the Cabrini team after passing New York State’s nursing assistant competency exam. Learn what it takes to collaborate with a labor union to fill staffing gaps.

• Simone Faulkner-Smith, Director of Human Resources, Cabrini of Westchester

4-D. International Perspectives on Technology and Innovation

Populations around the globe are aging rapidly, and providers of aging services have much to learn from their colleagues in other countries as we all prepare for projected demographic shifts. During this session, the Global Ageing Network will bring together a diverse group of providers to discuss the future aging services in their respective countries with a particular focus on the role of technology. Hear how the global field of aging services is influenced by the evolving preferences of older persons and the capacity of governments to support needed initiatives. Discover how technology and business innovators are responding to global aging with creative solutions that promise to help build a better and more sustainable future for older adults across the globe.

• Gregor Rae, Chairman, BusinessLab & Founder, Active Age
• Katie Thorn, Project Lead, Digital Care Hub (formerly Digital Social Care)
• Jon-Bendik Thue, Chief Commercial Officer, Sensio

17-D. Navigating the Stormy Waters of a Campus Expansion

What happens when an older life plan community campus with a growing need for new housing plans an expansion that involves relocating a stream and adding a detention basin to an adjacent property? During this session, representatives of Covenant Living Communities and Services in Skokie, IL, will describe how they addressed myriad obstacles while still maintaining a quality design. Presenters will offer advice to help you garner support for your project from stakeholders, stay within your budget, obtain additional funding to address delays, and manage a process you don’t fully control. Get an up-close view of the often-turbulent process of seeking approval for a senior living development expansion. Take home advice that could help your next project succeed.

• Randy Gross, VP of Project Development, Covenant Living Communities and Services
• Ken Kite, Associate/Senior Project Manager, THW Design
• Eric Tracy, Associate, Kimley-Horn & Associates

29-D. Creating Career Pathways for English Language Learners

Building the skills of English language learners can help senior living organizations fill critical vacancies, retain professional caregivers, and mentor trusted staff. During this session, team members from Friendsview Retirement Community in Newberg, OR, will describe how their organization is putting English language learners on a career path in healthcare, as well as how they addressed academic bias in their training programs in order to help their housekeeping staff to succeed. Get tips for starting an English Language Learners Program in your organization and ensuring that the program leads to new hires. You’ll learn how to partner with external education programs, smooth out your hiring process to be more welcoming to English language learners, ease communication between learners, coworkers, and residents, and boost retention through training and advancement. Most of all, you will learn how benefits transfer to better learning for all your employees.

• Iliana Hernandez, Interim Director of Health Services, Friendsview Retirement Community
• Dawn Elizabeth Todd, ELL Program Coordinator, Friendsview Retirement Community

30-D. Creating Diverse Resident Councils in Affordable Housing

Housing communities assisted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) thrive when residents are engaged, and their needs are heard by community staff. Resident councils represent one of the most effective strategies for achieving such engagement. This session will share promising practices for establishing and sustaining strong councils that bring together residents who speak various languages and are culturally, educationally, financially, and socially diverse. Presenters will walk you through the challenging steps involved in getting a resident council off the ground, review the latest HUD insights and requirements for these councils, and discuss how a housing community’s staff can work with and support a resident council and ensure its sustainability.

• Rhoda Byers, Executive Vice President, Plano Community Home, Inc.
• Steredrick Goodjoint, Director of Campus Administration, Plano Community Home, Inc.
• Zipporah Dunman, Assistant to Administration, Plano Community Home, Inc.

42-D. Board Members are Leaders Too: How to Build a Better Board

Members of a nonprofit organization’s board of directors have a choice. They can be passive boosters of the organization’s mission or organizational leaders who provide vital support to help the organization achieve that mission. This session will help you steer your board toward the second option. Presenters will show you how to unlock the power that comes with having a board of directors that is committed to your organization’s mission, aligned with management, and prepared to fulfill its separate and distinct role in the organization’s hierarchy. You’ll leave this session with a new appreciation for the importance of recruiting the best board candidates and helping them become fully engaged and empowered.

• Robert Leamer, Principal Advisor, Northampton Advisors
• Jason Santiago, President & CEO, Good Shepherd Communities

43-D. How to Lead Your Organization Through Polarizing Situations

Effective decision-makers in aging services recognize that diverse perspectives can help their organizations navigate the complex challenges they face. In this session, coaches from the LeadingAge Connecticut Leadership Academy will define contrasting yet interrelated viewpoints—called polarities—that leaders must recognize and manage so they can foster a resilient culture in their organizations. Presenters will show you how to lead your teams through polarizing situations by inviting opposing perspectives and outcomes. Learn how to use polarities to manage opposing forces, make effective decisions, and welcome diversity of thought. You’ll return home with a new appreciation for the inherent complexity of issues and the value of balancing multiple perspectives.

• Kelly Papa, CEO/President, Duncaster
• Patricia Morse, CEO/President, Connecticut Baptist Home
• Michelle M Pandolfi, Executive Director, Thrive at Home, Whitney Center, Inc.
• Heather Stanton, VP Resident Services & Community Life, Duncaster
• LeaAnn Blanchard, Executive Director, The Orchards at Southington

58-D. Affiliation: Last Resort or Best Path Forward?

Affiliation is often seen as a last resort for a troubled senior living community. However, deciding to join with another entity can also represent an organization’s best path to achieving its strategic vision. This session will reframe the concept of affiliation by presenting the story of the Elder Care Alliance (ECA), which chose to pursue an affiliation after undergoing a robust strategic planning process. Presenters will offer a brief overview of the process ECA used to explore whether an affiliation would improve the odds of achieving its vision for success. Take home practical tools for identifying, pursuing, and evaluating potential affiliation partners. Explore key governance issues associated with one of the most significant decisions your board of directors may ever make.

• Adriene Iverson, President & CEO, Elder Care Alliance
• David Knight, VP of Business Services, Transforming Age
• Mario McKenzie, Partner, CLA

59-D. Beyond the Continuum: Embracing an Aging-in-Place Model

The traditional continuum of care model, which provides care in segmented settings, no longer meets the preferences of consumers who want to access a suite of services in a variety of physical settings. In response to this shift in consumer preferences, more providers of aging services are adopting an age-in-place model featuring wellness clinics, nurse practitioners, in-house home care, and hospice services. Join representatives of LeadingAge Gold Partner Greystone to explore the operational, physical plant, and marketing strategy changes providers must make before adopting an age-in-place model. Presenters will offer guidance on mitigating the aging-in-place model’s financial impact on the traditional life plan community.

• Stuart Jackson, Executive Vice President, Greystone
• Brad Straub, Executive Vice President, Greystone
• Melissa Heiss, Senior Manager, Greystone
• Justin Spooner, Senior Vice President, Greystone

77-D. Transform your Brand Experience with Storytelling

Does your brand spark feelings of connection and authenticity? If not, you may be spending too much time focusing on your logo and tagline and not enough time listening to the human-interest stories living within your senior living community. Those stories can convince prospective residents and employees that something special is happening within your walls. This session will explore how older adult storytelling can captivate audiences and encourage deeper engagement with your brand, especially when those stories go viral on social media. Presenters will give you practical strategies for harnessing the storytelling potential of residents in your community and showcasing the authenticity that today’s buyers crave.

• Jill Janes, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Methodist Retirement Communities
• Nathan Jones, Founder, Dash Media
• Jack York, Founder/Chief Story Teller, TaleGate

91-D. How to Become a Data-Driven Organization

Your senior living organization is collecting and generating more data than ever before. But are you making the best use of that data? This session will help you recognize the value of your organization’s raw data and how solid data aggregation and reporting strategies can lead to better resident care, improved business operations, and success for your whole team. Presenters will explain how to implement data aggregation and reporting strategies and offer tips for determining your objectives for leveraging data, identifying available data sources, applying data to your organization, and making data a part of its culture. The emerging role of artificial intelligence and machine learning will also be discussed.

• Terry Freed, President & CEO, Prelude Services
• Bruce Shearer, Vice President of Technology, Presbyterian Senior Living
• Bryan McCrea, Director of Software Development, Prelude Services

105-D. Tackling Loneliness and Ageism Online through the Arts

An online platform piloted in 2023 by the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Oxford, OH, is tackling the twin epidemics of loneliness and ageism by engaging older and younger people in meaningful conversations and creative activities. The Scripps Arts-based, Virtual, Intergenerational, and Dementia-Friendly (AVID) program has connected more than 80 intergenerational pairs by using engaging prompts to facilitate virtual conversations around the arts. This session will introduce you to ScrippsAVID, share findings from its pilot phase, and describe how the program is connecting students and people living with dementia in nursing homes and strengthening intergenerational programming in a tribal community. Presenters will demonstrate the free video-chat platform and invite you to participate in a sample activity.

• Meghan Young, Associate Director, OMA, Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University
• Krysta Peterson, Assistant Director, Opening Minds through Art (OMA), Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University

121-D. Care in the Community: Policy Changes and Opportunities

2024 has been a year marked by monumental Medicaid policy changes that will drive the priorities of state Medicaid programs for years to come. The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) continues to expand. The Medicare home health program remains a program in flux – reimbursement and access challenges persist while demand increases, especially as people desire to age in community. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation launched the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, which aims to support people living with dementia and their unpaid caregivers. Federal policy to support family caregivers is gaining more attention than ever before. Learn everything you need to know about the community-based care ecosystem and what’s in store for 2025.

• Mollie Gurian, VP, Policy & Government Affairs, LeadingAge
• Georgia Goodman, Director, Medicaid, LeadingAge
• Katy Barnett, Director, Home Care & Hospice Operations and Policy, LeadingAge

122-D. Workforce Policy: Charting the Future

Workforce challenges remain one of the most pressing issues facing aging services. This session will explore the intricacies and nuances of federal workforce policy opportunities and challenges, including the finalized nursing home staffing standard and its implications across the care continuum. Through interactive and candid discussions, participants will gain a deeper understanding of pending workforce legislation and hear how LeadingAge is shaping the conversation on Capitol Hill to preserve access to care, expand pathways into the aging services sector, and increase opportunities for international caregiver recruitment.

• Nicole Howell, Director, Workforce Policy, LeadingAge

139-D. A Systems-Level Initiative to Support Employee Well-Being

The well-being of individuals working at every level of senior living organizations has been seriously challenged over the past few years. Presbyterian Homes in Skokie, IL, established a systems-level intervention to help employees address those challenges. This session will describe the processes and strategies the organization used to implement a well-being initiative with help from leadership, staff, and resident champions. Presenters will review the latest research about workplace well-being and explore the connection between staff well-being, quality of care, clinical outcomes, and operations. Let yourself be inspired to establish similar interventions to foster emotional well-being among staff while stabilizing and empowering the aging services workforce.

• Kelly Carney, Board Certified Geropsychologist, Vision Led Change Consulting
• Alpana Patel, Vice President of Clinical Services, Presbyterian Homes – Skokie
• Samantha Victor-Alvarado, VP of Human Resources, Presbyterian Homes – Skokie

5-E. How HIT Incentives and Federal Interoperability Standards Can Ease Today’s Staffing Challenges

Across our industry senior care providers recognize the role that health information technology (IT) can play in addressing the ongoing staffing crisis. This session will explore how adopting interoperable technology solutions can help to improve productivity and enable professional caregivers to perform their jobs more efficiently. Representatives of LeadingAge Gold Partner, PointClickCare, will discuss the importance of access to technology and how widespread adoption will lead to improved outcomes and happier team members. You’ll gain insights into the importance of interoperability standards and why aligning state and federal standards can ensure that health IT investments benefit clinical staff and high-need residents.

• Bill Charnetski, EVP, Health System Solutions and Government Affairs, PointClickCare

18-E. What Do Residents Think of Your New Development Project?

Imagine that you’re planning a renovation or new addition to your campus. You form a dream team of experienced professionals, including the developer, architect, interior designer, general contractor, and a winning sales and marketing team. You think your team is now complete, but you’re wrong. As this session will illustrate, engaging residents as participants in deciding what happens to the place they call home, may result in greater overall satisfaction. Presenters will explore why resident feedback is important, how to gather that feedback, who should be involved, and when they should be engaged.

• Beth Arokoyo, Project Manager, Spellman Brady & Co.
• Sarah Simpson, Chief Business Officer, Cardinal Ritter Senior Services (HUD)
• Melissa Keeney, Director of Design, Spellman Brady & Co.

31-E. You Belong Here: Creating Inclusive Spaces For LGBTQ+ Older Adults

In 2011, photographer Heidi Wagner created a portrait series called the Passions Project to capture the unwavering spirit of older adults who are redefining aging. This session will feature an inclusive conversation between Wagner and three LGBTQ+ older adults she photographed during the project. Take this opportunity to hear directly from LGBTQ+ older adults about their experiences and how they deal with issues of race and gender identity. Attendees will receive a toolkit of questions, conversation formats, and resources they can use to host similar inclusive conversations in their communities.

• Heidi Wagner, Photographer/Creator, Passions Project / Heidi Wagner Photography

44-E. Succession Planning for Mid-Level Managers

There’s no shortage of advice for creating a succession plan for your organization’s chief executive. However, the coming surge in retirements among aging services leaders won’t be limited to the CEO position. Organizations must also prepare for an expected increase in retirements among mid-level, long-tenured directors, managers, and technicians who run teams and have valuable institutional knowledge. This session will examine a process for building and maintaining a succession plan for a variety of positions. Presenters will show you how to use technology, alongside recruitment and mentorship, to position your community to welcome its next generation of leaders at all levels.

• Francis Glynn, Director of Environmental Services, Londonderry Village
• Taylor Furst, Senior Solutions Consultant, Brightly a Siemens Company

60-E. Storytelling: A Bridge to Engage Multi-Generational Donors

Nonprofit organizations must adapt to the changing landscape of donor engagement, and storytelling can help. This session will help your organization take a more inclusive approach to developing strong relationships with an increasingly diverse group of donors. A senior living executive and an institutional investment expert will show you how to craft narratives that resonate with individuals of varying backgrounds and ages, from Baby Boomers to Zoomers. Delve into the unique characteristics and preferences of today’s donors and learn how to tell stories that build emotional connections. Discover the power of videos, podcasts, and interactive digital platforms to convey your organization’s mission and impact.

• Sarah Bujold, Marketing Manager, Westpath Institutional Investments
• JD Shuman, President & CEO Asbury Foundation, Asbury Communities, Inc.
• Elise Strom, Director of Development, Aldersbridge Communities

61-E. Your Lifecycle Stage: What is it and Why Does It Matter?

What stage in the Nonprofit Lifecycle does your organization find itself? Is it a young organization at the Idea Stage or the Startup Stage? Or has it moved into the Growth, Maturity, Stagnation, or Decline stages? Knowing the answer to these questions can help your organization develop critical capacity-building, growth, and regeneration strategies that could contribute to its long-term strength and sustainability. This session will help you identify your organization’s current Lifecycle Stage and explore strategies to help you keep moving forward. Two LeadingAge member organizations—one at the Growth Stage and the other at the Maturity Stage—will describe how their boards aligned their planning processes with their Lifecycle Stage to adopt regeneration strategies for their organizations.

• Beverly Asper, Director, Baker Tilly
• Alicia Titus, Chief Experience Officer, Messiah Lifeways
• Nadia Geigler, CEO, The Admiral at the Lake

78-E. Using Digital Sales Tools to Reach a Middle-Market Audience

2Life Communities, a LeadingAge member in Brighton, MA, recognized that serving the middle market was both an opportunity and a moral duty. That’s why the organization developed Opus Newton, a pioneering community designed for older adults who have too much income to qualify for affordable housing yet struggle with housing affordability. This session will explore how Opus Newton used advanced technology to create a seamless sales experience that built credibility and trust with prospective residents who thought a senior living option was out of reach for them. This winning process helped the community meet its sales goals early and realize cost savings of approximately $1 million. Find out how to use digital sales tools to reach a new generation of tech-savvy prospects.

• Hoyle Koontz, Partner, The Vectre
• Sharon Adams Brooks, Chief Marketing Officer, 2Life Communities
• Suzanne Allen, Managing Partner, BlueFingerprint
• Lauren Hathaway, Opus Marketing Manager, 2Life Communities

92-E. Improving Transitions of Care through EMS Partnerships

Emergency medical services (EMS) and aging services providers share a common mission to provide high-quality services to older adults. Yet, transitions of care often suffer because these two providers only interact during times of crisis when both are under tremendous pressure. During this session, an EMS professional and the top executive of a senior living organization will discuss how aging services and EMS providers can improve care transitions by learning to be collaborative and transparent. Presenters will review past, current, and emerging EMS models, explain how these models impact aging services, and offer best practices for working with EMS providers to improve care transitions.

• Diana Delgado, President & CEO, Eaton Senior Communities, Inc.
• Garrett Chism, Faculty, Metropolitan State University of Denver

106-E. Sexual Intimacy: How to Support Choice While Managing Risk

A person’s need for intimacy doesn’t disappear as they age, even if their level of cognition declines. However, respecting a resident’s right to intimacy can lead to awkward situations and uncomfortable conversations with other residents, family members, and surveyors. This session will give you the tools to protect and promote each resident’s choice, even in the face of occasional adverse responses. An attorney and a nurse will describe the challenges associated with supporting the intimacy needs of residents, with particular emphasis on residents living with dementia. Presenters will also explain how dementia and memory loss may affect intimacy and decision-making. Learn how to manage resident and family expectations and understand the regulatory implications of intimacy.

• Kari Everson, Director of Clinical Care / Nurse Consultant, LeadingAge Minnesota
• Robert Rode, Attorney, Voigt, Rode & Boxeth, LLC

107-E. Combatting Social Isolation in Your Community

Senior living communities work hard to create opportunities for residents to connect socially while receiving the supportive services they need. However, some residents experience social isolation as they struggle to transition into senior living. This session will share best practices to improve resident engagement. Presenters will discuss the need to assess residents regularly for social isolation and to marshal the tools needed to help those residents engage with the community. They will introduce you to two of those tools: therapeutic counseling, which can improve the well-being of residents at risk for social isolation, and social companion robots, which can help supplement the in-person delivery of services, alleviate loneliness, and motivate residents to pursue behaviors that improve their well-being.

• Stacey Judge, , Springpoint Senior Living
• Eric Allgair, Senior Vice President, Elder Life Management
• Adam Cige, Project Success Manager, Intuition Robotics/ElliQ

123-E. Lessons from California’s Data Exchange Framework

The California Data Exchange Framework (DxF) promotes the secure and real-time exchange of health and social service information. California skilled nursing facilities and Programs for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE) must participate in the framework, while other providers are strongly encouraged to do so. This session will share the experiences of LeadingAge California members participating in the DxF. Presenters will use those experiences to illustrate the care coordination-related benefits of the DxF, review technology and policy lessons learned in California that apply to LeadingAge members in other states, and offer advocacy advice to members who anticipate their states may soon develop similar frameworks.

• Meredith Chillemi, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, LeadingAge California
• Keith Kasin, Chief Operating Officer, Hillcrest
• Rachel Goldberg, Consultant, Intrepid Ascent
• Scott Code, Vice President, CAST, LeadingAge

124-E. Taking Stock: A Review of NSPIRE’s First Year

The National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE), a new housing oversight and inspection protocol for multifamily housing providers, is preparing to celebrate its first anniversary. How did the first year of NSPIRE go? During this session, a senior official at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will join a LeadingAge housing expert and a housing provider to share their perspectives on HUD’s new program for inspecting safety in affordable housing. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn what changes are coming to the inspection process, how to prepare for and respond to inspections, and who to contact for variances.

• David Guthridge, Executive Director of Affordable Housing, CJE SeniorLife – Housing Management Service
• Juliana Bilowich, Director, Housing Operations & Policy, LeadingAge
• Ryan Lafollette, Speaker, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

140-E. Add a Little Fun to Your Workplace Culture

What’s the secret to creating an exciting, enjoyable work environment that can help you retain current employees and attract new talent? It’s simple: Don’t take yourself too seriously. This session will show you how to add a little fun to your workplace culture by creating an atmosphere of trust, levity, lightness, and enjoyment that will tickle team members and bring joy to residents. The speaker will share ideas for sparking fun during huddles, meetings, and one-to-one conversations, promoting meaningful workplace relationships, and encouraging employees to let their personalities shine. You’ll return home ready to cultivate a work environment that makes your organization a desirable, engaging, and fun place to work.

• Julie Thorson, President/CEO & Head Coach, Friendship Haven

141-E. The Future of Aging in the United Kingdom

The population of the United Kingdom (UK) is undergoing a massive age shift. By 2050, one in four British citizens will be over 65, causing many to wonder whether a financially secure and healthy later life is becoming increasingly unlikely for millions of people. This session will address these developments while focusing on innovations that could help the UK’s aging services sector achieve a different future. Hear about recent developments in the UK’s care sector, including a growing preference to age at home, significant expansion of small-scale home care providers, and a diverse array of initiatives supporting independence and healthy aging. Consider how these innovations could be applied to other countries around the globe, including the United States.

• Vic Rayner, Chair of the Global Ageing Network and CEO, National Care Forum
• Ben Allen, Founder and Chairman, myley Group

6-F. Harnessing Technology to Bring Joy to Dementia Care

Personalized engagement technology can help providers of aging services create moments of joy, connection, and stimulation for individuals living with dementia. This session will introduce you to a variety of dementia-friendly technologies, including resident engagement systems, robotic animals, virtual reality, and exergames. An aging services provider, neuroscientist, and technology vendor will share scientific research exploring the pivotal role these technologies can play in improving quality of life, mood, engagement, and frustration levels among people with dementia. Presenters will offer practical strategies to help you select and implement engagement technologies, measure success, and address problems as they arise.

• Carrie Chiusano, Executive Director, Dementia Center, Presbyterian SeniorCare Network
• Lydia Nguyen, Principal Researcher, LifeLoop
• Jack York, Founder/Chief Story Teller, TaleGate

19-F. Are You Ready to Develop an Active Adult Community?

Active Adult communities are quickly emerging as the new frontier in aging services. This session will examine the business case for these 55+ developments, which offer resort-type amenities, social activities, and a range of housing options, from stand-alone residential products with no services to integrated developments featuring an extensive care network. Presenters will share research, benchmarking data, and a cross-market perspective as they explore opportunities for established care providers to develop Active Adult communities alone or in partnership with outside developers. Get tips on designing the site, buildings, and residential units for an Active Adult community that will appeal to a new generation of older adults.

• Jeremy Southerland, Senior Living Practice Area Leader – SE Region, Gensler
• Michelle DeCurtis, Research Strategy Lead, Senior Associate, Gensler Research Institute
• Frankie Pane, President, Transforming Age

32-F. DEIB: How Belonging Influences Talent Retention

Organizations can achieve measurable business outcomes, including higher talent retention rates, by building inclusive, diverse cultures. This session will examine how Asbury Communities in Frederick, MD, made Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) a central strategy when setting its goal to decrease staff turnover by 10% over two years. Presenters will describe the tools that made their strategy a success, including a “Belong at Asbury” program, which strives to make Asbury Communities a place of psychological safety, a “Belong Council,” which develops plans and policies to enhance Asbury’s diversity, and “Belonging Moments,” during which team members talk about their lived experience with prejudice. Join this session to review resources that Asbury developed to promote DEIB.

• Mike Bartosek, Chief Human Resources Officer, Asbury Communities, Inc.
• Belinda Degboe, Director of Well-being, Asbury Communities, Inc.

45-F. Executive Compensation: One Community’s Journey

Several years ago, Immanuel Lutheran Communities, a life plan community in Kalispell, MT, identified executive compensation as a critical part of its planning for the organization’s future. This session will share the community’s compensation journey, including initial research and exploration, articulation of a compensation philosophy and plan, and development of a compensation administration system. Presenters will update you on executive compensation guidelines for tax-exempt organizations, the steps involved in creating an executive compensation system, and the challenges you may encounter. They will also share their thoughts about the importance of including executive compensation in your organization’s strategic plan.

• Rebecca Timis, Director of Human Resources, Immanuel Lutheran Communities
• Cathy Schweiger, Director, Health Care and Life Sciences, CLA
• Jason Cronk, Chief Executive Officer, Immanuel Lutheran Communities
• Callie Langohr, Board Chair, Immanuel Lutheran Communities

62-F. Serving the Middle Market: How to Expand Your Mission

Most older adults are “stuck in the middle.” They have too many assets to qualify for affordable housing but insufficient resources to be eligible for a traditional life plan community. Senior living providers can correct this disparity. During this session, experts in the senior living, financial, and development fields will share a variety of best practices for creating a financially viable life plan community that serves the needs of middle-income older adults. You’ll learn about creative financing solutions you can use to grow your portfolio and best practices for planning, constructing, and operating middle-market communities. Discover how to serve a more comprehensive economic range of consumers while maintaining the quality for which you are known.

• Megan Bradford, VP, Middle Market & Ministry, Episcopal Retirement Services
• Laura Lamb, President & CEO, Episcopal Retirement Services
• Lynn Daly, Executive Vice President, HJ Sims

63-F. Two Campuses, One Community: The Piper Shores Story

Piper Shores, Maine’s first and only nonprofit life plan community, experienced solid growth, impressive financial performance, and positive Fitch ratings during its first 21 years of operations. After evaluating the community’s long-term stability, the Piper Shores board of directors and senior management decided that it made sense to expand the organization by building a new 45-acre campus called The Meadows across the street. This session will showcase the strategic, development, financial, and operational plans that preceded this major expansion. Presenters will share how they made decisions about the expansion and how residents worked together to build a sense of community across two campuses.

• Philip Jean, CEO/President, Piper Shores
• Rod Wendt, Resident, Piper Shores
• Susan Russell, Resident, Piper Shores
• Frank Chessa, Board Chair, Piper Shores

79-F. Senior Living Marketing: Educate Them and They Will Come

Research shows that most Baby Boomers want to age in their own homes. What’s unclear is how much Baby Boomers know about the challenges associated with meeting that goal. This session will offer compelling reasons why senior living organizations should move away from the traditional, transactional approach to marketing and toward an approach that educates older adults about senior living options and helps them make informed decisions. Hear about one organization that took an educational approach to marketing its Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) program. Find out what CCaH program benefits resonate most with older adults. Take home tips for implementing an educational approach to marketing that facilitates sales at all levels of care.

• Lisa Hoffman, Executive Director, Pathstones by Phoebe
• Amanda Young, Executive Director, The Wesley at Home, A Program of The Wesley Inc.
• Derek Dunham, Vice President Client Services, Varsity

93-F. Help Your Dining Leaders Reach Their Full Potential

We all know that a well-run dining program contributes to the overall success of a senior living community. Studies show that when culinary team members have opportunities to be engaged, recognized, learn, and grow, their job satisfaction increases and positively affects residents’ dining and hospitality experience. That’s why retirement communities are searching for opportunities to help their culinary and service teams reach their full potential. This session will explore the elements contributing to your culinary team’s success, including a commitment to quality, enhanced department leadership skills, and an emphasis on mentoring for long-term growth. You’ll learn the secret to recruiting and retaining high-quality culinary staff while helping your community increase occupancy, resident satisfaction, and dining department efficiencies.

• David Koelling, President, Strategic Dining Services

108-F. Merge Fitness and Rehab for Optimal Resident Well-Being

Rehabilitation services and fitness activities are often provided by separate departments of a life plan community. This session will present a different approach: merging fitness and rehabilitation services into a single department designed to ensure that residents receive early assessments of their fall and injury risks, use the right services at the right time, and spend more years enjoying optimal well-being. Presenters will show you how to develop a comprehensive wellness-based model for all levels of care by combining the skills of fitness and rehabilitation professionals. You’ll learn how to set formal expectations for a new Fitness-Rehabilitation Department and develop a business plan that addresses training needs, budgetary considerations, and marketing opportunities aimed at current and prospective residents.

• Connie Rasmussen, Regional Director of Rehabilitation Services, Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.
• Kimberly Huff, Director of Fitness & Wellness, Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.
• Patricia Alderson, Corporate Director of Rehabilitation and Ancilliary Services, Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.

109-F. We Wrote a Musical: Fostering A Culture of Creative Resident Collaboration

When life plan communities create conditions that nurture spontaneous creative activity, the results can be spectacular for individuals and the community. That’s what happened at Carolina Meadows in Chapel Hill, NC. Community residents wrote and performed an original musical called Movin’ for more than 1,000 people during five performances in 2023. The musical addressed such themes as retirement, unspoken community rules, death, widowhood, new relationships, hip fractures, and early dementia. This session will combine video footage of performances and rehearsals with presentations by the show’s resident organizer and music director, a geriatrician involved in the project, and the community’s administrator. Join this session to discover how resident-generated creative activity can enhance community spirit.

• Hugh Tilson, Resident, Carolina Meadows
• Philip Sloane, Geriatrician and Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

125-F. SNF Regulations, Surveys and Employment Law: Get the Clarity You Need to Succeed

Regulatory changes and survey trends impact all licensed senior living providers. Presenters will review and evaluate key healthcare and labor/employment regulatory developments from the past year, including an update on the staffing mandate and any long-term care regulations. Presenters will identify current survey trends, reviewing the top survey citations both nationally and regionally. Throughout the session, attendees will be invited to discuss their common challenges, anticipate contingencies, and share best practices related to regulatory developments and survey trends in skilled nursing.

• Sean Fahey, Attorney, Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman PC (IN Office)
• Maddie Spearman, Attorney, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings

126-F. State Policy Solutions to National Senior Housing Challenges

This session will highlight state and local efforts to find new ways to develop affordable housing and services for older adults. Presenters will spark your imagination with examples of such innovations as securing waivers to include Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) partners in the housing development process and incorporating service coordination in tax credit development budgets. You’ll have the opportunity to review innovations implemented by three Massachusetts-based affordable housing projects that leveraged PACE waivers to reduce Low-Income Housing Tax Credit rents. Join a brainstorming exercise aimed at identifying potential allies who could help you meet the housing needs of older adults.

• Emily Levine, Chief of Advocacy, 2Life Communities
• Amy Schectman, CEO, 2Life Communities
• Lizbeth Heyer, President, 2Life Communities

142-F. Want to Engage with Residents and Staff? Make a Video!

The average employee receives 121 emails each day, so don’t be surprised if your team members are skimming or ignoring your organization’s digital communications. Fortunately, video technology offers a much better way to communicate. During this session, you’ll meet the team at Covenant Living in Skokie, IL, that regularly engages with residents and employees through video. Presenters will share examples of Covenant Living’s video programs and give you practical advice and recommendations for making your own videos. Find out how video communication engages residents and employees, helps them understand the “why” behind decisions, and makes it easier for them to get to know each other.

• Jay Hibbard, Chief Growth and Communications Officer, Covenant Living Communities and Services
• Randy Eilts, Director of Public Relations & Communications, Covenant Living Communities and Services
• Terri Cunliffe, Former CEO/President,

143-F. Embracing Students as Future Leaders in Aging Services

The field of aging services faces a pressing challenge: finding innovative strategies to recruit and retain employees to meet the projected demand of 20 million caregiving positions by 2040. Fresh approaches are essential to tackle this critical need. This session will present a solution that includes actively recruiting from colleges and universities that offer aging services and gerontology programs. Representatives from Metropolitan State University of Denver will demonstrate how to stay ahead of the recruitment curve by creating entry-level job opportunities, volunteer experiences, intergenerational learning moments, and internships to attract college graduates to the field. Attendees will hear from current students, alumni, and faculty and leave with practical strategies for collaborating with educational institutions to address the workforce shortage.

• Amy Dore, Professor & Program Director, Aging Services Leadership, Metropolitan State University of Denver
• Jessica Flores-Faisal, Student, Metropolitan State University of Denver
• Jackie Schwartz, Student, Metropolitan State University of Denver
• Nikia Tucker, Student, Metropolitan State University of Denver
• Kris Geerken, Adjunct Instructor, Metropolitan State University of Denver

7-G. Using Technology to Help Residents Feel at Home

If you’re working to help residents feel at home in your community, this session is for you. A community leader, an inspired resident, and a passionate technology provider will share how they helped create a culture of engagement and belonging at Roland Park Place, a life plan community in Baltimore, MD. Find out what spurred the community to look for a new engagement technology provider, the steps its resident technology committee took to evaluate potential solutions, and how support from a technology partner helped the new cloud-based engagement system earn a 60% adoption rate among residents. Learn from the successes of this tech-leading community and take home lessons for implementing its solutions in your organization.

• Kiril Apostolov, VP Operations, Roland Park Place
• Ryan Galea, CEO, Icon (Formerly VoiceFriend and Caremerge)

8-G. Advancing Aging Services: Embracing Generative AI and Large Language Models

Two out of five nonprofit executives responding to a recent Google survey admitted their organizations were not currently using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, even though they felt optimistic about the role these technologies could play in their organizations. What’s holding these executives back? They are simply unfamiliar with rapidly evolving technologies like Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLM). If a lack of familiarity keeps you from exploring AI, this session is for you. Presenters will share practical examples of how aging services organizations use AI and LLMs to increase administrative efficiency, streamline communications, enhance the resident experience, and support the workforce.

• Scott Code, Vice President, CAST, LeadingAge
• Joe Velderman, Vice President of Innovation, Cypress Cove
• Kurt Rahner, VP of Information Technology, The Kendal Corporation
• Richard Foor, VP of Information Technology, Givens Communities

20-G. Back to School: Planning a Community for Future Consumers

Broadview at Purchase College takes full advantage of its location on a sprawling college campus in upstate New York to offer residents access to myriad learning opportunities. But the life plan community has its own lessons to teach about how to incorporate the needs of tomorrow’s residents into today’s retirement communities. This session will focus on how developers used strategic planning, data analysis, market research, focus groups, and crowdsourcing to design a community that emphasizes intergenerational, life-long learning, and uses amenities and access to Purchase College’s 500-acre campus to enhance resident quality of life for residents from all income levels.

• Todd Shaw, Vice President of Development, LCS
• Chad Bederka, Associate Principal, Hord Coplan Macht Architects
• Ashley Wade, Executive Director, Broadview at Purchase College

33-G. Feeling Heard and Respected: A Grassroot Approach to DEIB

Large organizations can make a significant impact when they take a grassroots approach to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) so everyone feels heard and respected. This session will focus on the DEIB work carried out by Hartford HealthCare (HCC), whose 41,000 employees provide healthcare services in nearly 500 locations throughout Connecticut. Presenters will explain how the promotion of DEIB has become a shared mission for all of HHC’s many departments, including its Center for Healthy Aging. Discover how large organizations can take a grassroots approach to promoting DEIB, the steps you can take to get started, and the keys to maintaining and measuring sustainable change.

• Luz Renteria, Resource Coordinator, Hartford HealthCare Senior Services

46-G. How to Excel as a New C-Suite Leader

Becoming a C-suite leader can be an exciting—and daunting—career milestone. Rising leaders may have proven themselves to be exceptional and trustworthy mid-level managers. Still, they may be unfamiliar with how to carry out unique C-suite responsibilities like growing and developing their team, delegating appropriately, and nurturing relationships with horizontal colleagues. This session will offer guidance on how C-suite leaders can adopt a learning orientation that allows them to develop the social capital they need to thrive. Ty Wiggins, an expert in leadership transitions and executive onboarding, will offer session participants the advice, support, and insight they need to excel as they carry out their new C-Suite responsibilities.

• Ty Wiggins, Global Lead, CEO and Transitions Practice, Russell Reynolds Associates

64-G. Innovating Together: Life Plan Communities and Villages

A Village is a neighborhood-based nonprofit membership organization that uses volunteers to help older residents remain connected with their neighbors while continuing to live in their own homes. This session will focus on the innovative partnerships that can evolve between Villages and life plan communities. Find out how life plan communities are working with Villages to offer the most appropriate services to individuals living in their homes and communities. You’ll even meet a housing provider that partnered with an Area Agency on Aging to develop a Village within an existing Naturally Occurring Retirement Community. Presenters will discuss federal and state policy changes that could help expand the development of similar models nationwide.

• Barbara Hughes Sullivan, Executive Director, Village to Village Network
• Dee Pekruhn, Director, Life Plan Communities Services & Policy, LeadingAge
• Donna Thurmond, VP of Resident Services and Programs, Volunteers of America
• Edgar Rivas, Board Member, Village to Village Network

65-G. Managing Tension Points: Strategic Planning in a Multisite System

Strategic planning can be a complex undertaking for any aging services organization. But it is even more demanding for multisite and multistate organizations with matrix-based management systems. This session will present a case study of Greencroft Communities in Goshen, IN. This multisite organization developed a 10-year strategic vision to align all its campus teams around the same mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities. Presenters will focus on how a strategic planning process can effectively manage the tension points within matrix-based management systems and how leadership teams can engage and involve cross-disciplinary teams, campus boards, and the system board in balancing the needs and demands of the local campus communities with broader corporate priorities.

• Mark King, Retired President/CEO, Greencroft Communities
• Curt Bechler, President & CEO, Venture International LLC
• Lynda Olinski, CFO, Greencroft Communities
• Aimee Riemke, Vice President, Marketing, Greencroft Communities

80-G. Apply a Community-Centric Approach to Your Communications

FellowshipLIFE, a multisite organization in Basking Ridge, NJ, is changing the narrative about aging services by welcoming its neighbors to use campus facilities and hosting community events for local families and prospective residents. This session will demonstrate how your organization can apply this community-centric approach to your communication activities. Presenters will describe proven, practical steps to help you actively engage with older adults living in your neighborhood and use positive media coverage to attract prospective residents and foster a sense of pride and belonging among current residents and staff. You’ll leave the session with a checklist of action steps that will help ensure that your renewed focus on community engagement is practical and sustainable.

• Elizabeth Fandel, Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, FellowshipLIFE Inc
• Mike Gross, President, AKCG – Public Relations Counselors

94-G. Build Your Quality Improvement Skills

Data is at the heart of the Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) process established for nursing homes by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. But nursing home providers need special skills to successfully use the process to identify and analyze quality data. This session will introduce you to some of those skills, including conducting root cause analyses, prioritizing quality areas, and developing innovative action plans to help you maintain and improve safety and quality. Presenters will offer guidance on using QAPI to improve care practices, resident quality of life, and staff satisfaction while reducing the risk of unfavorable surveys and litigation.

• Sandy Delgehausen, Regional Director of Clinical Quality Support/Metrics, Cassia
• Heidi LaFave, DON, Haven Homes Skilled Nursing

110-G. Boosting Engagement and Reducing Medications in Memory Care

I’m Still Here® uses research-based, non-pharmacologic approaches to treat the agitation, aggression, apathy, and anxiety that individuals living with dementia often experience. The new approach combines meaningful activities, specialized communication techniques, and an enriched environment to provide engagement, choice, and true purpose regardless of the level of a person’s cognitive challenge. This session will explore how Abe’s Garden Community in Nashville, TN, is implementing the I’m Still Here® approach. Presenters will use case studies to demonstrate how you can use engagement, in concert with clinical best practices, to decrease the need for medications and improve the quality of life for residents who live in a memory support community.

• Chris Coelho, Interim Executive Director, Abe’s Garden
• Donna Finto-Burks, Senior Director of Clinical Care, Abe’s Garden

127-G. Mismanaged Care: How to Succeed at Medicare Advantage

Do you spend hours on hold with Medicare Advantage plans trying to get services approved or explaining what services should be covered? Do you repeatedly send hundreds of pages of documentation to a plan, only to have critical information missed and your requests for care denied? Are your Medicare Advantage payments audited and clawed back? Are you entering data in numerous plan portals? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should attend this session. Presenters will share lessons they learned from skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies about negotiating Medicare Advantage contracts, getting prior authorizations approved, and having claims paid. Learn about the work LeadingAge is doing to ensure that beneficiaries are protected and plans follow the rules.

• Nicole Fallon, VP, Integrated Services and Managed Care, LeadingAge

128-G. Winning Strategies to Lower Unemployment Expenses

How can your nonprofit organization adopt cost-saving strategies that streamline Human Resources processes, ensure regulatory compliance, and create operational efficiencies, all while mitigating risk and lowering costs? This session can help answer that question. Join representatives from UST to explore different unemployment funding options, including a little-known federal exemption, that can help 501(c)3 organizations lower their unemployment expenses. Hear a success story from a LeadingAge member who used these options to save money and time while strengthening its organization.

• Megan Christopher, Assistant Vice President, UST Sales and Service, UST

144-G. Enhancing Quality through Teamwork in Affordable Housing

Working in subsidized senior housing communities is most rewarding when all the community’s team members pull in the same direction. Unfortunately, this teamwork doesn’t always come naturally due to restraints and restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. During this session, representatives of AHEPA Senior Living in Fishers, IN, will share their secret for improving teamwork between a housing community’s property management and service coordination teams. Presenters will explain how to establish healthy communication and working relationships across these teams by setting clear boundaries, being supportive, and fostering understanding. Discover the rewards and benefits of teamwork, explore the need for confidentiality in communications about residents, and review approaches you might take to resolving difficult situations.

• Jennifer Parks, Director of Service Coordination, AHEPA Management Company
• Sandra Dzankovic, Director of Operations, AHEPA Management Company

145-G. Trends in Compensation: How to Attract and Retain Managers

Life plan communities can attract and retain management-level employees by setting competitive and appropriate levels of total remuneration. This session will help you decide what compensation vehicles are most appropriate and effective, given your organization’s culture and the needs of its executives. Presenters will show you how to set base salaries and develop short-term and long-term incentive plans that allow executives to share in the organization’s success. They’ll also suggest additional compensation alternatives, including deferred compensation and executive benefits like perquisites and life insurance plans. Learn how to align your compensation plan with government regulations, market trends, and your organization’s culture. Take home the information you need to ensure that your organization follows compensation best practices.

• Matt Leach, Senior Consultant, Total Compensation Solutions
• Matt Stokes, Senior Compensation Analyst, Total Compensation Solutions
• Paul Gavejian, Managing Director, Total Compensation Solutions

9-H. Embracing Innovation through a Tech Center of Excellence

How can an aging services organization create a mechanism for continuous innovation through new technology? Establishing a Center of Excellence (COE) could be an excellent first step. This session will explore the role of COEs in long-term digital transformation planning. Presenters will delve into the pivotal role that artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and analytics play in helping providers overcome staffing shortages, caregiver burnout, operational inefficiencies, software interoperability, and insufficient returns on investment. Join this session to learn how to develop a long-term digital transformation plan that analyzes the current technology landscape, explores the impact of emerging technology, and integrates new technologies into your organization.

• Vipin Bhardwaj, CEO, NuAIg
• Travis Gleinig, VP of Innovation & CIO, United Methodist Communities
• Peter Kress, Senior Vice President & Chief Innovation Officer, Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.

21-H. A Community’s Journey from Master Plan to Implementation

Expanding a life plan community requires a solid master plan that addresses the community’s design, logistics, costs, financing, and management. This session will describe the master planning process undertaken by Emerald Heights, a life plan community in Redmond, WA. Architecture, construction, and finance experts will join the community’s chief executive to discuss the planning timelines they created, financing options they pursued, key strategies they considered, and lessons they learned while bringing their community’s vision to life in the face of substantial challenges. Learn what it takes to look at the big picture while keeping an eye on the details that impact residents and operations.

• Dean Kelly, Principal, Architect, Rice Fergus Miller Architecture & Planning
• Lisa Hardy, President & CEO, Emerald Communities
• Daren Bell, Director, Ziegler
• Sarkis Garabedian, Managing Director, Ziegler

34-H. Shining a Light on Antisemitism

As antisemitism continues to rise in the United States, many providers may be unaware of how this ancient form of hatred is impacting their team members and residents. In this session, a representative of the American Jewish Committee will provide an overview of what antisemitism is and how it has increased dramatically since October 7, 2023. The presenter will explore the diversity and intersectional nature of Jewish identities and differentiate between what is a critique of the Israeli government and the perpetuation of anti-Jew and antisemitic beliefs. You’ll leave this session with a deeper understanding of issues surrounding antisemitism and guidance you can use to become an ally to your Jewish team members and residents.

• Saba Soomekh, Director of Corporate Training and Education, American Jewish Committee
• Stephanie Guiloff, Director, Internal Communications and Advocacy, American Jewish Committee

47-H. Giving Board Members an Incentive to Serve

Nonprofit providers of aging services require strong and capable boards of directors to help them make crucial decisions about the future of their organizations. Unfortunately, providers are finding it increasingly difficult to attract and recruit community leaders, stakeholders, and experts to serve on their boards. Some organizations have addressed this challenge by using incentives to help recruit, retain, and engage board members and trustees. This session will explore how incentive-based recruitment can help organizations strengthen their governance. LeadingAge members will share their experiences with incentive-based recruitment models, describe the difference incentives have made in the governance of their organizations, and share the lessons they learned along the way.

• Andy Edeburn, Managing Partner, Elder Dynamics
• Jim Bettendorf, President & CEO, Vista Prairie Communities

66-H. Repositioning a Life Plan Community? Call an Actuary

It’s natural to call in a development consultant to provide the expert advice you need when expanding or repositioning your life plan community. But it’s also wise to consider adding an actuary to your planning team. This session will explore why your community must consider changing consumer expectations, actuarial-driven data, and regional market conditions when planning a new project. Presenters will show you how an actuary can help you navigate the complexities of planning for residents’ future healthcare utilization and creating appropriately priced contracts. Learn how to take sophisticated approaches to financial screening and discover how to manage your community’s risk while helping prospective residents find a retirement option they can afford.

• Robert Leake, CFO, Duncaster
• Tyler Zentz, Lead Actuarial Consultant, Continuing Care Actuaries
• Heather Zoeller, Director – Advisory Services, OnePoint Partners

67-H. Building Housing and Engagement through Partnerships

When Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community decided to build affordable housing in its hometown of Asheville, NC, it didn’t go it alone. Instead, Deerfield forged an innovative partnership with Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. Together, the two organizations coordinated the construction of 10 safe, affordable, well-built homes that received global recognition for design excellence. This session will highlight Deerfield’s innovative collaboration, how that collaboration promoted volunteerism and intergenerational engagement, and how the partners plan to continue impacting the Asheville community. You’ll take home actionable strategies for replicating this successful program and exploring the advantages of intergenerational and interfaith collaboration.

• Libby Bush, President and CEO, Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community Inc
• Michelle Wooley, Director of Philanthropy, Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community Inc
• Tim Kurtz, Resident & Charitable Foundation Board Member, Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community Inc
• Andy Barnett, CEO, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity

81-H. Targeted Digital Media: The Secret to Marketing Success

John Knox Village, a life plan community in Kansas City, MO, has succeeded in increasing the engagement of prospective residents, optimizing lead quality, increasing sales, and boosting marketing results. During this session, the community’s sales and marketing team will share the secret to its success: advanced technology and targeted digital media. Marketing and financing experts will join the conversation to describe how senior living communities nationwide can use technology tools and digital landscape navigation to generate leads, foster engagement, and guide prospects through the sales cycle. Presenters will also share lessons to help you equip and train your sales team to leverage the power of technology.

• Marybeth Roberts, Director of Sales, Marketing & Communications, John Knox Village
• Mary Jane Fitts, Senior Vice President, Greystone
• Janel Wait, Co-CEO, AgePop
• Susan Bogan, Co-CEO, AgePop

95-H. Developing New Section 202 Housing: A Primer for Providers

Looking for ways to develop affordable housing through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 202 program? Then this session is for you. A financing expert and housing consultant will walk you through the Section 202 application process, explain scoring criteria, review estimated timelines, and examine the variety of financing sources that can come together to fill out a project’s capital stack. Presenters will pay special attention to the benefits of combining Federal Housing Administration-insured 221(d)(4) debt with a new Section 202 Capital Advance and the importance of the RAD for PRAC Conversion program in structuring new Section 202 developments. Learn how owners and developers have used the Preservation Rent Increase to overcome gaps in funding or reduce deferred developer fee requirements.

• Mark Oswanski, Vice President, Hampden Park Capital & Consulting, LLC
• Thomas Davis, Director, Office of Preservation, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

111-H. The Benefits of Organic Farming in a Senior Living Community

The well-being of older adults and the health of Pennsylvania soils received welcome boosts when Cornwall Manor Retirement Community established an organic farm on its campus in collaboration with the Rodale Institute, a nonprofit organization promoting organic farming. The 2.5-acre Trailside Organic Farm supports the dining needs of the life plan community and offers residents opportunities to help with farm tasks and purchase fresh produce at weekly farm markets. Presenters will explain the farm’s operations, detail Rodale’s investment, and describe the public relations and marketing benefits the farm brings to the Cornwall Manor. Don’t have room on your campus for a farm? Rodale Institute executives will tell you how to partner with local organic farms to engage residents in agriculture.

• Harry McConnell, President & CEO, Cornwall Manor
• Jeff Tkach, CEO, Rodale Institute
• Ian Frederick, , Rodale Institute
• Vicki Deitzler, VP Residential Living, Cornwall Manor

112-H. Perfect Pair: Connecting Generations Two People at a Time

Recent research shows that a third of older adults report feeling isolated, and more than two-thirds of college students reported feeling “very lonely” over the past year. This session shares the story of a national, student-run organization dedicated to changing those statistics. Leaders of “Perfect Pair” will explain how their program pairs older adults and college students so they can spend quality time together while re-engaging in shared passions and interests. Presenters will describe their extensive catalog of creative programming, which is available to pairs at no cost. Explore two of Perfect Pair’s national initiatives, which offer memory care-specific programming and connect LTBTQ+ older and younger adults. Find out how you can bring this intergenerational program to your community.

• Emily Lerner, Executive Director, Perfect Pair
• Madison Daminato, Operations Coordinator, Perfect Pair

129-H. Finance and Legal Compliance: A Game Show Tour of the Issues

If you don’t normally associate finance and legal compliance issues with fun and games, you may change your mind after attending this session. Designed as an interactive game show, the session will invite audience members to test their knowledge of compliance issues by participating in polls and answering multiple-choice questions on their cell phones. A team of presenters will delve deeper into specific compliance and ethical issues involving nonprofit governance, accounting, and government investigations affecting boards of directors, third-party providers, residents, and employees. Along the way, presenters will discuss issues related to bond financing, IRS guidelines, and nonprofit prosecution and enforcement. You’ll go home ready to analyze and resolve complex financial and legal issues with your executive team.

• Daniel Krieger, SVP Risk, Compliance and Business Development, Presbyterian Senior Living
• Dyan McAlister, CFO, Presbyterian Senior Living
• Hayes Hunt, Attorney, Cozen O’Connor

130-H. Enhancing Quality of Care in Nursing Homes

The landscape of nursing home regulations is evolving rapidly. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of that evolution. Presenters will share valuable perspectives and practical strategies to help you stay informed about critical policy updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and their implications for nursing home operations and resident well-being. You’ll learn more about the future of nursing home regulations affecting staff training, development initiatives, quality improvement projects, and resident and family engagement efforts. You’ll return home more prepared to develop actionable strategies that foster a culture of continuous improvement in your nursing home.  

• Jodi Eyigor, Director, Nursing Home Quality & Policy, LeadingAge
• Janine Finck-Boyle, VP, Health Policy & Regulatory Affairs, LeadingAge

146-H. Three Ingredients for an Engaged Workforce

Aging services providers won’t achieve a stable workforce unless they make sure employees are engaged in their organization’s culture. In this session, professionals in the field of aging services will identify the ingredients for promoting that engagement: people, place, and technology. A human resource professional will explain how Cedar Community in West Bend, WI, nurtures a culture of belonging among the people who work there. An architect will explore how the design of physical space can foster employee engagement. Finally, a representative of WeCare Connect will show you how to use technology to collect employee feedback that could lead to organizational change. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to make employee engagement a priority in your organization.

• Shelley Daenzer, VP of Sales and Marketing, WeCare Connect
• Tracy Blaubach, VP Human Resources, Cedar Community
• Jennifer Sodo, Senior Living Market Leader, Eppstein Uhen Architects

147-H. Can Providers Tackle the Aging Services Wage Dilemma?

Providers of aging services know that low wages make it harder to recruit and retain team members. They have tried to increase wages by applying for COVID-19 relief funds and state grants, reallocating budgets, dipping into reserves, and increasing consumer prices. But they still haven’t succeeded in solving the wage puzzle. What can providers do now? This session will walk you through a root-cause analysis of the wage conundrum and explore policy and practice solutions that could help us provide a living wage for all.

• Jenna Kellerman, Director of Workforce Strategy & Development, LeadingAge
• Nicole Howell, Director, Workforce Policy, LeadingAge

10-I. Virtual Reality: Breaking Down Barriers Across the Continuum

The National Institute on Aging’s THRIVE study demonstrates that virtual reality technology can decrease social isolation, build connections across physical distances, and improve holistic health for older adults. This session will explore the study’s finding that virtual reality technology can enhance quality of life by connecting older adults in senior living communities with family members. Presenters will also highlight two THRIVE pilot programs that use virtual reality technology to connect older adults living at home with their peers in senior living communities. Presenters will explain the potential these pilot programs hold for building relationships across the continuum and re-envisioning senior living sales by encouraging prospective residents to engage with current residents through daily programming.

• Kyle Rand, Co-Founder & CEO, Rendever
• Kate Granigan, CEO, LifeCare Advocates
• David Siegelman, Vice President, Rehabilitation Services, Hebrew Home at Riverdale – RiverSpring Living

22-I. Building Small-Home Communities in the City

The aging services sector continues to prove that big is not necessarily better, that private rooms and person-directed care can work in any size setting, and that nursing care can still play a vital role in an organization’s long-term success. This session will tell the story of how Poydras Home added a new, purpose-built nursing, assisted living, and memory care option in the heart of New Orleans that offers a smaller-scale alternative to traditional care settings. Presenters will identify strategies for working with investors, regulators, architects, and community stakeholders when developing a small-home infrastructure. You’ll learn how a 200-year-old organization redefined small-home living to serve an urban community and how you can follow its example.

• Erin Kolb, CEO, Poydras Home
• Susan Ryan, Senior Director, The Green House Project
• Jack Sawyer, Project Architect, EskewDumezRipple

35-I. How Dementia Care Can Intersect with Your DEI Strategy

Diversity of cognitive ability and care is often overlooked as an important component of organizational DEI efforts. What if we intentionally embraced diversity, equity, and inclusion when supporting residents living with cognitive change? This session will explore how discrimination in favor of people who do not have disabilities (ableism) affects how people with dementia view themselves and how they are perceived. Together we will explore how to acknowledge personal biases in dementia care and view dementia through the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and ableism. You’ll hear the voices of people with dementia and their care partners and be invited to consider how their lived experiences could inform your overall approach to dementia care.

• Jen Wilson, Vice President of Well-Being, Carol Woods Retirement Community
• Caroline Edasis, Assistant Vice President of Resident Engagement, Mather
• Malcolm Frazier, Director of Pastoral Care, Asbury Methodist Village

48-I. Renew your Organization by Evolving your Leadership Style

Looking to build your organizational capacity and allow team members to seize opportunities and respond to uncertainty? Consider adjusting the traditional hierarchy and structure of your organization. Through a podcast-like interview format, this session will reveal the leadership journeys of aging services leaders who came to a new understanding of their roles as CEO. They’ll explain how they inspired senior team members to give up power so others could be empowered. Discover how team members respond to a less-traditional organizational structure and how a new leadership approach empowered and motivated the entire staff.

• Judy Brown, Lead Facilitator, Academy of Leadership
• Nicole Gann, CEO/President, Juliette Fowler Communities – Senior Living
• Mike Rambarose, President/CEO, Whitney Center, Inc.

68-I. Building and Maintaining an Effective Planned Giving Pipeline

The ability of retirement communities to achieve a healthy bottom line is directly tied to the effectiveness of their planned giving programs. Yet, too often, planned giving is left to chance and the good graces of self-identified donors. This session will examine how single-site and multisite senior living communities can build a pipeline of gifts over time. Presenters will share the giving strategies that resonate most with donors, including bequests, charitable trusts, and legacy societies. You’ll leave this session understanding the importance of developing solid relationships with donors and the need for your marketing professionals, financing executives, and board members to recognize planned giving’s impact on your organization’s bottom line.

• William McMorran, Sr. Partner, Green Oak Consulting Group
• Z. Allen Abbott, Vice President of Philanthropy, Baptist Senior Family

69-I. Changing Course on the Way to a Successful Affiliation

Think there’s only one path for a struggling senior living system seeking an affiliation with another organization? Think again. During this session, representatives of LeadingAge Gold Partner Ziegler will share the experiences of one organization that changed course in the middle of its search for affiliation so it could reassess and address operational challenges more deeply. Presenters will walk you through the organization’s affiliation process, point out the pivot points that signaled the need for a mid-course correction, and identify strategies that ultimately led to success. Learn the steps the organization took to “right the ship,” including the critical conversations its leaders had with residents and team members.

• Scott Phillips, Managing Director, Healthcare Management Partners
• Nick Glaisner, Managing Director, Ziegler Link-Age Longevity Fund, LP
• Suzy Booker, Board Chair, Presbyterian Homes of Tennessee

82-I. Pay Attention to Your Sales Team

Who’s working on the front lines, helping your organization maintain its resident census and remain financially healthy? It’s your sales team, and they deserve your attention. During this session, sales and marketing experts will share their experiences leading and motivating sales teams. Presenters will discuss strategies you can use to encourage your sales team to do its best work, such as offering compensation and incentive programs to motivate the team and implementing effective staffing practices that can improve productivity, increase lead-to-sale conversion rates, shorten sales cycles, and increase occupancy. Learn how to recruit and retain sales team talent and create a motivational work environment for the team working hard to help your organization succeed.

• Marcy Burach, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing, FellowshipLIFE Inc
• Kimberly Hulett, President, Creating Results, Inc.
• Bonnie Polak, Vice President of Philanthropy & Community Engagement, Trinity Woods (formerly Oklahoma Methodist Manor)
• Brooke Scott, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Sinai Residences of Boca Raton

96-I. Guiding Residents through the Life Plan Continuum

Nonprofit life plan communities provide residents with peace of mind about their physical, emotional, and financial futures. So why do so many life plan community residents choose to age in independent living? This session will feature life plan communities that guide independent living residents through the continuum while valuing their right to decide where they will live. Presenters will review the elements of an Independent Living Transition Strategy featuring a structured resident review process, voluntary health assessments, collaboration with external professionals, and education sessions for prospective and current residents. Learn how to ensure that you can offer current residents the support they need to thrive, welcome new residents, and preserve the long-term sustainability of your care and services.

• Kristin Shanks, Vice President of Sales, Ingleside
• Kera Wooten, Executive Director, Westminster at Lake Ridge
• Kenya Bryant, Executive Director, Ingleside at King Farm

97-I. How Do You Maximize Resident Satisfaction and Boost Outcomes? Ask Them!

Delighted residents help senior living organizations achieve positive business outcomes, including higher referral and move-in rates. This session will show you how to increase your chances of delighting residents by implementing a satisfaction research initiative that uses feedback surveys to listen and respond to the collective voice of residents and family members. You’ll learn how to engage residents in the survey process, use survey results to identify top improvement opportunities, and make changes that matter most to residents. Representatives who achieved 100% participation and exceptional satisfaction scores on resident surveys will give you advice on engaging residents in the feedback process and responding to survey findings with sincerity, purpose, and transparency.

• Lynn Ackerman, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer, Sensight Surveys
• Ben Blankenship, Executive Director, Westminster Village West Lafayette
• Emily Garba, Associate Executive Director, Friendship Village of Tempe
• Jonna Wisnieski, Director of Market Research, LCS

113-I. Community Partnerships That Advance Person-Directed Care

How can providers of aging services develop mutually beneficial community partnerships that enhance resident engagement, encourage team building, and expand volunteer opportunities? This session will show you how. Representatives of A.G. Rhodes in Atlanta, GA, will describe how they partnered with a youth development organization to create an intergenerational program that could fit any organization’s structure and goals. Presenters will identify factors that make for a thriving community partnership and offer tips for incorporating the principles of person-directed care into volunteer programs. You’ll be surprised by how you can enhance quality of life for residents and employees by being more intentional about forming meaningful partnerships with other community-based organizations.

• Kim Beasley, Director of Communications and Outreach, A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab
• Sonya Williams, Recreational Therapist, A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab Cobb

131-I. How Developers Can Combat Threats to Housing Preservation

State Housing Finance Agencies (FHA) use Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to promote the preservation of existing affordable housing and close loopholes that threaten that preservation. Housing developers play an equally important role in protecting and preserving existing affordable housing. This session will give housing providers the tools they need to address the greatest threats to the existing LIHTC housing stock, including qualified contracts and the nonprofit right of first refusal. Presenters will offer specific, actionable solutions that housing providers can implement to combat these threats so they can provide stable housing options to older adults with low incomes well into the future.

• Moha Thakur, Policy, National Housing Trust
• Alexander Hagstrom, Attorney, BC Davenport, LLC
• Thom Amdur, Senior Vice President, Impact & Policy, Lincoln Avenue Communities

132-I. Is Hospice Meeting Its Promise?

Hospice is a comprehensive, holistic program of care and support for terminally ill patients and their families. In recent years, the program’s original promise has been overshadowed by higher costs, bad actors, and consolidation. Is the hospice benefit still working for most Medicare beneficiaries? This session will answer that question by providing an update on Medicare payment and regulatory policies that shape the ability of hospices to care for older adults. Let the LeadingAge Policy Team brief you on their advocacy work related to hospice benefit reform, program integrity, and payment rules. Stay current on hospice-related activity in Congress and at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

• Katy Barnett, Director, Home Care & Hospice Operations and Policy, LeadingAge
• Mollie Gurian, VP, Policy & Government Affairs, LeadingAge

148-I. Your Executive Playbook for Retaining Talent

Are you looking for new ways to slash turnover rates and create a team that’s here to stay? Then this session is for you. Presenters will help you achieve retention success by retooling your Human Resources team to ensure long-term retention success and revamping the new-hire experience to keep fresh talent on the job for more than 90 days. Whether you’re losing entry-level hires or seasoned leaders, this session will give you an executive playbook for retaining talent you can’t afford to lose and fostering a workplace where people want to stay and grow with you. You’ll return home prepared to make fundamental changes to improve productivity and quality of care while ensuring your organization’s long-term sustainability.

• Cara Silletto, President & CEO, Magnet Culture, formerly Crescendo Strategies
• Ingrid Tenglin, National Director, Talent Development, Covenant Living Communities and Services
• Rebekah Erickson, Executive Assistant, Covenant Living Communities and Services

149-I. Strengthen Your Workforce with Trauma-Informed Care

When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services required providers of aging services to implement trauma-informed care in 2019, few organizations understood what this care entailed and why it was necessary. This session will clear up the confusion. Representatives of LeadingAge Gold Partner KARE will help you understand how childhood trauma affects the health and well-being of older adults and the people who care for them. Presenters will show you how to change your organization’s culture, improve frontline caregiver retention, and increase resident satisfaction by addressing employee and resident trauma. Learn how to integrate a knowledge of trauma into organizational policies, procedures, and practices that respect individual differences, trauma histories, and cultural backgrounds.

• Jean Hartnett, CEO & Founder, Radical Sabbatical
• Katie Rhone, Senior VP of HERO & Employee Experience, KARE

11-J. Are You Inviting Hackers to Compromise Your Cybersecurity?

No provider of aging services would volunteer to have their technology systems hacked, but many providers unknowingly invite hackers to compromise their cybersecurity. This session will explore common practices and pitfalls that leave senior living organizations open to potential harm and actions providers can take to avoid dangerous situations. You’ll hear from a technology consultant who works with hundreds of providers nationwide, a penetration tester who acts as a “bad guy” to help provider organizations assess and test their vulnerabilities, and a chief information officer who will offer the provider’s perspective on cybersecurity. Hear stories of providers who fell prey to hackers and learn how to promote a culture of security awareness in your organization.

• Steven VanderVelde, Director of Senior Living Partnership, ProviNET Solutions
• Travis Gleinig, VP of Innovation & CIO, United Methodist Communities
• John DiMaggio, CEO, BlueOrange Compliance

23-J. Advancing Sustainability Efforts While Reinforcing Mission and Values

Cedar Community in West Bend, WI, is committed to protecting the environment and being a good neighbor in the communities where its five campuses are located. The organization backed up that commitment by giving the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation 100 acres of land in a primary environmental corridor. This session will explore how Cedar Community’s efforts to promote ecological sustainability have affected its marketing, public relations, fundraising, and operations. Presenters will offer tips for addressing sustainability issues while planning new construction, repositioning, and renovation work. Discover how powerful storytelling about sustainable design can garner stakeholder support, improve marketing efforts, and elevate organizational mission.

• Jennifer Sodo, Senior Living Market Leader, Eppstein Uhen Architects
• Nicole Pretre, President & Chief Executive Officer, Cedar Community
• Rhiannon Jacobsen, Managing Director, U.S. Market Transformation & Development, U.S. Green Building Council

36-J. Pursuing Health Equity for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Representatives of three New Jersey-based aging services organizations will be on hand during this session to describe their participation in a regional collaborative that addresses inequities that community-dwelling older adults encounter when accessing preventive and primary care. Presenters will describe the Leaders in Equity and Diversity collaborative and share its successes, lessons learned, pitfalls encountered, and plans to enhance and expand its efforts to identify and address social factors that affect health. Learn how to partner with community-based organizations to combat inequities, identify barriers presented by the social determinants of health, and address unmet needs for care and services among community-dwelling older adults.

• Carol Silver-Elliott, President & CEO, Jewish Home Family
• Donnalee Corrieri, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, New Bridge Medical Center
• Theresa Edelstein, Regulatory Consultant, LeadingAge New Jersey/Delaware
• Maureen Cafferty, Sr. Vice President & General Counsel, Springpoint Senior Living

49-J. You Can Create an Inspiring and Impactful Strategic Plan

An organization’s strategic plan typically provides an inspiring picture of the future, but after completion, it is frequently set aside with little or no follow-through. This session will present an alternative. Representatives of Sun Health in Surprise, AZ, will describe how their board of directors created an inspiring and impactful strategic plan that challenges the Sun Health team to move the organization into the future. Presenters will share their design for a repeatable, effective strategic planning process that educates key stakeholders and follows a methodology for translating the plan into actionable, trackable goals. You’ll take home tips for developing a creative vision and strategy for your organization.

• Gerald Solomon, Board Member and Chair of Strategy, Planning & Accountability, Sun Health
• Joseph La Rue, CEO/President, Sun Health
• John Couture, Chief Optimization Officer, Sun Health

70-J. Repositioning the Single-Site Life Plan Community

Can single-site life plan communities thrive in the future, given the increasing complexity of senior living, continued workforce challenges, and the investments required to respond to changing consumer preferences? The answer is a resounding “yes,” according to leaders of Canterbury Court, a 60-year-old single-site community in Atlanta, GA. This session will examine how Canterbury Court has thrived since it updated its strategic plan and launched a 2016 expansion and repositioning project that added new wellness, healthcare, and memory care services to the campus and made targeted investments in facilities, technology, and human resources. You’ll be impressed by this story of a single-site organization that responded to changing consumer preferences and exceeded resident expectations.

• Debi McNeil, CEO/President, Canterbury Court
• Matt Kurumada, CFO, Canterbury Court
• Brad Straub, Executive Vice President, Greystone

83-J. Perfect Pitch: A Public Relations How-to

Strategic, consistent media engagement can offer aging services organizations a host of benefits. When news outlets tell your story to their audiences, it can raise public awareness of your organization’s brand, help advance your advocacy goals, and publicly celebrate the expertise and accomplishments of your team members. This session will help you achieve media success by executing a thoughtful public relations plan. Presenters will provide insights into the types of stories local media outlets might write about you. You’ll take home tips to help you uncover a wealth of stories in your community and share those stories with the public.

• Lisa Sanders, Vice President, Communications and Media Relations, LeadingAge
• Colleen Knudsen, Media Relations Manager, LeadingAge

98-J. Renewing and Recapitalizing Your Section 8 Property

Are you getting the most out of your Section 8 rental subsidy while balancing the ever-growing compliance obligations that come with these contracts? This session will update you on the latest rules and regulations for the Section 8 program and outline critical information about your Section 8 contracts, including their renewal options. Presenters will show you how mark-to-market and other options outlined in Chapter 15 of the Section 8 Renewal Guide can pave the way to significant recapitalizations, allowing you to tackle big capital needs projects and cash out to finance other activities within your mission. You’ll walk away with a greater understanding of how you can benefit from a maximized Section 8 contract.

• Gates Kellett, Principal, Gates Development Group, LLC
• Courtney Nuzzo, Executive Director, The Lewinsville

114-J. Transforming the Living Experience for People with Dementia

People living with dementia shouldn’t have to give up their values, purpose, preferences, connections, choices, and autonomy when they move into residential care. Instead, they should have access to models that disrupt traditional institutionalized approaches and enable an exceptional residential experience. This session will describe Possibilities by Baycrest™, a formal approach to delivering care for people living with dementia in residential settings. Representatives of Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, Canada, will give you a high-level overview of the model and explain how it maximizes abilities and potential by customizing a living experience for each person.

• Faith Malach, Exec. Director Care Innovation and Transformation, Baycrest
• Melissa Turzanski, Program Director, Care Innovation and Transformation, Baycrest

133-J. Why It’s Critical to Understand Your Hospice CAHPS Score

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare and Provider Assessments & Systems (CAHPS) survey to share the star ratings of hospice providers with the public. Because star ratings are a relatively recent phenomenon in the hospice sector, it’s essential for hospice providers to better understand these data points and how the public views them. During this session, the presenters will explain the tools CMS uses to identify quality hospice care, offer tips for making quality data seem less daunting, and share strategies for improving quality scores and star ratings. Learn how to view star ratings as an opportunity for your hospice to grow, learn, improve patient experience, and ensure quality care.

• Kristi Strawser, Chief Executive Officer, EverHeart Hospice
• Nara Oliveira, Quality, Regulatory and Compliance Coordinator, Good Shepherd Community Care
• Margaret Gloria, Medical Director, Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads

150-J. Reboot Your Organization’s Workforce Culture

The aging services workplace changed forever in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on our organizations and the people we serve. As a result, many pre-COVID organizational processes, structures, and strategies are no longer relevant and must be retooled or replaced. During this session, Human Resources experts will describe the methods they used to reboot their organization’s workforce culture by questioning past assumptions about what impacts that culture, building back effective strategies, and experimenting with new approaches. Hear about their successes and failures and take home actionable strategies for helping your organization attract, engage, and retain excellent team members dedicated to enriching the daily lives and experiences of older adults.

• Derek Fenwick, Vice President, People & Culture, Infinity Rehab
• Jeff Tucker, Vice President of Human Resources, Christian Living Communities

12-K. What’s Next for AI: Enhanced Care and Optimized Revenue

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every aspect of our lives, including how we care for older adults. What will the next evolution of this technology bring to the senior living field? And how can your organization harness the power of AI to provide high-quality care while improving your bottom line? This session will help you answer those questions. Presenters will describe how providers can use AI to collect and analyze data that can help them make crucial clinical and financial decisions, align staffing levels with care plans, and ensure that revenue reflects the cost of care. Gain insights into how the next wave of AI will help you increase the quality of care you provide while improving your organization’s financial health.

• Shirley Nickels, Chief Product Officer, SafelyYou
• Sheri Peifer, President, Eskaton
• Nick Lindberg, Chief Technology Officer, HumanGood Inc.

24-K. AIA Design for Aging Review: Affordable Housing Merit Award Winners

Go behind the scenes of the American Institute of Architects 2023 Design for Aging Review to meet the designers of two award-winning affordable senior housing projects. Gramercy Senior Housing, built on the site of a former towing yard owned by the City of Los Angeles, provides much-needed housing to older adults who struggle to find affordable housing in one of America’s most expensive housing markets. Stonewall House in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood is the country’s largest LGBTQ-welcoming senior housing development. Presenters will explore how architecture and design foster inclusive communities, how affordability and sustainability coexist, and how integrating senior housing into the larger community improves residents’ quality of life.

• Alexis Burck, Senior Living Studio Leader, SmithGroupJJR
• Kevin Daly, Founder, Principal, Kevin Daly Architects
• Danielle Cerone, Director, Marvel Designs
• Philippe Saad, Principal, DiMella Shaffer

37-K. Intersectionality in Action: Building Inclusive Leadership

Senior living organizations have made strides in their efforts to increase diversity from the bottom up. Now, it’s time to help women and minorities advance beyond middle management and into leadership roles. During this session, Chia-Lin Simmons, CEO of the technology company LogicMark, will stress the importance of intersectionality: the interconnected nature of social categorizations like race, class, and gender. Simmons will use her experience as a woman of color in the tech industry to describe how overlapping and independent systems of discrimination or disadvantage can create blind spots that prevent certain groups from developing their skills and progressing into leadership roles. She’ll also identify critical next steps to promote a more equitable and inclusive workplace.

• Chia-Lin Simmons, CEO, LogicMark

50-K. Navigating Uncertainty: Which Leadership Styles Work Best?

Effective leadership can be a game-changer for organizations navigating the unprecedented challenges of the post-pandemic world. This session will explore how different leadership styles contribute to organizational resilience by allowing leaders to anticipate, react to, and adjust to gradual change and sudden disruptions. Presenters will use recent research findings to describe how three leadership styles—transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire—influence organizational recovery and resilience. You’ll learn how leadership characteristics affect your organization’s ability to navigate crises and adapt to changing conditions. Take home a framework that can be applied to leadership development, leadership recruitment, and governance training.

• Rebecca Neth Townsend, Chief Strategy Officer, Covenant Health Network
• Tana Luger Motyka, VP of Research and Analytics, Covenant Health Network

71-K. Growing Pains: Avoiding Landmines as Your Organization Grows

All senior living organizations strive for growth, but it’s not always easy. This session will explore the challenges and opportunities that various organizations have encountered while following a growth strategy. Senior leaders, board members, financing partners, an attorney, and an advisor of Goodwin Living in Alexandria, VA, will tell you how to gain buy-in for your growth plans from residents, employees, lenders, and the local community so your organization can achieve its mission. You’ll take home tips for ensuring your organizational growth reflects its corporate structure, governance, and nonprofit status. You’ll also learn how to identify long-term goals and make tough decisions if growth-related projects are not proceeding according to plan.

• Melissa Messina, Principal, Miles & Stockbridge
• Robert Liebreich, President & CEO, Goodwin Living
• Celia Van Lenten, Principal, Miles & Stockbridge

84-K. Unleashing Your Nonprofit Superpowers to Boost Census

Nonprofit life plan communities are the superheroes of the senior living world. So why are so many communities losing census to for-profit communities? Your nonprofit status brings with it a wealth of powerful advantages, but communicating those advantages to prospective residents takes time and effort. This session will help census-challenged nonprofit communities identify game-changing messaging that will improve their marketing, sales, hiring, and fundraising. Presenters will share a dozen impactful nonprofit messages and stories proven to resonate with different target audiences. They’ll also show you how to identify and mitigate operational activities and behavior patterns that can weaken sales performance, depress lead generation, and impact census.

• Derek Dujardin, Creative Director and Brand Strategist, 3rdPlus
• Lindsay Troge, Director of Marketing, Town & Country Senior Living
• Cynthia Thurlow Cruver, President and CEO, 3rdPlus

99-K. Cut Corporate Overhead with Outsourcing

The survival of nonprofit providers depends on managing costs, and saving money starts in the corporate office. Multisite and single-site communities face tough decisions about managing overhead, and few feel comfortable placing the management cost burden on residents. This session will focus on outsourcing as a critical strategy to manage corporate expenses. The presenter will help you understand which corporate functions can be outsourced and how to create seamless partnerships with outsourcing partners that residents and team members will accept. They’ll also identify key outsourcing functions, the performance indicators required to manage those functions, and the challenges associated with this cost-saving option.

• Sloan Bentley, President & CEO, Lutheran Life Communities

115-K. Trauma-Informed Memory Care

Trauma can occur at any time in our lives, but we respond to it differently as we age. That response is often more complicated for a person living with dementia, who may struggle with trauma from their past while trying to navigate an unknown future. This session will show you how to recognize trauma in people living with dementia, help these individuals heal, and prevent re-traumatization. A Montessori dementia care professional and a licensed counselor will introduce you to trauma-informed care and explore how you can build a team to provide this care in your organization. You’ll also learn how to conduct effective support groups for people in the earliest stages of dementia and their family members.

• Hollie Glover, Director of Education, James L. West Center for Dementia Care
• Jaime Cobb Tinsley, V.P. Dementia & Caregiver Education, James L. West Center for Dementia Care

134-K. A New HOPE: Understanding the New Hospice Tool

A New HOPE: Understanding the New Hospice Tool The Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool, first announced in 2019, is now ready for implementation. During this session, the LeadingAge Policy Team and clinical specialists will walk you through the new HOPE tool so you’ll understand how it compares with the previous Hospice Item Set, and how the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) is expected to change. Presenters will help you understand guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that will help you accurately collect required data for the reporting program. They’ll also use fun and challenging HOPE application scenarios to illustrate the tool’s rules. Join us and become masters of HOPE.

• Katy Barnett, Director, Home Care & Hospice Operations and Policy, LeadingAge
• Lindsey Buzzard, Director of Home Health and Hospice, LeadingAge Ohio

151-K. Reinvent Your Workforce Model through “R” Strategies

If you’re a senior living leader facing workforce challenges—and who isn’t?—it may be time to employ some “R” strategies in your organization. What are “R” strategies? This session will answer that question by highlighting how Otterbein SeniorLife, a multi-state, multisite organization in Lebanon, OH, used several “R” strategies. For example, the organization RECLAIMED and REINVENTED its workforce strategy and RECONFIGURED its traditional Human Resources model by establishing a dedicated Workforce Department. Otterbein also REDEFINED “talent acquisition” as “workforce development” and REIMAGINED its scheduling techniques, labor models, and data metrics. Let the organization’s workforce management executives show you a new way to strengthen your workforce. Come prepared to share innovative ways in which you have reinvented your workforce strategy.

• Catherine Chiovaro, VP; Workforce Management, Otterbein SeniorLife
• Jennifer Feeback, Director Workforce Management & Scheduling, Otterbein SeniorLife

13-L. Using Technology to Increase Staff Retention

Senior living communities are currently experiencing an 85% annual staff turnover rate, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care. Why is our field experiencing so much churn? And can technology solutions help reduce it? This session will explore ways to leverage technology to increase staff satisfaction, reduce team member stress, and allow caregivers to spend more time building fulfilling relationships with residents. Presenters will show you how to use technology solutions to cultivate staff communication, reduce the time team members spend completing time-consuming manual processes, and monitor community performance so areas of deficiency get more support. Learn how to use technology to involve your entire team in promoting resident well-being and engagement.

• Ashlea Smalley, National Director of Life Enrichment and Memory Care, Grace Management
• Cameo Rogers, Corporate Life Enrichment Manager, Immanuel Communities
• Rob Fisher, CEO, LifeLoop

25-L. Retooling the Care Continuum to Create a Sustainable Future

Life plan communities are thinking in new ways about the care continuum as they carry out their missions in the face of overwhelming operational challenges. These communities no longer expect residents to progress in a linear fashion from one level of care to the next. Instead, they are creating an environment that allows residents to participate in the community’s life without ever living on campus or receiving long-term care in a dedicated skilled care environment. This session will unveil a new way of thinking about the continuum that blurs the lines between levels of living and care and ensures that care can be accessed and delivered in diverse ways and settings. Find out how your life plan community can help drive this change.

• Deb Reardanz, CEO/President, ClarkLindsey
• Lynn Daly, Executive Vice President, HJ Sims
• Daniel Godfrey, Senior Project Manager, RLPS Architects

38-L. How to Make Your Life Plan Community More Inclusive

Recent estimates suggest that older adults who belong to racial and ethnic groups are underrepresented among residents of the nation’s approximately 1,900 life plan communities. Many senior living providers acknowledge the growing diversity of the country’s older population and are actively seeking ways to promote this diversity within their communities. This session will feature highlights from a study conducted by Mather Institute in Evanston, IL, which explored why life plan communities lack greater ethnic and racial diversity. Presenters will examine promising initiatives that three life plan communities have implemented to increase diversity. Join this session to learn about strategies to make your life plan community more inclusive, including targeted, tailored, and culturally appropriate outreach and marketing methods.

• Mushira Khan, Senior Research Manager, Mather
• Paula Ledbetter, Assistant Vice President Marketing, Mather

51-L. Prepare for Your Organization’s Next Executive Transition

Research shows that organizations with comprehensive executive transition plans are more likely to achieve organizational goals, while those neglecting such planning often find themselves navigating instability and other challenges. This session will explore intentional and proactive approaches to transition planning for boards of directors and executive leaders. Participants will learn how to foster transition readiness in their organizations and optimize the chances for a successful leadership changeover. Come prepared to shift your mindset from viewing transition planning as an obligation to embracing it as a transformative process that could propel your organization toward growth, development, and sustained impact.

• Alex Clark, Founder & Consultant, Turnlane

72-L. Tapping For-Profit Expertise to Build for the Future

After several years of slower-than-desired progress in developing River’s Edge, New York City’s first life plan community, RiverSpring Living engaged Integrated Development II (ID2), a boutique senior living firm, to complete the project. Through this unique partnership, RiverSpring benefitted from ID2’s expertise without entering a formal joint venture relationship or relinquishing equity. The project is now on track to begin construction in late 2024. This session will describe how the River’s Edge project combined ID2’s entrepreneurial approach with RiverSpring Living’s nonprofit corporate structure, internal resources, and personnel. Presenters will help you understand how a nonprofit organization can work with a for-profit developer to create a winning partnership.

• Daniel Reingold, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, RiverSpring Living
• Matt Phillips, President / CEO, Integrated Development Group II
• Nathalie Herzog-Kull, Vice President of Operations, Integrated Development Group II

85-L. Mastering Authentic Digital Marketing Strategies

Most people begin searching for a senior living community by sitting in front of a computer, not taking an in-person campus tour. These prospective residents are digitally savvy and have little patience for digital marketing they don’t find relevant. Senior living organizations can best meet their marketing goals by building an integrated strategy that addresses the needs of these prospects. This session will share best practices for setting clear and realistic digital marketing goals, using search engine optimization to generate leads, and crafting relevant marketing content to address prospects’ pain points. Presenters will show you how to strengthen your online reputation, create a positive user experience on your website, gauge your marketing success, and adjust your strategy when necessary.

• Daniel Swiatkiewicz, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Christian Living Communities
• Robin Visser, Director of Marketing and Digital Strategies, Christian Living Communities

100-L. What You Can Do About Rising Property Insurance Rates

Are you concerned about your affordable housing community’s rising property insurance costs? The session will offer advice on addressing insurance woes head-on by changing how you approach building operations and capital improvements. Experienced insurance professionals and affordable housing providers will educate you about what’s behind current insurance pressures, why the affordable housing field is uniquely affected, and what help may be on the way. Learn how to improve your insurance rates by prioritizing property maintenance and planning significant renovations and system upgrades. Get tips on building better relations with brokers and carriers. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to manage, respond to, and predict insurance costs and coverages for your properties.

• Christy Zeitz, CEO, Fellowship Square Foundation, Inc.
• Dan Flavin, Vice President, Commercial Insurance Dept, Griffin Owens Insurance Group

116-L. Engagement for the Full Continuum of Memory Challenges

Are you looking for better ways to serve people with dementia who live outside of your memory care program but are not benefiting from traditional activity programs? Then this session is for you. Presenters will introduce you to an evidence-based model called the Continuum of Cognitive Health (CCH), which you can use to provide high levels of engagement and support to residents and clients in all service lines as their cognitive needs change. Let presenters educate you about the evidence base for adapting engagement experiences for the full continuum of memory challenges. Review case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach from an operational, marketing, and quality-of-life perspective.

• Kristy Mellons, Project Manager, Abe’s Garden
• MaryBeth Watson, Divisional Operations Leader of Hearthstone, Abe’s Garden

135-L. Are You Ready to Implement New Hospice Program Changes?

Are you ready to implement changes to the new hospice program so you can avoid audits and survey deficiencies and ensure operational efficiencies? This session can help. Finance, compliance, and operations experts will examine current and future risks associated with reimbursement, audits, and staffing as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implements the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool. Don’t miss this chance to review critical steps hospices must take to stay ahead of the changes, such as improving workflow efficiencies to avoid difficulties implementing new regulatory requirements.

• Katy Barnett, Director, Home Care & Hospice Operations and Policy, LeadingAge
• Lindsey Buzzard, Director of Home Health and Hospice, LeadingAge Ohio

152-L. How to Rally Your Team Around a Culture of Excellence

“Organizational culture” can be an overused, theoretical term that is often misunderstood. During this session, aging services providers from Washington State will clarify your understanding of culture and increase your appreciation for its role in your organization. Representatives of Parkshore Senior Living in Seattle will share their formula for building a great employee experience by rallying team members around a Culture of Excellence. The vice president of people at Transforming Age in Bellevue will describe how senior leaders can influence that Culture of Excellence by promoting authenticity, transparency, mission orientation, communication, and trust. Gain practical tools for activating your Culture of Excellence through everyday business practices, including hiring, onboarding, and mentoring.

• Gary Jacobs, Executive Director, Parkshore
• Anthony Milionta, HR Director, Parkshore
• Karen Brandt, VP of People, Transforming Age