3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Welcoming Residents to Your Board: What You Should Know

As consumer expectations evolve, many senior living residents want to play meaningful roles in governing their organizations. Residents can contribute valuable skills and perspectives to an organization’s board of directors, but their board membership raises serious questions about conflicts of interest, representation, and governance dynamics. How can boards effectively include residents while safeguarding the organization’s long-term health? This session will explore the complexities of resident participation on governing boards. Presenters will discuss how to vet and nominate residents for board positions. They will also answer questions about whether resident board members should serve as officers or recuse themselves from decisions about budgets or rent increases. Join this session to gain thoughtful insights and strategies to help your board navigate these nuanced considerations.

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Unlock the Power of Data Analytics

Imagine using data analytics to anticipate your organization’s staffing needs, deploy staff efficiently, or pinpoint burnout risks and solutions. Consider the advantages of employing predictive analytics to identify residents with health risks so you can use proactive interventions to improve outcomes and lower costs. Fortunately, these technological advances aren’t a distant dream. This session will demonstrate that they are rapidly becoming a strategic necessity for providers facing mounting workforce and care-related challenges. Presenters will help you understand how your organization can harness its data to stay competitive and responsive to the needs of older adults. Join this session to discover how data analytics can help you tackle critical issues in care delivery, optimize resource allocation, and meet emerging operational demands.

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Policy Update: Medicare Home Health and Hospice

2024 was a big year for the home health and hospice sectors as LeadingAge and policymakers from both parties began serious discussions about the value of reforming Medicare’s hospice benefit and elevating the value of home health. Staff members from Capitol Hill offices and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will use this session to discuss what’s next for hospice and home health. Discover how benefits for both programs might evolve and how current legislation could affect providers of aging services. Explore the growth of palliative care, the likelihood of a Medicare Advantage hospice “carve-in,” home health payment reform, and initiatives designed to improve program integrity. Presenters will share information about advocacy and engagement opportunities designed to help you participate in hospice and home health conversations.

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Policy Update: Achieving Affordable Housing Goals

LeadingAge works diligently with Congress and federal housing agencies to achieve our bold policy goals to preserve, expand, and enhance affordable housing for older adults. This session will offer an overview of that work. Staff from congressional offices and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be on hand to discuss their goals regarding housing for older adults. In addition, LeadingAge’s Advocacy Team will help you prepare for Lobby Day by exploring how congressional and HUD goals align with LeadingAge’s goals and the areas where they diverge. Join us as we review funding, policy, and operational issues affecting affordable housing, including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, housing plus services and service coordination initiatives, asset limits, insurance, and inspections.

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Policy Update: Shaping the Future of Nursing Homes

Nursing homes must continuously adapt to an ever-changing landscape as they work to enhance person-centered care, improve workforce recruitment and retention, ensure financial sustainability, and tackle regulatory and operational challenges. This session will help you manage these diverse responsibilities. Representatives from the Division of Nursing Homes at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will share their insights on current regulations and guidance, workforce initiatives, technology integration, funding and reimbursement, and the survey and certification process. They’ll also assess how nursing homes meet residents’ needs and identify areas for improvement. Congressional staff have been invited to discuss legislative activity related to quality, access, and workforce recruitment. Join us to discover how you can help shape the future of nursing homes.

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Federal Rulemaking: Who Holds the Power?

Congress, the president, and executive branch agencies share power over federal rulemaking. But you might need a scorecard to determine what branch of government exercises which powers and when. Would it surprise you, for example, to learn that certain types of agency guidance require White House clearance while others do not? Have you heard that federal agencies participate in some rulemaking stages but not others? Do you know that the executive branch can initiate and impose policies affecting aging services without congressional input? This session will help you understand the power of executive orders and how agencies develop final rules and sub-regulatory guidance. Investigate the shared powers of the federal bureaucracy and learn how to engage in the regulatory process.

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.

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.

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.

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Welcoming Residents to Your Board: What You Should Know

As consumer expectations evolve, many senior living residents want to play meaningful roles in governing their organizations. Residents can contribute valuable skills and perspectives to an organization’s board of directors, but their board membership raises serious questions about conflicts of interest, representation, and governance dynamics. How can boards effectively include residents while safeguarding the organization’s long-term health? This session will explore the complexities of resident participation on governing boards. Presenters will discuss how to vet and nominate residents for board positions. They will also answer questions about whether resident board members should serve as officers or recuse themselves from decisions about budgets or rent increases. Join this session to gain thoughtful insights and strategies to help your board navigate these nuanced considerations.

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.

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Retain Staff by Building a Culture of Engagement

Ensuring that employees feel engaged and connected to their workplace’s culture is critical to retaining team members for the long term. Yet, retention remains a significant challenge for many organizations in the aging services sector. This session will provide the guidance you need to create a workplace environment where staff are more likely to stay, contribute, and thrive because they feel valued, heard, and supported. Engage with leaders from LeadingAge member communities as they share proven strategies and best practices for improving workplace culture and fostering employee engagement. Take home actionable insights and ideas for cultivating a more supportive work environment and engaging your staff more effectively.