Agenda

Opening Doors to Aging Services is a communication and research initiative designed to introduce the public to the full continuum of quality aging services.  As LeadingAge understands the urgency of workforce needs faced by providers, they expanded the Opening Door to Aging Services initiative to explore potential employees’ perceptions of aging services.  In this session, Gwen Fitzgerald and Susan Donley from LeadingAge will provide an overview of their work on this initiative including sharing strategies, messaging frames and how to talk about aging services to potential employees. 

This session will review findings from the most recent benchmarking survey along with findings from Amanda Young’s dissertation research on the wellness coordination model in CCaH programs.  There will also be a discussion of the future of research for these programs and important data for programs to collect.  Session participants will understand the importance of data and research; learn what data to track and explore opportunities for future research to build credibility of the CCaH model.

The challenges of a journey of inclusion are unique to each person.  It comes from a very personal place and as such demands a very personal approach.  Within any organization, knowing where and how to start can be illusive.  Older adult housing, support and services are greatly dependent upon humans supporting humans.  And for an organization to evolve into one that is inclusive and equitable, it must invest in both organizational and individual resources that invite the whole of each person.

In this session Nicole Fallon of LeadingAge will educate attendees about the differences between Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.  Information will include trends and statistics around these plans as well as discuss what providers can (and cannot) do to educate older adults and their families about these plans.

Join us for an enlightening conversation on an important but rarely discussed topic: preparing for the solo ager. Our panel of experts includes Dr. Sara Geber, Ph.D., who has written a book on the topic; Dr. Deb Rubenstein of Iona Senior Services, who oversees Iona’s Aging Solo program; Gretchen Van Ness of LGBTQ Senior Housing; and Shawn Mooney, Executive Director of Fountain Grove Lodge, a purpose-built LGBTQ+ LPC. The discussion will cover lessons learned from creating communities of welcome to those aging solo, to helpful resources and supports that these organizations find essential to supporting those aging solo, to alternative housing models and services that have best adapted to this specific niche - but growing - population. We will also examine what Continuing Care at Home providers can do to best attenuate their products and services to the solo ager.