Thursday, 8:30am - 9:00am  General Session

21)  Changemakers in Action: Turning Insight into Impact   .5 CEUs

Jaime Roberts, MPH, LNHA, ALM  |  Chief Executive Officer, Arizona LeadingAge

Yesterday sparked ideas. Today is about momentum.

As we launch Day 2 of the conference, this welcome session reconnects us to the Changemakers theme by focusing on action—how leaders and teams translate insight into meaningful, measurable impact. Building on the conversations, connections, and learning from Day 1, this session reinforces the power of collaboration across disciplines and settings.

We’ll reflect on the challenges facing aging services today—from workforce pressures to evolving care models—and spotlight the resilience, creativity, and leadership required to move from inspiration to implementation. This session invites attendees to consider how the strategies and innovations shared throughout the conference can be applied within their own organizations and communities.

Day 2 is about commitment: to lead with purpose, embrace innovation, and continue shaping a future where aging services thrive. Let’s move forward together—energized, aligned, and ready to lead change.

Session Objectives:

• Summarize key insights and themes from Day 1 of the conference that inform leadership decision-making and organizational priorities in aging services.
• Identify common challenges facing aging services organizations, including workforce pressures and evolving care models, that require adaptive leadership and collaboration.
• Recognize strategies for translating innovative ideas and best practices into measurable action within participants’ own organizations and communities.
• Commit to at least one leadership or organizational action that supports innovation, collaboration, or culture change following the conference.

Thursday, 8:30am - 9:00am  General Session 

21) It’s Not the Table—It’s the People Who Sat There   1 CEU

Matt Paxton,  Author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff  |  TV Host, Filthy Fortunes, Clutter Cleaner

This uplifting keynote explores how empathy, storytelling, and shared purpose can strengthen teams and deepen connection within senior living communities. Through real-life stories and humor, participants will discover how reframing daily interactions—whether with residents, families, or coworkers—builds trust, reduces stress, and creates a more positive, mission-driven workplace culture.

Session Objectives:

• Recognize the emotional and psychological barriers older adults face when making a major life transition.
• Discover how storytelling and empathy can strengthen trust and teamwork across departments.
• Be able to apply strategies that foster connection, optimism, and shared purpose among staff and residents.

Thursday, 11:15am - 12:15pm  Breakout Session

22)  Updated from DHS SNF – Estrella Gies 1 CEU

More Information Coming Soon

Thursday, 11:15am - 12:15pm  Breakout Session

23)  Intergenerational Programming:  It's Not Just About the Kids   1 CEU

John Thorhauer,  MBA  |  President and CEO, Glencroft Center for Modern Aging

Tommy Medina,  MBA  |  Chief People Office, Glencroft Center for Modern Aging

Intergenerational programming has many benefits to residents and staff in a retirement community. This session explores adding pre-school and a young adult residential program to an existing retirement community. We will share the benefits and pitfalls of this program and how you can develop your own plan.

Session Objectives:

• Understand the benefits and drawbacks of intergenerational programming.
• Learn how to incorporate this program into their existing community.
• Learn how to avoid difficulties when developing this type of program.

Thursday, 11:15am - 12:15pm  Breakout Session

24)  Bridging Home and Health: Redefining Dementia Care Through the CMS GUIDE Model -- Lessons Learned to Date   1 CEU

James Cohen,  eMBA  |  CEO and Founder, Nevvon

Jenna Morgenstern-Gaines  |  CEO and Co-Founder, PocketRN

Discover how the CMS GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) Model is transforming dementia care for families and providers alike. Leaders from PocketRN and Nevvon share real-world insights from their national partnership: exploring how clinical virtual care, caregiver education, and technology integration combine to improve outcomes and reduce caregiver burnout.

Session Objectives:

• Explain the structure and goals of the CMS GUIDE Model, including how it reimburses dementia care coordination and family caregiver support.
• Describe how the PocketRN + Nevvon partnership operationalizes GUIDE through integrated virtual nursing and evidence-based caregiver education.
• Identify practical strategies for providers and community organizations to participate in GUIDE -- or to replicate its principles to enhance dementia care delivery.

Thursday, 11:15am - 12:15pm  Breakout Session

25)  Healthcare Financial Metrics & Analysis: Using Data to Drive Strategic Decision-Making   1 CEU

Jaime Rapps,  CPA  |  Partner, Grassi Healthcare Advisors

Nicolette Donovan,  MBA  |  Supervisor, Grassi Healthcare Advisors

Discover how to leverage financial data to strengthen decision-making and organizational stability. This session covers the fundamentals of balance sheets and income statements, EBITDA, payer mix, and benchmarks, to assess financial health, forecast staffing needs, optimize reimbursement, manage liquidity, and control costs through practical, data-driven strategies for sustainable healthcare performance.

Session Objectives:

• Interpret key healthcare financial indicators such as AR days, AP days, and cash on hand to evaluate facility performance.
• Apply payer mix, EBITDA, and census data to forecast staffing needs and guide strategic planning.
• Evaluate cost control, benchmarking, and financial monitoring strategies to enhance long-term sustainability.

Thursday, 11:15am - 12:15pm  Breakout Session

26)  Are You Wasting Money On Marketing? Assess Your Blind Spots  1 CEU

Derek Dujardin   |  VP of Creative Direction & Leadership, 3rd3rd Marketing

“Half my marketing budget is being wasted: But which half?” We will address the critical blind spots many organizations experience when evaluating their marketing budgets. Take home tools to achieve better ROIs on your budgets by amplifying what works well and adjusting what doesn’t.

Session Objectives:

• Assess and improve marketing performance at every level 

• Unlock growth opportunities, boost sales and eliminate wasteful spending on 

underperforming tactics 

• Craft marketing messages that resonate in competitive markets 

• Align your marketing plan with your broader strategic goals 

• Ensure accountability within your sales and marketing teams 

• Tell if your digital marketing agency is lying to you via statistics 

• What questions to ask to dig deeper into issues 

• Popular marketing "snake oils" that are being sold to communities and how to spot them

Thursday, 11:15am - 12:15pm  Breakout Session

27) Trends in Senior Living Design  1 CEU

Neil Terry, Grace Design

More Information Coming Soon

Thursday, 1:30pm -2:30pm  Breakout Session

28) Update from DHS BHRF – Tiffany Slater  1 CEU

More Information Coming Soon

Thursday, 1:30pm -2:30pm  Breakout Session

29)  Lifestyle Interventions: The Standard of Care to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease   1 CEU

Paul E. Bendheim,  MD  |  Clinical Professor of Neurology, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix

Multi-component lifestyle programs to prevent Alzheimer’s disease have become standard of care for at-risk seniors. The Alzheimer’s Association U.S. POINTER Study from July 2025, proved that such an intervention significantly slowed cognitive decline. Arizona is home to the first evidence-based, easily implemented lifestyle program used in facilities around the USA.

Session Objectives:

• Describe the evidence supporting multi-domain lifestyle interventions—including structured physical activity, dietary modification, cognitive stimulation, social engagement, stress reduction, healthy sleep habits and cardiovascular risk management—for slowing cognitive decline in older adults at risk for dementia.
• Identify the specific components and implementation strategies of the structured interventions used in the U.S. POINTER Study, the European FINGER Study and other published studies and contrast their efficacies with self-guided approaches in diverse populations.
• Understand the public health and clinical implications of multi-domain lifestyle programs for dementia prevention, including the potential for adaptation and scalability of multi-domain interventions in at-risk communities where seniors reside and gather, e.g., CCRCs, Assisted Living facilities, community centers, and others.

Thursday, 1:30pm -2:30pm  Breakout Session

30)  Gamification of Culture: Unlocking the Secret to Retention   1 CEU

Molly Greenwald,  LHNA  |  SR Client Success Manager, Netsmart

This engaging session explores values-driven leadership and culture transformation through real-world stories and practical strategies. Participants will experience a hands-on tabletop escape room activity using puzzles and ciphers to reinforce key concepts, demonstrating how gamification can energize teams, boost collaboration, and embed leadership development into everyday culture. In addition, this session introduces the concept of gamification as a powerful tool for culture-building. Through a hands-on tabletop activity featuring puzzles, ciphers, and clues tied to session content, participants will experience how game-based learning can reinforce values, spark collaboration, and energize teams. Leaders will discover how integrating playful, purpose-driven challenges into the workplace can boost engagement, strengthen communication, and make leadership development both fun and impactful.

Session Objectives:

• Identify the key elements of a thriving workplace culture and their impact on employee engagement and leadership development.
• Explain how values-driven leadership can transform workplace dynamics and improve staff retention.
• Illustrate actionable strategies to create a culture that prioritizes employee well-being, collaboration, and motivation.
• Implement practical tools and approaches to empower individuals to step into leadership roles and contribute to organizational success.

Thursday, 1:30pm -2:30pm  Breakout Session

31)  The Hidden Costs of Wheels: Why Managing an In-House Fleet Is a Bad Investment for Senior Living Operators and Investors   1 CEU

K. C. Kanaan   |  Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Envoy America

Senior living operators often view in-house transportation as a convenience—but it’s a costly and risky diversion from their core mission. This session explores data-driven insights showing how outsourcing transportation enhances resident satisfaction, reduces liability, and improves margins through innovation, technology, and operational efficiency. Learn how leading organizations are rethinking mobility.

Session Objectives:

• Identify the direct and hidden costs associated with owning and managing an in-house transportation fleet, including staffing, insurance, maintenance, compliance, and opportunity costs.
• Analyze how outsourcing transportation enhances operational efficiency, safety, and resident satisfaction while reducing risk and overhead.
• ·Evaluate innovative transportation models and technologies that align with the “Change Makers” theme by improving care delivery and financial performance.
• ·Develop actionable strategies to transition from fleet ownership to outcome-based transportation partnerships that optimize budgets and support mission-driven care.

Thursday, 1:30pm -2:30pm  Breakout Session

32)  Change from Within: Changing How We Think to Transform How We Care   1 CEU

Andrew Moore,  BTh (Hons), MA  |  Corporate Director of Community Life and Connection, Sun Health

Discover how inner shifts in mindset can transform the way we care for ourselves and those whom we are called to serve. Drawing on insights from Brianna Wiest's '101 Essays That Will Change Your Life', we will explore curiosity, resilience and the ripple effect of small actions as we seek to inspire lasting organizational and personal change.

Session Objectives:

Attendees will explore practical strategies for cultivating mindset shifts that enhance staff engagement, resident relationships, and organizational culture, empowering them to become intentional change makers.

• Identify key mindset principles—such as curiosity, resilience, and intentional action—drawn from 101 Essays That Will Change Your Life that support personal and organizational growth.
• Apply practical strategies for fostering mindset shifts that strengthen staff engagement, resident relationships, and workplace culture.
• Evaluate how small, intentional actions can create a ripple effect that drives sustainable change within senior living organizations.

Thursday, 2:45pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

33) Hear from the Arizona Department of Health Services -  Assisted Living Edition   1 CEU

Jim Tiffany  |  Compliance Officer Supervisor, AZ DHS Assisted Living Facilities Licensing

This session provides essential updates from the Arizona Health Department’s Assisted Living Licensing Division, highlighting key developments affecting facilities across the state. Topics include the current survey process, emerging complaint trends, the most common deficiencies, and what to expect for the remainder of 2026.

·       Gain insights into the current survey process and how it is being implemented.

·       Identify emerging complaint trends and their implications for facilities.

·       Recognize the most common deficiencies cited in assisted living.

·       Prepare for anticipated changes and priorities for 2025 in skilled nursing facility operations and compliance.

Thursday, 2:45pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

34) Update from NCIA – Aaron Magezi, Executive Director  1 CEU

More Information Coming Soon

Thursday, 2:45pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

35)  Growing Through Disruption: The New Playbook for Non-Profit Senior Living Leaders   1 CEU

Daren Bell, BA   |  Managing Director, Ziegler

Sarkis Garabedian, MBA, BA   |  Managing Director, Ziegler

Senior living is becoming more complex—but also filled with new avenues for growth. This session breaks down the most important trends reshaping the sector, from consumer shifts and competitive pressures to technology advancements and financing dynamics. Learn how forward-thinking providers are scaling through partnerships, reinvestment, and innovation—and what leaders must do now to position their organizations for long-term success.

Session Objectives:

• Highlight the most significant disruptors, and opportunities, facing the not-for-profit senior living sector.
• Equip leaders with proactive strategies to strengthen resilience and accelerate organizational growth.
• Provide an up-to-the-minute overview of senior living capital markets, lending conditions, and financing trends.

Thursday, 2:45pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

36)  Business Case for Becoming an Age Friendly Health System (AFHS)   1 CEU

Dr. Meenakshi Dagar,  MD  |  Assistant Professor of Medicine; Associate Program Director for Geriatric  Medicine Fellowship; Lead, Banner Ambulatory Age-Friendly Health System, University of Arizona College of Medicine

In an AFHS, older adult care is guided by an evidence based and accessible framework, the 4Ms: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. Health outcomes are improved; patients and families engaged; and care sites better connected. We will discuss 4M implementation to achieve efficient use of resources and cost-effective care.

Session Objectives:

• Describe the Age Friendly Health System movement
• Discuss the steps to implement the 4Ms (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility) at their site
• Explain the business case for becoming an Age-Friendly Health System

Thursday, 2:45pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

37)  Food, Fellowship, and Flourishing: Elevating Senior Living Through Nutrition and Connection   1 CEU

Kara Emig,  RDN, LDN, CD  |  Director of Nutrition and Wellness, Compass Community Living

Kara Bowes, MBA  |  Director of Field Engagement, Compass Community Living

Social isolation and loneliness remain pressing issues for older adults, with recent studies showing that approximately 1 in 3 adults aged 50–80 in the U.S. experience loneliness or isolation, and 37% report feeling lonely some of the time or often. This interactive session explores how dining, nutrition, and thoughtfully designed gathering spaces can transform senior living communities by fostering social connection, reducing loneliness, and enhancing wellbeing for both residents and staff.

Session Objectives:

• Describe how communal meals and food-centered experiences foster social connection, reduce loneliness, and enhance both resident and staff wellbeing in senior living communities.
• Develop ideas for implementing scalable, evidence-based dining and nutrition initiatives that address both resident and staff needs, positioning community as a strategic differentiator in senior living.
• Discuss methods for evaluating and tracking the impact of dining and nutrition programs on overall wellbeing, using relevant metrics and research insights.

Thursday, 2:45pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

38)  The ROI Gap: Why Tech Investments Fall Flat Without Resident Digital Literacy   1 CEU

Abbie Richie, BA  |  Tech Guru & Communications Director, The Smarter Service

Communities are investing in digital tools to enhance care and engagement, yet many remain underused. This session reveals why resident adoption is essential for realizing technology’s full value. Attendees will learn practical strategies to boost digital literacy, elevate satisfaction, streamline operations, and ensure tech investments deliver measurable ROI.

Session Objectives:

• Identify common barriers preventing residents from adopting the technology communities invest in.
• Apply practical strategies to increase digital literacy and resident confidence with technology.
• Connect improved tech adoption to measurable outcomes like operational efficiency, ROI, and resident satisfaction.
• Evaluate scalable support models, including tech concierge services, that reduce staff burden and drive sustainable adoption.

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