1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Can Registered Apprenticeships Bolster the CNA Workforce?

Registered apprenticeship programs can now access federal or state funding and resources to help healthcare providers recruit and retain a qualified workforce. Yet, nursing homes and other aging services organizations have struggled to get in on the action. This could change, thanks to the federally funded Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), which is helping providers establish new registered apprenticeships for direct care professionals nationwide. This session will describe how registered apprenticeships work and the national standards and best practices that could help them grow. A GWEP participant will discuss their organization’s plans to develop a registered apprenticeship for certified nursing assistants (CNA). Explore how registered apprenticeships have become a national model, their track record in nursing homes, and the challenges and opportunities they pose to providers of aging services.

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Turning Skilled Nursing Skeptics into Believers

Are your leadership team, board, and key stakeholders skeptical about the skilled nursing model? This session might change their minds. A panel of mission-driven LeadingAge member providers will explain why they are investing in, reinventing, or transforming the skilled nursing model into a high-quality, valuable service line that meets organizational needs while addressing critical service gaps. Learn how the panelists have navigated key skilled nursing challenges—including consumer preferences, reimbursement pressures, workforce issues, and rising costs—and how these challenges have shaped organizational decision-making. Discover strategies to help your organization’s leaders and board members adopt a shared vision for the future of skilled nursing. You’ll take home innovative approaches to reinventing and strengthening the skilled nursing model.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Medicare Advantage: New Year u2026 New Direction?

Last year brought significant changes to Medicare Advantage, which became the primary coverage choice for nearly 34 million Medicare beneficiaries. In response to this growth, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated reform efforts that greatly affected beneficiaries’ access to services, provider payments, and healthcare delivery patterns. More changes are anticipated for the coming year. A new Congress and CMS administrator will likely introduce a new vision for Medicare and Medicare Advantage that will impact beneficiaries living with chronic illnesses, those using hospice services, and individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Join this session to hear from policymakers and pundits about anticipated changes for 2025 and whether those changes will align with LeadingAge’s advocacy agenda.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

The Role of Virtual Reality in Aging Services

Virtual reality (VR) technologies create a computer-generated environment that immerses headset-wearing users in their simulated surroundings. Since the 1950s, VR has powered experimental theater productions, flight simulators, and video games. Now, it’s making an impact in senior living communities. Residents use VR to enjoy virtual travel, social connections, and engaging activities. VR training sessions help frontline caregivers develop empathy, enhance their caregiving skills, and boost their confidence. Even rehabilitation departments recognize that VR-powered therapy sessions can help older adults maintain mobility and independence. This session will take you on a tour of all the possibilities VR holds for your organization. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore VR’s ability to create more interactive, supportive, and person-centered experiences for residents and team members while elevating care to a new level.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

New Research: Do Medicaid Payments Cover Care Costs?

Medicaid is the primary payer for nursing home care, covering over 60% of all residents on a typical day. Setting nursing home reimbursement rates too high can lead to excess profits at taxpayers’ expense. Yet, nursing homes need appropriate reimbursement to invest in nursing staff and other quality improvement initiatives. This session will provide new information on the relationship between Medicaid nursing home reimbursement rates and reported care costs. Presenters will share findings from their independent assessment of Medicaid reimbursement and the costs associated with Medicaid-reimbursed nursing home care. Their setting-by-setting analysis, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, revealed that the average nursing home receives only 82 cents in reimbursement for each dollar it spends providing care to a Medicaid recipient.

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Best Practices and Pitfalls of CEO Transitions

No matter how carefully an organization plans for a CEO transition, the process of changing leaders often brings with it an unsettling sense of urgency and uncertainty. During this session, an executive search consultant will help ensure your next CEO transition runs smoothly. Learn about recent trends in CEO continuity planning and effective onboarding strategies. Gain insights to help you address awkward situations that may arise during the CEO search, including when a valued internal candidate is not selected for the executive position or the board becomes overly involved in the management of the organization. Recently appointed CEOs and board members will be on hand to discuss best practices and pitfalls of CEO transitions.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Master Strategic Planning by Leveraging Diverse Perspectives

Organizations must conduct strategic planning to secure their long-term sustainability. The typical planning process involves setting goals, identifying actions needed to achieve those goals, and mobilizing resources to implement those actions. In addition, achieving the best outcomes requires intentionality and innovation in aligning mission and values, broadening stakeholder engagement, using integrated dashboards to manage data, and addressing challenging market gaps without overlooking popular trends. This session will help you harness the power of diverse perspectives to craft creative, comprehensive strategies that align closely with evolving sector demands and market opportunities. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how other organizations and leaders approach strategy development and who they include in the strategic planning process.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Lobby Day Bootcamp: Become an Advocacy Champion

Lobby Day is a key component of LeadingAge’s annual Leadership Summit. It offers LeadingAge members a unique opportunity to meet with congressional lawmakers and their policy staff, discuss critical issues affecting providers of aging services, and advocate for policy changes that better support older adults. This session will give you the tools you need for successful Lobby Day visits. Presenters will review LeadingAge’s policy priorities, explain how to navigate Capitol Hill, and brief you on what to expect when you arrive in congressional offices. You’ll also learn how to communicate policy messages effectively, build relationships with lawmakers, and follow up with them once you return home. Designed for beginners and seasoned advocates alike, this session will prepare you to be an advocacy champion during Lobby Day and throughout the year.

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Best Practices and Pitfalls of CEO Transitions

No matter how carefully an organization plans for a CEO transition, the process of changing leaders often brings with it an unsettling sense of urgency and uncertainty. During this session, an executive search consultant will help ensure your next CEO transition runs smoothly. Learn about recent trends in CEO continuity planning and effective onboarding strategies. Gain insights to help you address awkward situations that may arise during the CEO search, including when a valued internal candidate is not selected for the executive position or the board becomes overly involved in the management of the organization. Recently appointed CEOs and board members will be on hand to discuss best practices and pitfalls of CEO transitions.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Medicare Advantage: New Year u2026 New Direction?

Last year brought significant changes to Medicare Advantage, which became the primary coverage choice for nearly 34 million Medicare beneficiaries. In response to this growth, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated reform efforts that greatly affected beneficiaries’ access to services, provider payments, and healthcare delivery patterns. More changes are anticipated for the coming year. A new Congress and CMS administrator will likely introduce a new vision for Medicare and Medicare Advantage that will impact beneficiaries living with chronic illnesses, those using hospice services, and individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Join this session to hear from policymakers and pundits about anticipated changes for 2025 and whether those changes will align with LeadingAge’s advocacy agenda.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Double Duty: Advancing Policy Goals through Media Engagement

The media can be a powerful force in shaping the opinions of the various audiences that providers of aging services seek to influence. Most providers focus their media-relations efforts on reaching consumers and potential employees. Yet, successful outreach to a third audience—elected officials—can yield numerous benefits for providers and the individuals they serve. This session will help you leverage public relations tactics to garner press coverage of policy issues, promote potential solutions, and attract the attention of policymakers who can implement those solutions. This type of media outreach requires a special touch, so you’ll want to take notes as session presenters reveal their strategies for making media activities serve ”double duty” by elevating your brand while advancing your policy goals.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Break Free from Super-Doing and Empower Your Team

Are you a recovering super-doer? Even at the highest levels of leadership, the urge to jump in and “do the work” can be hard to resist—but it won’t help you increase your organization’s capacity to serve. This session will enhance your leadership impact by showing you how to shift from doing to developing your team. A panel of seasoned and emerging CEOs will share practical strategies to help you cultivate growth in your fellow team members and foster habits that enable you and your team to operate at full potential. Through guided exercises, peer discussions, and real-world examples, you will gain actionable insights that will help elevate your leadership impact while empowering your team to do the same.