Byron Health Center in Fort Wayne, IN, addresses the needs of individuals with complex medical conditions through a range of Medicaid-funded care and services. This session will highlight how the community has engaged local young people in its volunteer program and enrolled high school students in a work-based learning initiative to help them explore careers in aging services. Two Byron executives will describe how these young volunteers work alongside residents aged 20 to 98 who live with dementia, traumatic brain injuries, severe and chronic mental illnesses, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. They will explain how they train young people, the lessons learned, and their plans for the future.

Nursing supervisors in aging services play a critical role in motivating, teaching, and mentoring certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who provide direct care to nursing home residents. A strong, positive relationship between a nurse supervisor and a CNA boosts job satisfaction and reduces turnover. This session will explore actions that nursing supervisors can take to develop the leadership skills they need to work with CNAs so that the entire team can deliver high quality care. Presenters will also emphasize the critical role that a supportive organizational culture, aligned structures and policies, and consistent reinforcement from leadership play so that supervision strategies are effectively integrated into daily practice. Learn about programs that help nursing supervisors create a supportive workplace culture and become effective leaders of CNAs and teams.

Why are many of today’s new hires struggling with traditional definitions of “professionalism” and “work ethic”? This session will explore how the mindset of aging services team members has evolved over the past few years and suggest that it’s time for providers to evolve too. Join a generational expert, retention expert, and provider as they share how to navigate key challenges and opportunities presented by hiring everyone from GenZ to retirees returning to work. They’ll show you how to provide clearer guidance and support for all your staff, foster more successful collaboration, and enhance retention as you explore the “why” behind employees’ unique mindsets. As many employees are no longer responding well to previous expectations and obligations at work, it’s time to rewrite our organizational rules and work together more successfully.

Experiential learning that integrates education, mentorship, and hands-on practice represents a valuable opportunity to address workforce shortages while nurturing a new generation of compassionate and skilled caregiving professionals. This session will outline a comprehensive framework for developing experiential learning by offering internship, industry immersion, service-learning, capstone, volunteer, and job shadowing opportunities. You’ll gain insights into the benefits of enabling students and professionals to build their knowledge and skills through hands-on experience within your organization. Discover how to engage academic institutions, students, and community partners in designing and implementing opportunities that nurture the next generation of professionals in the aging services field.

Decisions regarding immigration policy have significant implications for the aging services workforce. Join this session to hear a detailed report on recent developments in federal immigration policy and explore how these changes impact the ability of providers to attract and retain essential caregiving talent. An engaging discussion with policy experts will provide a deeper understanding of current federal actions and demonstrate how LeadingAge and its partners are advocating on Capitol Hill to protect and expand the workforce, maintain continuity of care, and support providers as they navigate this complex policy landscape.

Many older Americans will experience at least one traumatic event that affects their physical, mental, and social health. This session will propose that trauma also affects the people who care for older adults, and that a person-centered, trauma-informed (PCTI) approach can enhance the health and well-being of these caregivers. Presenters will describe the implementation of PCTI, highlight the model’s potential to improve workforce wellness, and offer solutions to reduce staff vacancies, decrease turnover, and attract new talent. You’ll take home practical tips for integrating PCTI principles into organizational policies and procedures that benefit team members, care recipients, family caregivers, volunteers, and organizations providing care.

Are you looking for proven strategies to boost staff retention? Look no further than this session featuring leaders from Chelsea Jewish Lifecare in Chelsea, MA. Chief Executive Officer Barry Berman and Chief Operating Officer Betsy Mullen will discuss their organization’s impressive retention record: 25% of the employees have been with the organization for at least 10 years, nursing staff turnover is among the lowest in the state, and they haven’t relied on staffing agencies for 30 years. Presenters will share their keys to success, including an innovative onboarding process, ongoing communication, and staff appreciation initiatives. Join this session to learn easy-to-implement strategies for reducing vacancies, lowering turnover, and fostering a high-performing culture.

Studying the characteristics of senior living communities with healthy organizational cultures can help providers shape thriving workplaces of their own. This session will showcase how a two-year workforce-strengthening initiative at San Francisco’s Sequoia Living reduced turnover and enhanced resident satisfaction. Presenters will detail how the initiative encouraged residents and team members to embrace a growth mindset that respectfully challenges the status quo, foster an inclusive environment where all voices are heard, and exercise accountability and care to increase engagement and outcomes. You’ll discover how the initiative reduced Sequoia Living’s turnover to an all-time low of 17% and improved the “culture score” the organization receives from its employees.

Many organizations struggle to create inclusion and belonging initiatives that are impactful and sustainable. During this session, representatives from Brookhaven at Lexington, a life plan community in Lexington, MA, and Orange Grove Consulting, a talent management consultant, will demonstrate how to enhance inclusion by evaluating your organization’s levels of belonging and measuring its progress in achieving key inclusion goals. Presenters will provide an overview of the data collection process they used to evaluate Brookhaven’s current culture of inclusion and belonging, including its talent management practices. With Brookhaven as your guide, you’ll discover how to launch similar initiatives that will enable your organization to operationalize a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Can a Culture of Excellence® transform your organization’s revenue streams and financial performance? According to this session’s presenters, the answer is a definitive and enthusiastic “yes.” Representatives from Transforming Age, a leading national nonprofit network offering holistic and integrated solutions that enable older adults to age successfully, will explain how their organization developed a “Culture of Excellence,” a pocket-sized booklet containing guiding principles that have united team members across five service lines, helped the organization solve complex problems, and improved its financial health. You will hear the business case for creating your own Culture of Excellence and receive a framework and data points to measure how your organization’s culture impacts your mission and bottom line.

Senior living organizations must cultivate skilled, compassionate, and forward-thinking leaders to meet the growing demand for quality care and innovative solutions. Mentors—seasoned professionals who help mentees navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and grow personally and professionally—are the cornerstone of any initiative aimed at achieving this goal. This session will provide tools for structuring mentorship programs that align with organizational goals and emphasize measurable outcomes like leadership readiness and employee retention. Presenters will explore strategies for establishing sustainable leadership pipelines by identifying and nurturing leadership potential within diverse teams, creating inclusive pathways for growth, and addressing barriers to leadership opportunities.

The aging services sector faces two significant challenges: a nationwide shortage of home health aides and a growing demand for culturally competent respite care for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. This session will explore how Hebrew SeniorLife addressed both challenges through one innovative program. Representatives from the Boston-based housing and service provider will explain how their in-home respite care program trains students and young professionals interested in clinical careers to provide cognitive support and culturally competent care to older adults. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about and replicate this workforce-building and caregiver-supporting model.