Gretchen Van Ness

Executive Director
LGBTQ Senior Housing, Inc
Roslindale, MA, USA
  • 53-I. Strategic Partnerships for Developing Affordable Senior Housing

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    53-I. Strategic Partnerships for Developing Affordable Senior Housing

    Developing affordable housing has become increasingly complex in recent years, particularly for providers aiming to serve older adults with health conditions and unique cultural needs. This session will explore how mission-driven organizations can establish and maintain strong partnerships that can help bring affordable housing projects to life. Presenters will share tips for identifying the best partners, overcoming challenges, leveraging multiple funding sources, and staying focused on your organization’s mission and the well-being of residents. Whether you’re just starting out in the housing field or looking to expand your reach, this session will provide practical insights you can use to move your vision from concept to community.

Steven VanderVelde

Director of Senior Living Partnership
ProviNET Solutions
Tinley Park, IL, USA
  • 2-B. Ask ChatGPT: Can AI Address Senior Living Challenges?

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    2-B. Ask ChatGPT: Can AI Address Senior Living Challenges?

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) will take center stage as an active panelist in this unique session. Join an IT consultant and two senior-level IT specialists from LeadingAge member organizations as they invite ChatGPT, an interactive AI model, to tackle senior living challenges in real time. Human panelists will begin the session by sharing their insights into how AI impacts operational efficiencies, resident engagement, strategic decision-making, and resident care in aging services. Then, attendees and panelists will engage in a lively question-and-answer session with ChatGPT. You’ll discover how AI can respond to your organization’s unique challenges and how to critically evaluate AI tools before implementing them in your organization. Don’t miss this opportunity to see AI in action.

David Vega

Vice President Operations Analysis & Compliance
Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.
Fort Washington, PA, USA
  • 111-D. Federal Guidance: Compliance Risk for Nursing Homes

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    111-D. Federal Guidance: Compliance Risk for Nursing Homes

    The federal Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its first Compliance Program Guidance for Nursing Homes in 2000. Over the past 25 years, compliance programs for skilled nursing facilities (SNF) have evolved from voluntary to mandatory and are now governed by new OIG guidance released in late 2024. This session will review key compliance risk areas for SNFs outlined in the OIG’s most recent guidance. Presenters will recommend practical strategies for expanding your compliance program to manage and mitigate compliance risks.

Joe Velderman

Board Member
Parker Health Group, Inc.
Highland Park, NJ, USA
  • 4-C. How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Aging Services

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    4-C. How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Aging Services

    Three years ago, few people were aware of large language models like ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool capable of understanding, generating, and manipulating human language. This session will explore how far we have progressed in 36 months. Presenters will provide an overview of how AI is reshaping aging services by enhancing efficiency, communication, and workforce support. They will also highlight how providers use AI to streamline operations, improve the resident experience, and empower staff. Whether new to AI or looking to refine your approach, you’ll gain a practical perspective on leveraging these powerful technologies to enhance your operations.

Anna Verbuk

Director of the Resident Technology Program
Ulin, Leventhal, & Genesis Houses
Brighton, MA, USA
  • 6-E. Can Technology Foster Meaningful Relationships?

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    6-E. Can Technology Foster Meaningful Relationships?

    Social isolation puts many older adults at risk for declines in physical and mental well-being. In-person communication is the best antidote to this isolation, but it’s not always available to those who need it most. That’s why technology is playing an increasingly vital role in helping older adults connect with others. This session will describe how a Boston-based affordable housing provider and its community partner connected older housing residents with their peers while teaching them how to stay connected through technology. Presenters will share their experiences recruiting university students to teach technology skills to a diverse group of older adults. You’ll gain strategies for creating programming that fosters socialization and community-building by helping older adults use technology with confidence.

M. Sue Verdegem

President & CEO
United Zion Retirement Community
Lititz, PA, USA
  • 102-J. Balancing Autonomy and Safety for People with Dementia

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    102-J. Balancing Autonomy and Safety for People with Dementia

    Many residential care settings are reevaluating traditional views about the relationship between resident safety and autonomy. This session will outline practical decision-making frameworks that can help your organization determine the best approach to providing services and supports to older adults living with dementia. Presenters will incorporate the perspectives of various stakeholders as they explore options for honoring residents’ autonomy through the built environment, operations, and technology. You’ll hear from two organizations currently weighing their options as they decide how best to serve older people living with dementia. Attend this session to gain tools not pat answers to help you make thoughtful, responsible, and respectful decisions that benefit the older adults you serve.

Samantha Victor-Alvarado

VP of Human Resources
Presbyterian LIving
Skokie, IL, USA

Seth Vilensky

CEO
Kendal at Oberlin
Oberlin, OH, USA
  • 14-K. What’s Best for All? Making Inclusive Technology Decisions

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025

    10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

    14-K. What’s Best for All? Making Inclusive Technology Decisions

    Technology adoption can be more challenging when senior living residents and staff feel disconnected from the process of selecting and implementing suitable high-tech platforms. Kendal at Oberlin tackled this challenge by incorporating resident input into every stage of its technology selection and implementation process. This session will provide an overview of how the organization’s collaborative model empowered residents while ensuring the chosen platform met their unique needs. You’ll gain tools to ensure that your new technology enhances your community’s quality of life, improves resident engagement and satisfaction, streamlines operations, and sets the stage for future technology upgrades. Discover practical strategies for promoting inclusive decision-making and leveraging resident feedback while implementing technology.

Brit Vipham

Director of Project Management
The Admiral at the Lake
Chicago, IL, USA
  • 67-J. How to Make Every Team Member a Sales and Marketing Expert

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    67-J. How to Make Every Team Member a Sales and Marketing Expert

    Marketing senior living communities isn’t the sole responsibility of your sales and marketing team. Providers will achieve significantly better outcomes by encouraging team members across departments to collaborate on reaching shared sales goals. This session will show you how to engage all team members in boosting resident satisfaction, strengthening your organization’s reputation, and identifying new growth opportunities. Presenters will demonstrate how to incorporate everyone’s unique input into discussions about what makes your community special. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover how tailored marketing approaches can help you achieve more inclusive and effective results and why breaking down barriers among departments is essential for achieving sales success.

Robin Visser

Director of Marketing and Digital Strategies
Christian Living Communities
Englewood, CO, USA
  • 4-C. How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Aging Services

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    4-C. How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Aging Services

    Three years ago, few people were aware of large language models like ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool capable of understanding, generating, and manipulating human language. This session will explore how far we have progressed in 36 months. Presenters will provide an overview of how AI is reshaping aging services by enhancing efficiency, communication, and workforce support. They will also highlight how providers use AI to streamline operations, improve the resident experience, and empower staff. Whether new to AI or looking to refine your approach, you’ll gain a practical perspective on leveraging these powerful technologies to enhance your operations.

Jill Vitale-Aussem

President and CEO
Christian Living Communities
Englewood, CO, USA
  • 31-E. Engage Residents as Partners to Help Your Community Thrive

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    31-E. Engage Residents as Partners to Help Your Community Thrive

    Are you looking to enhance your community’s operations, reduce costs, and attract new residents? This session will help you enlist your most effective allies the older adults living in your community to support this effort. Presenters will demonstrate how to achieve lasting success by creating a living environment that inspires resident enthusiasm for your community’s mission. That enthusiasm can spur authentic resident advocacy and resident-driven initiatives that will help enhance your community’s vitality, cultivate meaningful connections, and generate heartfelt word-of-mouth referrals. Discover how to engage residents as active partners in improving service delivery, optimizing costs, and fostering a positive community image.

Justine Vogel

CEO/President
The RiverWoods Group
Exeter, NH, USA
  • 120-I. Can State Statutes Protect Life Plan Communities from Bankruptcy?

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    120-I. Can State Statutes Protect Life Plan Communities from Bankruptcy?

    The rare occurrences of bankruptcy among life plan communities in recent years have raised a compelling and provocative question: What role should state laws play in protecting these communities from insolvency? This session will explore that question. Presenters will provide an overview of the bankruptcy protections that certain states extend to life plan communities through existing statutes. They will also discuss the effects of state actions that either prevent a life plan community’s bankruptcy or worsen a community’s fragile financial position. Don’t miss this opportunity to join experts in the field as they delve into thought-provoking questions about the financial health of life plan communities.