Zane Bennett
- 29-C. A Collaborative Approach to Strategic Planning
Sunday, November 02, 2025
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
29-C. A Collaborative Approach to Strategic Planning
A Collaborative Approach to Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is a team sport requiring clear communication, mutual accountability, and a shared vision among all participants. This session will draw on the experiences of Porters Neck Village, a life plan community in Wilmington, NC, to explore essential steps in the strategic planning process. Presenters will outline the roles that the single-site community’s board members, management organization, executive director, staff, and residents played in developing its 10-year growth and campus expansion plan. They will describe how planning decisions were discussed and communicated, how participants held each other accountable, and how retreats, committee meetings, board meetings, and resident gatherings advanced the process. You’ll gain practical strategies that can be applied to your community’s strategic planning process.
Sloan Bentley
- 35-H. Breaking Barriers: The Journey of Women to C-Suite Success
Tuesday, November 04, 2025
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
35-H. Breaking Barriers: The Journey of Women to C-Suite Success
Breaking Barriers: The Journey of Women to C-Suite Success
During this must-attend session, women executives in aging services will discuss their professional journeys, challenges, and career-defining moments. Chief executive officers, chief operating officers, and vice presidents will share their stories of perseverance and innovation, offering lessons to help other women leaders navigate career transitions, overcome obstacles, and build resilience. Discover the leadership qualities that fueled their success and gain practical strategies for finding mentors, building professional networks, and cultivating confidence. Whether you’re an emerging leader, a mid-career professional, or a seasoned executive, you’ll leave this session with actionable insights to guide your career journey and create work environments that empower and support the advancement of women leaders.
Evon Bergey
- 47-E. A Community-Based Partnership to Enhance Quality of Life
- 102-J. Balancing Autonomy and Safety for People with Dementia
Monday, November 03, 2025
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
47-E. A Community-Based Partnership to Enhance Quality of Life
A Community-Based Partnership to Enhance Quality of Life
Villages are nonprofit, community-based, grassroots organizations created by caring individuals to help older neighbors age in their homes and communities. Villages offer social and educational programs, health and wellness activities, technology coaching, and volunteer assistance with transportation and light home maintenance. This session will explore how villages and life plan communities collaborate and the benefits their affiliation offers both entities. Join representatives from several life plan communities and the 300-member Village to Village Network to learn how partnerships with villages can enhance a life plan community’s mission and growth. You’ll also hear about evidence-based programs that have enriched these partnerships.
Wednesday, November 05, 2025
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
102-J. Balancing Autonomy and Safety for People with Dementia
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.
Adam Berman
- 56-L. Stronger Together: Securing Your Future through Affiliation
Wednesday, November 05, 2025
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
56-L. Stronger Together: Securing Your Future through Affiliation
Stronger Together: Securing Your Future through Affiliation
Affiliation has become an indispensable tool for nonprofit senior living organizations facing complex challenges. This session will include case studies where organizations enhanced operational efficiency, stabilized finances, improved care quality, and strengthened recruitment and staff development after affiliating with a network of charitable, nonprofit senior care organizations. Presenters will provide practical strategies for examining various collaborative models. You’ll take home a framework for evaluating when affiliation might be beneficial, criteria for identifying and selecting suitable partners, and tips for ensuring that an affiliation aligns with your organization’s mission and goals. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore a strategy that could help secure your organization and its mission.
Barry Berman
- 146-F. Easy-to-Implement Strategies for Boosting Staff Retention
Monday, November 03, 2025
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
146-F. Easy-to-Implement Strategies for Boosting Staff Retention
Easy-to-Implement Strategies for Boosting Staff Retention
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.
Bridget Bernhardt
- 32-F. Building a Pathway to Success: Succession Planning for Mid-Level Managers
Monday, November 03, 2025
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
32-F. Building a Pathway to Success: Succession Planning for Mid-Level Managers
Building a Pathway to Success: Succession Planning for Mid-Level Managers
Succession planning has long been recognized as an essential tool for maintaining talent continuity in an organization’s C-suite. However, as this session will demonstrate, it also plays a critical role in developing the skills of mid-level managers. Representatives from Acts Retirement-Life Communities will describe their mid-level succession planning program, which features internal leadership initiatives, undergraduate and graduate-level programs offered in partnership with local colleges, and a structured mentorship program. You’ll discover how to identify and assess high-potential managers, create personalized development plans, and align talent development with business objectives. Join this session to acquire the tools you need to identify, develop, and retain high-potential middle managers to help ensure organizational growth and stability.
Juliana Bilowich
- 53-I. Strategic Partnerships for Developing Affordable Senior Housing
- 117-G. The Impact of Federal Reforms on Affordable Senior Housing
- 118-H. Modernizing Your Approach to Affordable Housing Operations
- 121-J. Federal Policy Across the Continuum
Tuesday, November 04, 2025
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
53-I. Strategic Partnerships for Developing Affordable Senior Housing
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.
Tuesday, November 04, 2025
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
117-G. The Impact of Federal Reforms on Affordable Senior Housing
The Impact of Federal Reforms on Affordable Senior Housing
*Closed to Press* How will systemic changes across federal programs impact the future of mission-aligned affordable housing for older adults? Attend this session to stay informed about the rapidly evolving landscape of affordable senior housing. Presenters will provide a comprehensive overview of funding freezes, regulatory changes, and modifications to the federal housing workforce. You’ll gain the knowledge and insights necessary to address current uncertainties and navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Tuesday, November 04, 2025
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
118-H. Modernizing Your Approach to Affordable Housing Operations
Modernizing Your Approach to Affordable Housing Operations
*Closed to Press* Affordable housing providers will soon be required to navigate significant changes in the rules governing who lives in federally subsidized communities, the federal rental assistance each household receives, and how providers communicate with, screen, and accommodate applicants and residents. This session will encourage you to view these upcoming changes as opportunities for modernization and optimization. Presenters will introduce effective practices to help you achieve the mission of affordable housing while adhering to new rules and policies. They will discuss mission-driven approaches to implementing the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA), recommend adjustments to criminal background screening, and help you foster positive resident outcomes and streamline workflows for housing staff.
Wednesday, November 05, 2025
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
121-J. Federal Policy Across the Continuum
Federal Policy Across the Continuum
Are you managing multiple service lines across the continuum, or just curious about the broader policy landscape affecting aging services? This session is designed for you. The LeadingAge advocacy team will be on hand to review this year’s federal policy successes and challenges. You’ll gain a clear understanding of key federal legislative and regulatory changes impacting nursing homes, hospice, affordable housing, home health, adult day services, and Medicaid home and community-based services. You’ll also hear the latest updates on legal matters, workforce development, and Medicare Advantage. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch up on 2025’s policy news and prepare for the advocacy initiatives that are expected to emerge in 2026.
Amanda Birch
- 35-H. Breaking Barriers: The Journey of Women to C-Suite Success
Tuesday, November 04, 2025
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
35-H. Breaking Barriers: The Journey of Women to C-Suite Success
Breaking Barriers: The Journey of Women to C-Suite Success
During this must-attend session, women executives in aging services will discuss their professional journeys, challenges, and career-defining moments. Chief executive officers, chief operating officers, and vice presidents will share their stories of perseverance and innovation, offering lessons to help other women leaders navigate career transitions, overcome obstacles, and build resilience. Discover the leadership qualities that fueled their success and gain practical strategies for finding mentors, building professional networks, and cultivating confidence. Whether you’re an emerging leader, a mid-career professional, or a seasoned executive, you’ll leave this session with actionable insights to guide your career journey and create work environments that empower and support the advancement of women leaders.
Rachel Blumberg
- 61-D. Master the Art of Storytelling to Shape the Media Narrative
Monday, November 03, 2025
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
61-D. Master the Art of Storytelling to Shape the Media Narrative
Master the Art of Storytelling to Shape the Media Narrative
Public relations professionals in aging services play two roles when sharing stories about their organizations with the media: they communicate relevant facts to reporters and assist those reporters in crafting compelling narratives that bring those facts to life. This session will introduce LeadingAge members to the art of storytelling. A panel of reporters and communications experts will help you understand journalistic concepts and public relations strategies. You’ll learn how to generate story ideas about your organization, pitch those ideas to the media, and engage with reporters. You’ll also gain tools and tactics to help you navigate damaging media storms or ride the exhilarating waves of favorable coverage.
Paul Blymire
- 72-B. Resolving Supply Chain Issues in Senior Living
Sunday, November 02, 2025
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
72-B. Resolving Supply Chain Issues in Senior Living
Resolving Supply Chain Issues in Senior Living
Senior living organizations often find it challenging to predict how the U.S. business climate will impact their supply chains for products and services. This uncertainty complicates the ability of providers to secure, sustain, and grow their businesses. During this session, you’ll meet representatives from Value First, a LeadingAge Gold Corporate Sponsor owned by LeadingAge and 25 state partners. Presenters will provide an overview of current purchasing issues and processes, and explain how Value First helps senior living organizations address those issues through discounted pricing and rebates on food, supplies, and capital equipment. You’ll learn how other LeadingAge members manage supply chain challenges and how vendor solutions can help resolve those issues.
Jennifer Boese, MS
- 108-B. Medicare Disruptions: Adopting Strategies for Resilience
Sunday, November 02, 2025
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
108-B. Medicare Disruptions: Adopting Strategies for Resilience
Medicare Disruptions: Adopting Strategies for Resilience
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is pursuing a new strategic direction aimed at reducing healthcare costs, shifting more financial risk to providers, and modifying existing CMMI models. At the same time, Congress is discussing significant changes to Medicare Advantage that could dramatically impact provider revenue streams, contracting strategies, and payer mixes. During this session, you’ll gain insights into these federal policy shifts and how they could reshape revenue models and affect the financial stability of aging services organizations. Presenters will share strategic approaches to help you manage risk and adapt to a rapidly evolving payer landscape. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and ensure your organization’s long-term viability in a changing healthcare environment.
Alice Bonner
- 141-B. How Direct Care Supervisors Can Improve Employee Retention
Sunday, November 02, 2025
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
141-B. How Direct Care Supervisors Can Improve Employee Retention
How Direct Care Supervisors Can Improve Employee Retention
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.