Rick Westermann

SVP, Chief Marketing Officer
LCS
Des Moines, IA, US
  • 141-H. What if You Could Prevent Employees from Leaving Their Jobs?
  • Tuesday, October 27, 2026

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    141-H. What if You Could Prevent Employees from Leaving Their Jobs?

    In today’s labor-constrained environment, senior living organizations need more than hindsight. They need actionable foresight. This session will showcase a tool that can help. You’ll hear about Retention Radar, a predictive workforce intelligence solution that identifies employees most at risk of leaving their jobs and recommends targeted, practical interventions to support engagement and stability. Presenters will explain how Retention Radar equips Human Resources teams, operations leaders, and community administrators to interpret workforce trends and make data-informed decisions. Users of the tool will share strategies for translating predictive analytics into targeted retention interventions and explain how Retention Radar helped them build healthier teams and enhance the resident experience.

Bruce Whitaker, Jr.

Owner
The Millennium Group
New Britain, CT, USA
  • 44-C. Expanding an Affordable Housing Community to Reach the Middle Market
  • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    44-C. Expanding an Affordable Housing Community to Reach the Middle Market

    West Hartford Fellowship Housing is implementing a comprehensive campus expansion which will broaden its mission to meet the needs of middle-market consumers. Presenters will outline steps the Connecticut-based housing provider has taken to protect the rights of current residents and preserve existing lower rent structures while also serving a slightly different income demographic. They’ll share architectural design strategies that helped reduce the cost of new construction and a multi-source financing plan that incorporates Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and existing federal subsidies. Whether you’re a seasoned affordable housing provider or new to the field, this session will equip you to reach new middle- and lower-middle markets.

Asa Whitcomb

COO
Vermont Veterans’ Home
Bennington, VT, US
  • 109-A. Supporting Human Connection through Intimacy Policies
  • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

    109-A. Supporting Human Connection through Intimacy Policies

    Many organizations recognize the importance of honoring residents’ rights, yet few have clear guidelines for supporting intimate expression, especially when decision-making capacity is impaired. This session will introduce you to a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to developing an intimacy and sexuality policy. Presenters will highlight how one nursing home worked with a medical ethicist, staff, residents, and families to develop a framework that safeguards vulnerable adults while affirming their fundamental human need for connection, companionship, and intimate expression. You’ll take away information to help you support residents’ intimacy responsibly and compassionately, honor individual rights, and enhance overall quality of life, all while complying with regulations.

David Williams

Chief Executive
St. Monica Trust
Bristol, UK
  • 43-B. International Perspectives: Building Community-Integrated Care Settings
  • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    43-B. International Perspectives: Building Community-Integrated Care Settings

    Two solutions to improve services for older adults have emerged independently on opposite sides of the globe, and both will be showcased during this session. Presenters from St. Monica Trust in Bristol, United Kingdom, and Southern Cross Care in Queensland, Australia, will explain how they enhanced quality of life in aged care by listening to their communities, collaborating with trusted partners, and creating outward-facing, integrated care settings. Learn how St Monica Trust shaped The Chocolate Quarter design during 250 focus groups with residents and community stakeholders. Explore how Southern Cross Care Queensland’s Chinchilla Community Wellness Hub promotes provider interaction while reducing resident isolation. You’ll discover how to build integrated communities with older adults at their center.

Lisa Williams

Board Member
Pinnacle Living
Glen Allen, VA, US
  • 34-H. Enhancing Your Board’s Financial Expertise
  • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    34-H. Enhancing Your Board’s Financial Expertise

    Good governance entails more than simply assembling a diverse group of board members with the skills and background necessary to advance your organization’s mission. It also requires organizational leaders to help board members fully grasp their fiduciary responsibilities. During this session, you’ll discover strategies for enhancing the financial acumen of board members, enabling them to develop a thorough understanding of your organization’s financial and operational health. This understanding will allow all board members to engage in strategic planning, participate in nuanced discussions about the ramifications of financial decisions, and make informed decisions. If your board is seeking ways to promote open, informed discussions that foster effective governance and accountability, this session is for you.

Bridget Williams

AVP, Quality and Clinical Excellence
Vi at Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
  • 108-L. Identify and Address Risks Before the Survey Team Arrives
  • Wednesday, October 28, 2026

    11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

    108-L. Identify and Address Risks Before the Survey Team Arrives

    The survey environment for long-term care providers is growing more complex as federal and state agencies refine guidance, raise expectations, and adjust priorities. This complexity often turns annual recertification and complaint surveys into disruptive, high-stress events that expose gaps in practice, documentation, and oversight. Using QAPI as a framework, this session will equip organizational leaders with the tools to stay survey-ready every day. Presenters will review emerging national and state survey trends and highlight common citations and surveyor priorities. They’ll show you how to focus on high-risk processes, develop performance improvement projects, and monitor corrective actions. You’ll get the support you need to build day-to-day practices that identify and address risks before the survey team arrives.

Sonya Williams

Recreational Therapist
A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab Cobb
Marietta, GA, US
  • 114-F. Creative Programs That Connect Generations
  • Monday, October 26, 2026

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    114-F. Creative Programs That Connect Generations

    Intergenerational programs and community partnerships can enhance the well-being of older adults across care settings. This session will introduce purpose-driven engagement options that improve residents’ quality of life and enable them to share their wisdom with younger generations. Presenters will describe a summer camp for teens and older adults that offers opportunities for connection and storytelling; a LEGO-based engagement initiative; and a classroom experience that enables college students to conduct research informed by older adults. You’ll learn how to develop and scale these purpose-driven practices by identifying the right community partners, tailoring engagement strategies to residents with diverse cognitive and physical abilities, and integrating engagement into daily life.

Thomas Willis

Partner & Co-Founder
Phoenix Performance Partners
Brighton, MI, USA
  • 20-H. Flip the Script on Accountability
  • Tuesday, October 27, 2026

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    20-H. Flip the Script on Accountability

    Most organizational leaders unknowingly sabotage their teams by treating accountability as punishment. This fear-based approach to managing teams carries hidden costs, including stifled innovation, talent exodus, and decision-making paralysis. This session will introduce you to a growth-oriented alternative called “Supportive Accountability,” which encourages team members to make voluntary commitments to an organization based on intrinsic satisfaction, curiosity, or enjoyment rather than fear of punishment. Presenters will examine why traditional accountability approaches fail and explore the science behind what truly drives responsibility. You’ll return home with a 10-step guide to implementing a supportive accountability system that builds trust, accelerates growth, and creates thriving teams.

Charlie Wilson

CEO
St. Dominic Village A Senior Care Community
Houston, TX, US
  • 132-F. Meet the Adult Family Home: Prefabricated Congregate Housing
  • Monday, November 03, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    132-F. Meet the Adult Family Home: Prefabricated Congregate Housing

    As the shortage of affordable and accessible housing persists, addressing the needs of an aging population becomes increasingly urgent. This session will present an innovative solution: the Adult Family Home, a prefabricated congregate housing prototype that features five to ten bedrooms and is designed to help unrelated adults age in place, foster relationships, and receive assistance with daily activities. Presenters will discuss the model’s biophilic design principles, which enhance connections to nature, outline its financial benefits, including reduced initial startup costs, and describe its potential as a financeable option for small business operators. You’ll discover how this model cultivates vibrant, supportive communities while addressing pressing housing needs.

Matt Wilson

Founder & CEO
Next Level Senior Advisors
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
  • 59-C. How Important are Placement Agencies to Your Marketing Program?
  • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    59-C. How Important are Placement Agencies to Your Marketing Program?

    Placement agencies can help senior living communities attract new residents. They can also serve as a valuable resource to older adults seeking housing, services, and supports. How can providers evaluate an agency to ensure it shares their values and goals? This session will help you answer that question. Presenters will examine the influence of placement agencies on the senior living sector, the benefits and drawbacks of using these agencies, and strategies for establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with them. A panel representing placement agencies and providers will discuss common challenges related to agency fees, competition, market dynamics, transparency, and resident choice. Discover how to effectively collaborate with placement agencies to streamline the referral process and increase your occupancy rate.

Jen Wilson

Vice President of Well-Being
Carol Woods Retirement Community
Chapel Hill, NC, USA
  • 18-F. How Residents and Caregivers Perceive Inclusive Dementia Care
  • Monday, October 26, 2026

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    18-F. How Residents and Caregivers Perceive Inclusive Dementia Care

    Aging services providers recognize the benefits and challenges of enabling residents with varying cognitive abilities to live together, rather than segregating residents with dementia in memory care areas. Yet few studies have examined the care delivered in inclusive residential settings. This session will help fill that gap. Presenters will share their research on how residents and team members perceive inclusive living environments; how these perceptions affect residents’ well-being and experiences of care; and the extent to which professional caregivers feel supported in problem-solving and collaboration. Join this session to see inclusive long-term care settings through the eyes of those who live and work there.

Paul Winkler

Volunteer/Senior Advisor
Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  • 25-B. A Dose of Inspiration: Servant Leaders Tell Their Stories
  • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    25-B. A Dose of Inspiration: Servant Leaders Tell Their Stories

    Strong leaders persuade, anticipate the future, and guide their organizations toward results. Strong “servant leaders” also build and nurture trust, deepen relationships, and develop team members so they can make a lasting impact. This session will feature servant leaders working to improve the field of aging services and the lives of older adults. Panelists will describe their involvement in a variety of movements, including dementia inclusion, LGBTQ+ affordable housing, and age-friendly cities. They’ll share how they apply their talents and wisdom to promote equity, access, and inclusion within and beyond their organizations. Join this session for a dose of inspiration and leave feeling motivated to consider your own mission and legacy.