1:45 – 3:15 p.m.

How Technology Can Drive Change and Innovation in Your Organization

Technology is fast becoming a powerful catalyst for change and innovation across the field of aging services. Let presenters at this session introduce you to cutting-edge, emerging technologies that can help your organization increase quality of life and quality of care while transforming its digital processes and workflows. Technology experts will explore the transformational impact of artificial intelligence, robotics, and resident-facing devices and describe how these technologies can influence business models, operations, and resident interactions. Participants will learn how to harness technological advancements to drive efficiency, enhance the resident experience, and improve care. The session will also address critical factors you should consider when adopting these technologies.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Moving Forward to Improve Nursing Home Quality

In 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released groundbreaking recommendations for improving the quality of care in nursing homes nationwide. Since then, the Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition has developed action plans to advance some of NASEM’s recommendations and begun work to implement those plans. This session will focus on implementation progress. Coalition leaders will describe their work to promote financing for physical plant renovations, the adoption of health information technology, testing and evaluation of care planning standards, and other action plan work. As the Coalition completes its first two years of work, there’s no better time to review the group’s accomplishments and discuss its future direction.

1:45 – 3:15 p.m.

Insights from Providers Serving the Middle Market

Many older adults find themselves caught in the middle. Their incomes are too high to qualify for subsidized housing and services but not high enough to afford assisted living or life plan communities. They are often shut out of senior housing options and could have difficulty paying for services and supports as they age. This session will kick off with research findings describing this population, followed by a panel of LeadingAge members trying to address housing and care needs among middle-market consumers. Panelists will offer guidance on defining your local market, educating prospective residents about their options, offering the right amenities, and deciding whether to develop rental or entry-fee products. Bring your questions to this session and prepare to be inspired to expand your mission to this underserved population.

3:45 – 5:15 p.m.

Managed Care in the Spotlight: What’s Next?

The past year has brought significant regulatory and legislative activity to managed care. With more than 50% of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage or special needs plan, policymakers cannot ignore managed care’s impact on the broader healthcare system and the aging services sector. Of particular concern are the rising number of erroneous denials of medically necessary Medicare services, and terminations of services in opposition to provider assessments. Join this session to get the latest information from Senate and House staffers, representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and providers of aging services. You’ll gain important insights into how new Medicare Advantage rules are impacting care determinations and what issues are looming on the horizon.

1:45 – 3:15 p.m.

Mobilizing Innovation to Improve the Lives of People Living with Cognitive Change

The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) is a unique collaboration of health care, science, industry, nonprofit, and government partners working to improve quality of life for the world’s aging population. Based in Toronto, the center helps global innovators gain access to key user groups so they can test, develop, validate, and accelerate the adoption of accessible solutions to address issues facing older adults living with cognitive change. During this session, CABHI leaders will describe their innovative work and explain the importance of seeking input from those with lived experience. They’ll also help you consider how your organization might develop the skills, capacity, and readiness required to identify, introduce, implement, and sustain innovations that enhance the quality of long-term services and supports.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Policy Update: The Shifting Landscape of Nursing Home Care

Nursing homes continue to navigate a continually shifting landscape as they redefine what it means to offer person-centered quality care and address myriad regulatory and operating challenges. These challenges include keeping up with changing regulations and ongoing updates to infection control protocols; navigating the Minimum Data Set, Nursing Home Care Compare, and the quality reporting program; and establishing a secure foothold in the world of value-based payments. Key staff from the Biden Administration will offer their insights into the government’s response to all these challenges. Congressional staff have been invited to discuss regulations, guidance, and legislative activity focused on staffing, emergency preparedness, behavioral health, and surveys. You’ll want to hear their take on what’s in store for nursing homes in 2024.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Managing Rising Expectations in a Changing World

The world is changing, and the expectations of current and prospective consumers are changing along with it. How should organizational leaders and board members respond? This session will show you how your organization can collaborate with residents to meet their expectations while respectfully managing those expectations. Hear how executives at LeadingAge member organizations use communication, transparency, and resident education to engage in honest and open dialogue about what residents want from their organizations and what they can realistically provide. You’ll get tips to help you ensure that your conversations with residents don’t take on an u201cus-versus-themu201d tone. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to encourage residents to take a vested interest in the success of your organization and community.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Global Perspectives on Foreign-Born Workers

A growing number of aging services providers are recruiting foreign-born immigrants and refugees to staff their care settings worldwide. This recruitment phenomenon was the topic of a rich discussion at the 2023 Global Ageing Network (GAN) International Workforce Summit. During this session, U.S. and Canadian colleagues will explore recruitment, training, and retention strategies employers currently use to attract foreign-born caregivers. Join this high-level discussion about the ethics of such activities, including the impact of worker migration on immigrants’ countries of origin. Envision how provider organizations worldwide might come together to address global workforce challenges while supporting foreign-born caregivers through skills training, core competencies, and recruitment standards.

3:45 – 5:15 p.m.

Care Coordination Across the Continuum

Care coordination is the lynchpin of successful aging in the community and throughout the aging services continuum. This coordination benefits older adults and their caregivers, whether those older adults live in their lifelong home, an affordable or middle-market housing community, a life plan community, or with support from a Continuing Care at Home program. How can providers of aging services best design care coordination services for older adults in their various service lines? Join fellow leaders during this session to explore the nuances of care coordination throughout the continuum and to gain insights that will help you advance and expand care coordination in your organization.

3:45 – 5:15 p.m.

Aligning a DEI Commitment with Faith-Based Values

There is no one-size-fits-all plan to guide aging services organizations as they strive to implement a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) among team members, residents, and clients. Such work isn’t easy for any organization. However, faith-based organizations may find it particularly challenging to undertake a DEI journey when their religious beliefs and values appear to conflict with specific DEI goals, such as the inclusion of LTBTQ team members and residents. During this session, religious leaders from LeadingAge member organizations will describe how they foster communities of inclusion and belonging while remaining true to their religious heritage. They’ll share their challenges and successes along the path to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

3:45 – 5:15 p.m.

Care Coordination Across the Continuum

Care coordination is the lynchpin of successful aging in the community and throughout the aging services continuum. This coordination benefits older adults and their caregivers, whether those older adults live in their lifelong home, an affordable or middle-market housing community, a life plan community, or with support from a Continuing Care at Home program. How can providers of aging services best design care coordination services for older adults in their various service lines? Join fellow leaders during this session to explore the nuances of care coordination throughout the continuum and to gain insights that will help you advance and expand care coordination in your organization.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Who Benefits from the Rural Aging Action Network?

Older adults living in rural communities often have low incomes and limited access to healthcare, transportation, and other vital services. As a result, many have trouble maintaining their health and independence. This session will focus on the Rural Aging Action Network, a coalition led by Lutheran Services in America, which works with local organizations in four states to connect rural older adults with sustainable community-based services and supports. Join researchers from the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston and the director of aging initiatives at Lutheran Services in America for a close-up look at the older adults served by the network, the essential services they receive, and the benefits they enjoy. Discover what is possible when providers of aging services invest in rural older adults.