Melinda Gren
- 83-G. Improve Your Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Score
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
83-G. Improve Your Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Score
Improve Your Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Score
Ask home health providers what keeps them up at night, and many will cite the risk of a negative score under the expanded Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model, which adjusts Medicare payments based on quality performance. This session may ease their concerns. A home health provider and consultant will share how they turned a negative HHVBP score and financial penalty into a positive payment adjustment. They’ll show you how to interpret HHVBP scorecards, review data sources, and design and implement an improvement strategy. They’ll also offer tips for aligning key operational areas to improve HHVBP measurement outcomes.
Polly Gretzinger
- 49-H. Beyond the Continuum: Serving a Broader Spectrum of Older Adults
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
49-H. Beyond the Continuum: Serving a Broader Spectrum of Older Adults
Beyond the Continuum: Serving a Broader Spectrum of Older Adults
Leading nonprofit senior housing providers are expanding their missions to serve a broader spectrum of older adults with diverse lifestyles and affordability needs. During this session, you’ll meet representatives from one organization that built an active adult development one mile from its existing full-continuum campus, and from another that integrated low- to middle-income housing into its broader development strategy. You’ll take away tips for designing and financing a range of projects that fall outside the traditional continuum while complementing existing campus offerings. Here’s your chance to reflect on your growth and consider new projects that could strengthen your market position and advance your mission.
Catherine Griffin
- 63-C. Sales, Marketing, and Beyond: AI in Senior Living
Sunday, October 25, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
63-C. Sales, Marketing, and Beyond: AI in Senior Living
Sales, Marketing, and Beyond: AI in Senior Living
Interested in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) but concerned about maintaining a disciplined focus on privacy, legal compliance, and ethical safeguards? In this session, you’ll learn how a multisite senior living organization is achieving these goals and how you can too. Presenters will show you how AI-generated video, messaging, and design templates can expand your marketing team’s capabilities while maintaining consistent brand quality. They’ll also explain how AI can work across your organization to streamline workflows, accelerate decision-making, enhance new-hire onboarding, and support personalized learning. You’ll leave this session with a clearer understanding of how AI expands organizational capacity when implemented with intentional guardrails and a human-first philosophy.
Katie Griffith
- 12-L. Beyond the Hype: AI’s Future in Aging Services
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
12-L. Beyond the Hype: AI’s Future in Aging Services
Beyond the Hype: AI’s Future in Aging Services
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is gaining recognition worldwide. But what is AI’s real impact on aging services providers today, and how could it shape the future of care? This session will cut through the hype to answer the questions on every provider’s mind: Which parts of AI are real? Which are a waste of resources? A panel of senior living leaders will share how they’ve used AI to improve operational efficiency, support team members, and engage residents more effectively. They’ll also explain how AI helps them manage data security, integrate organizational systems, and enhance operations and services. You’ll discover AI’s transformative possibilities and learn how to develop your own AI implementation plan.
Mike Gross
- 30-G. Leading and Communicating with Clarity in Uncertain Times
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
30-G. Leading and Communicating with Clarity in Uncertain Times
Leading and Communicating with Clarity in Uncertain Times
The ability to lead with clarity and communicate with intention has never been more essential or more challenging for senior living organizations navigating expansion, contraction, repositioning, or affiliation. This session will help. A senior living executive and a strategic communications counselor will share strategies for guiding teams and communities through uncertainty and staying mission-steady amid sector-wide fluctuations. They’ll show you how to communicate consistently, choose communication methods wisely, align the leadership team to prevent inconsistent messaging, and balance transparency with openness to build trust without triggering fear and confusion. You’ll gain strategies to strengthen your leadership presence and build goodwill among teams, residents, families, and other key partners.
Mollie Gurian
- 92-A. Updates on Federal Funding and Policy
- 95-C. Program Integrity: Get Ready for Ongoing Scrutiny
- 101-F. Surviving Uncertainty to Fulfill the Home Health Promise
- 103-H. Long-Term Care Financing Reform: Has the Moment Arrived?
- 104-I. Hospice Under Scrutiny: The Impact of Federal Oversight
- 106-J. Identifying Risk and Strengthening Compliance
Sunday, October 25, 2026
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
92-A. Updates on Federal Funding and Policy
Updates on Federal Funding and Policy
Are you seeking up-to-date information on how federal funding and policy decisions are likely to affect your service lines? Or are you simply curious about the broader policy landscape shaping the aging services field? Either way, you’ll leave satisfied after attending this speed round of Washington updates. The LeadingAge Policy Team will be on hand to fill you in on the latest developments affecting Medicare and Medicaid, workforce policy, affordable housing, and the federal legal landscape. You’ll also receive advocacy tips to ensure your voice is heard in Washington, DC.
Sunday, October 25, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
95-C. Program Integrity: Get Ready for Ongoing Scrutiny
Program Integrity: Get Ready for Ongoing Scrutiny
Federal oversight of programs funded by Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, and other programs has intensified in recent years as regulators and policymakers sharpen their focus on program integrity in home and community-based settings. This session will provide an overview of evolving federal compliance expectations and how they shape state expectations. Presenters will offer insights into emerging compliance themes across agencies, the operational implications of policy and enforcement trends, and proactive measures to strengthen your compliance infrastructure. You’ll leave with strategies to enhance internal controls, align training and governance practices, and build a culture of accountability that can withstand evolving federal and state oversight.
Monday, October 26, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
101-F. Surviving Uncertainty to Fulfill the Home Health Promise
Surviving Uncertainty to Fulfill the Home Health Promise
Home health agencies have faced significant financial, regulatory, and program integrity challenges for years. At the same time, demand for home-based services among Medicare beneficiaries has grown exponentially, straining the already limited capacity of home health providers. This session will explore how we reached this point. Presenters will examine threats to the sector’s sustainability, including the declining number of home health providers, the six-month nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for home health agencies, and ongoing negative payment adjustments. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of these threats and learn about new policy opportunities that could spur a reimagination of the home health benefit.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
103-H. Long-Term Care Financing Reform: Has the Moment Arrived?
Long-Term Care Financing Reform: Has the Moment Arrived?
Medicaid cuts, the aging of the baby boomer generation, and the escalating caregiving crisis are compelling states and the federal government to confront a long-ignored issue: how Americans will pay for long-term care. It remains uncertain whether a lasting solution will come from the states, Congress, or both. But presenters in this session will argue that the opportunity for meaningful discussions about long-term care financing is finally here. Join them to explore why more people are discussing financing reform, what proposals are under consideration, and the distinct coverage, cost, and access trade-offs each entails. You’ll learn how to lend your voice to long-term care financing conversations at the state and federal levels.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
104-I. Hospice Under Scrutiny: The Impact of Federal Oversight
Hospice Under Scrutiny: The Impact of Federal Oversight
Hospice programs nationwide have been singled out this year as examples of fraud in the Medicare program. This session will review federal efforts to strengthen regulatory safeguards in the hospice field and share LeadingAge’s position on the need to address fraud while reducing the burden on legitimate providers who deliver essential services. Presenters will examine how fraud concerns have impacted the ability of high-quality hospice providers to expand and serve the most vulnerable older adults. They’ll detail the challenges facing nonprofit hospice agencies, highlight bright spots in the fight against fraud, and describe promising efforts to preserve a meaningful hospice benefit.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
106-J. Identifying Risk and Strengthening Compliance
Identifying Risk and Strengthening Compliance
Identifying your organization’s fraud and abuse risks and building effective programs to mitigate them can be challenging. Fortunately, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can help. This session will review a set of voluntary, nonbinding resources the OIG compiled to help providers strengthen their compliance programs, understand their fraud and abuse risks, and prepare for new compliance expectations. Presenters will review OIG’s general compliance guidance, examine its sector-specific guidance for skilled nursing and managed care, and discuss hospice guidance currently being updated. You’ll gain practical insights to help your organization enhance the quality of care, strengthen internal controls, and foster a culture of organizational integrity.
Ezra Hall
- 60-A. Elevating Your Success with a Compelling Foundation Brand
Sunday, October 25, 2026
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
60-A. Elevating Your Success with a Compelling Foundation Brand
Elevating Your Success with a Compelling Foundation Brand
Life plan communities often focus on their organization’s brand, leaving their foundation’s brand undeveloped and unclear. This session will offer an alternative that could dramatically elevate your philanthropic success. Presenters will explain how a compelling, well-articulated foundation brand can build donor trust, signal your organization’s competence, and clarify its impact. They will examine how foundation branding influences donor behavior and outline practical steps to align your foundation’s identity with your organization’s purpose. You’ll take home strategies to secure larger corporate sponsorships, deepen donor engagement, and encourage more consistent giving by building a foundation brand that reflects your community’s heart and mission.
Nora Hannah
- 43-E. Community Partnerships to Enhance Giving, Engagement, and Occupancy
Monday, October 26, 2026
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
43-E. Community Partnerships to Enhance Giving, Engagement, and Occupancy
Community Partnerships to Enhance Giving, Engagement, and Occupancy
No senior living organization is an island at least not if it wants to succeed. This session will offer strategies to break down silos and foster collaboration within and beyond your organization. Presenters will show you how your sales, marketing, life enrichment, and philanthropy teams can work together to improve the resident experience and drive organizational growth. They’ll also explore the importance of engaging external partners to attract charitable support, enrich resident life, and position your organization as a trusted resource. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to unlock growth, deepen stakeholder engagement, and increase community impact by building bridges at home and across the broader community.
Christopher Hansen
- 50-H. Raising Funds for Your Life Plan Community: Keys to Success
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
50-H. Raising Funds for Your Life Plan Community: Keys to Success
Raising Funds for Your Life Plan Community: Keys to Success
Life plan communities face unique challenges and opportunities when running comprehensive fundraising campaigns. This session will provide practical guidance to help development professionals craft a compelling fundraising appeal that resonates with distinct stakeholder groups, including residents, family members, board members, and vendors. Fundraising professionals will show you how to set ambitious yet realistic campaign goals and recruit the right volunteers and staff leaders. A resident and a campaign donor will share their motivations for giving, discuss the campaign themes that resonated with them, and describe their experiences as fundraising volunteers. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to adapt traditional fundraising strategies to the unique environment of life plan communities.
Heather Harper
- 51-I. Surviving the HCBS Squeeze: Sustainability Solutions
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
51-I. Surviving the HCBS Squeeze: Sustainability Solutions
Surviving the HCBS Squeeze: Sustainability Solutions
Sixty percent of home and community-based service (HCBS) providers have faced negative margins or program closures over the past three years because of stagnant reimbursement rates and rising costs. This session will offer several solutions to help your HCBS program survive the squeeze. Presenters will share how their agency navigated severe reimbursement challenges, made tough program decisions, and used innovative practices to restore its financial health. Discover how they implemented geographic clustering of clients to improve staffing efficiency and leveraged a remote global administrative workforce to reduce overhead. You’ll gain strategies to right-size your agency, maximize your bottom line, and better support clients and communities amid funding challenges.
Melissa Harris
- 88-I. Service Coordination: The Cornerstone of Senior Housing
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
88-I. Service Coordination: The Cornerstone of Senior Housing
Service Coordination: The Cornerstone of Senior Housing
As partnerships among housing, healthcare, and community-based service providers deepen, service coordinators have become the cornerstone of affordable housing for older adults. This session will trace the evolution of service coordination and its role in helping older adults age well in the community. Presenters will provide an overview of the profession’s roots, its proven value, trends reshaping the field, and opportunities to elevate its role. Join this session to explore how emerging models, technology, and data tools are expanding the service coordinator role and how evolving funding approaches can sustain and strengthen this work. A LeadingAge member provider will describe an innovative service coordination program and share lessons for replication.
Eric Harrmann
- 32-I. Build a Team That Outperforms Expectations
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
32-I. Build a Team That Outperforms Expectations
Build a Team That Outperforms Expectations
Extraordinary outcomes depend on extraordinary teams, whether you’re leading an expansion, repositioning an existing campus, stabilizing occupancy, or launching a major operational initiative. This session tells the story of a life plan community that built a cross-functional team to deliver a successful expansion that many believed would not resonate with its intended audience. Presenters will describe how they improved performance across operations, culture, sales, brand, design, and development through strategic decisions, bold pivots, and mindset shifts that propelled a small nonprofit community to outsized success. You’ll walk away with a replicable framework for building team chemistry and enhancing execution, along with practical tips for shifting culture and inspiring optimism.