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Presentation materials provided by USAging Conference presenters can be found within the specific agenda item. To find a specific session, use the "Search" field at the top of the page. If materials were provided by the presenter(s), it will be noted with a
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Conference Tracks
Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice
Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More
Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration
Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations
Mobile Workshop - N/A
Plenary - N/A
Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection
Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People
Supporting Caregivers
Presentation materials provided by USAging Conference presenters can be found within the specific agenda item. To find a specific session, use the "Search" field at the top of the page. If materials were provided by the presenter(s), it will be noted with a
![[pdf]](https://www.usagingconference.org/local/modules/agenda_quickbase/images/pdf.png)
Show Sessions with Presenter Materials Not all presenters provided materials for their session. USAging is not responsible for the presentation materials provided by the speaker(s). Please do not use materials without explicit permission from the presenter.
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Saturday, July 19
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM |
USAging Board of Directors Meeting
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12:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
Registration and Information Desk Open
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1:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
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Sunday, July 20
7:30 AM - 7:00 PM |
Registration and Information Desk Open
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8:30 AM - 12:00 PM |
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11:30 AM - 1:00 PM |
USAging Aging Innovations & Achievement Awards Luncheon (by invitation only)
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM |
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM |
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM |
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2:30 PM - 3:30 PM |
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2:30 PM - 3:30 PM |
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2:30 PM - 3:30 PM |
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM |
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5:30 PM - 7:00 PM |
Welcome Reception in the Tradeshow
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Monday, July 21
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM |
20th Annual Early Bird Walk
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7:30 AM - 5:00 PM |
Registration and Information Desk Open
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7:30 AM - 8:30 AM |
Networking Breakfast in the Tradeshow
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8:30 AM - 10:00 AM |
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10:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Networking Break in the Tradeshow
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM |
Networking Break in the Tradeshow
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3:00 PM - 4:15 PM |
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Workshop (75 min) HOLD
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3:00 PM - 3:30 PM |
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3:00 PM - 3:30 PM |
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3:45 PM - 4:15 PM |
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3:45 PM - 4:15 PM |
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4:30 PM - 5:30 PM |
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4:30 PM - 5:00 PM |
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Tuesday, July 22
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM |
Registration and Information Desk Open
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7:30 AM - 8:30 AM |
Continental Breakfast
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8:30 AM - 10:00 AM |
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10:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Break on Your Own
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10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
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11:30 AM - 1:00 PM |
Lunch on Your Own
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1:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
Technology Lab & Caregiving Fair Expo
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
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2:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
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2:15 PM - 3:15 PM |
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2:15 PM - 3:15 PM |
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2:15 PM - 3:15 PM |
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3:30 PM - 4:45 PM |
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3:30 PM - 4:00 PM |
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3:30 PM - 4:00 PM |
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4:15 PM - 4:45 PM |
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4:15 PM - 4:45 PM |
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5:00 PM - 5:30 PM |
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5:00 PM - 5:30 PM |
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Wednesday, July 23
8:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Registration and Information Desk Open
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8:00 AM - 8:30 AM |
Continental Breakfast
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8:30 AM - 10:00 AM |
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10:30 AM - 12:00 PM |
USAging New Board of Directors Meeting
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Saturday, July 19
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM | |||||||
USAging Board of Directors Meeting |
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12:00 PM - 5:00 PM | |||||||
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1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Pre-Conference Intensives | |||||||
PC01) Boot Camp for New DirectorsFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Are you a new AAA director interested in learning more about navigating your role? This must-attend Boot Camp will give you access to veteran and newer AAA directors knowledge and advice! Hear about which issues you cant afford to ignore, how to approach key relationships, where the Aging Network is headed and more. Several rookie directors will also share what they learned in the first few years on the job. Bring your questions and be ready to find other new directors to network with. The Boot Camp will be followed by a networking reception with USAging Board members. This content may also be valuable to newer senior staff at AAAs. While the focus is geared toward AAAs, Title VI directors are welcome to attend!
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Sunday, July 20
7:30 AM - 7:00 PM | |||||||||||||
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8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Pre-Conference Intensives | |||||||||||||
PC02) AAA Core Competency Certification: What you need to know to applyFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Is your AAA interested in USAgings new AAA Core Competency Certification program? Join us to learn about the seven core competencies and associated standards that demonstrate your agencys knowledge, skills and professionalism to funders, stakeholders and your community. This pre-conference intensive will provide details on the program, application process, policies, timeline and available support for your agency as you go through the certification process. Attendees will engage in breakout discussions and exercises to help determine their readiness to apply and set them up for success in achieving the AAA Core Competency Certification.
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PC03) Community Care Hub Grantee and National Learning Community Meeting (by invitation only)Focus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Community Care Hub Grantee and National Learning Community Meeting (by invitation only)
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PC04) Finding True North: Navigating Federal Resources to Support Your Transportation ProgramFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More This Intensive brings together Federal officials, national transportation technical assistance centers, AAAs and Title VI Programs for mutual learning and conversation about ways to enhance community transportation for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers. The session will include: (1) presentations on the work of the three national transportation technical assistance centers in which USAging partners - NADTC, ATRC and the new CCAM TAC and other federal transportation resources; (2) presentations by 2-3 AAA and Title VI speakers discussing their experiences with accessing and using Federal transportation funding and support to develop, expand and enhance local transportation; and (3) small group discussions to explore ways to utilize federal transportation resources in participants communities. The session will conclude with a brief report from the groups.
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PC05) Leveling Up: Boosting Your Organizations I&R Quality Assurance PracticesFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Unlock your agencys potential to provide consistent, high-quality information and referral services through quality assurance (QA) practices. This session will highlight standards and practical strategies organizations can use to improve their consumer service delivery and employee coaching. With a focus on actionable steps, well discuss techniques for establishing QA standards, monitoring performance metrics, and creating feedback loops for consumers and staff. Attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate with national counterparts and share QA insights and best practices implemented at their respective organizations.
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11:30 AM - 1:00 PM | |||||||||||||
USAging Aging Innovations & Achievement Awards Luncheon (by invitation only) |
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Hot Topics | |||||||||||||
HT01) Hot Topic USAging HOLD |
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Corporate Workshops | |||||||||||||
W04) Corporate CCS Health Workshop USAging HOLD |
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Workshops | |||||||||||||
W01) Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs- Excellence and Innovations in the Aging NetworkFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Through Older Americans Act Nutrition Services, ACLs Administration on Aging provides grants to support nutrition services for adults age 60 and older nationwide. Person-centered services include heathy home-delivered meals and meals served in group settings, nutrition screening and education, innovations in service delivery, and links to home and community-based supports. In this session, attendees will learn how to successfully integrate person-centered approaches, explore innovations in nutrition services, and incorporate proven strategies for congregate and home-delivered meal programs that promote the health and well-being of older adults.
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W02) Engaging Community Partners to Support Rural and Tribal TransportationFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Rural and tribal transportation programs often face unique challenges due to inadequate funding, long distances, geography, weather-related road conditions, and sparsely populated areas. Workshop attendees will hear from two NADTC granteesa rural Area Agency on Aging and a Title VI Aging Services Programwho are developing plans to address such barriers, including establishing community partnerships, to increase the availability of accessible and equitable transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. Through open discussion, attendees will have an opportunity to share ideas and solutions to rural and tribal transportation challenges.
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W03) Lessons Learned and Observations for Community Care Hubs from the COEFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Interested in learning about Community Care Hubs (CCHs)? Come to this session for a discussion about lessons learned and observations from USAging's Center of Excellence to Align Health and Social Care (COE) after our first year of work with grantees and a new cohort of CCHs in the 2025 National Learning Community (NLC).
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W05) Transforming AAA Operations: Automation in ActionFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Are repetitive tasks like running reports or maintaining tracking sheets slowing your team down? Discover how a central Indiana AAA uses automation to transform their agencys operations and enhance service delivery, empowering staff to focus on the individuals they serve rather than routine administrative tasks. The results? Improved data quality, faster response times, greater contract compliance and more. Learn how to leverage Power Automatealready included in your Microsoft 365 suiteto enhance workflows with the tools you may already use like Excel, Teams, and SharePoint. This session will include a live demo and Q&A discussion, offering practical tips to implement these innovative solutions in your agency. Join this session to see how automation can help your team work smarter, not harder!
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W06) ACP Toolkit: Making Advance Care Planning Part of Your Service PortfolioFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation and sponsored by USAgings Aging and Disability Business Institute and the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care, this interactive session will provide the background, best practices, and brainstorming your AAA needs to develop or enhance your organizations services to those with serious illness, with a particular focus on Advance Care Planning (ACP) programs.
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W07) From Awareness to Action: Creating Working Partnerships on HomelessnessFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Looking for a shortcut on how to launch a partnership to address older adults homelessness? Workshop participants will receive a quick orientation to homeless response systems to understand key players, terms, and funding. With that grounding, AgeOptions and its homeless Continuum of Care partner will discuss how they started working together during the pandemic: What did they do to connect? What questions were helpful to ask each other? How did their organizations build trust over time? Participants also will learn about workarounds for challenges that can be encountered and lessons learned. During the open forum segment, participants will generate ideas for potential connection points between AAAs and homeless response systems back in their communities. The handout will provide a list of actions and helpful resources.
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W08) Facing the fear, shame and pain: Why aren't we talking about Dementia-ism?Focus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Learn about the convergence of late life risk factors contributing to an epidemic of suicidality in older adults and why dementia-ism is at the center. Learn how Oregon's Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative is challenging the negative narrative of dementia and participate in a thoughtful discussion of our own values through mindful awareness, compassionate presence, patience and listening.
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W09) Engaging Underserved Communities Through the Promotion of Health Benefits ToursFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers one-on-one assistance, counseling, and education to Medicare beneficiaries and caregivers to help them make informed decisions about their health benefits. SHIP services support people with limited incomes, Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 65 with disabilities, and individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. The Arlington, Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program, (VICAP), launched a pilot program in 2022 to provide targeted outreach to underserved communities and individuals with limited English Proficiency, placing a strategic focus on health equity during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period (OEP), a time when beneficiaries assess their Medicare Advantage or Part D Prescription Drug Plans. The pilot was so successful that it was continued for the 2023 and 2024 OEP. Strategic partnerships were cultivated with non-profits, faith-based organizations, and affordable housing communities to establish person centered, culturally and linguistically appropriate Clinics that incorporated educational sessions on health literacy, healthcare access, community and social supports, and preventive services. One tangible result was an increase of 15% more beneficiaries served whose primary languages are not English. In 2025, Arlingtons VICAP Program will build on this model and expand our local partnerships to improve access to cost saving programs, especially for our hard-to-reach populations.
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W10) Trends in Expanding Caregiver Services, Funding Sources and Health Care ContractsFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Need and demand for caregiver services and supports is increasing throughout the country. AAAs are leveraging their expertise in developing and providing caregiver services to both expand sources of funding beyond the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) and to serve more caregivers. One such strategy is to provide caregiver services to health care entities through contractual arrangements. This session will 1) highlight trends in the types of caregiver supports and services offered by AAAs - such as support groups, training/education, information and referral, caregiver counseling, respite, access services, and evidence-based programs; 2) describe how AAAs are funding their caregiver services; and 3) provide a case example of how contracting with a health care entity can provide AAAs additional funding to serve more caregivers.
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W11) What do we want? Data! When do we want it? Now!Focus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection This session will showcase data from National Core Indicators (NCI) on social isolation, community engagement, and relationships for people with disabilities and older adults who use state-funded long-term services and supports (LTSS). We will describe what NCI data shows about social connections among older adults, older adults with physical disabilities, and older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities relative to one another and their younger peers. We will also describe what the data shows us about how these social connection outcomes are connected to broader health and community living outcomes. The panel will discuss strategies for leveraging this data with various groups, including LTSS users and families, state policy makers, and more.
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W12) We Can All Care Like WA Cares: A Model for LTSS FinancingFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice Share in advocacy lessons learned from WA Cares, the first public long term care insurance trust in the nation. Many years in the making, the program launches to Washington State beneficiaries in 2026, financed by a statewide payroll tax. Hear how AAAs were integral to the legislation, design, and collaborative advocacy to pass, improve, and defend this new benefit that will protect Washington workers and reduce future Medicaid spending. WA Cares offers a wide range of benefits and aims to empower individuals to age with dignity and independence while alleviating the financial burden on families and the state. Working Washingtonians are now investing in their future care needs, ensuring a more secure and compassionate tomorrow for all.
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2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Hot Topics | |||||||||||||
HT02) Hot Topic USAging HOLD |
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2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Corporate Workshops | |||||||||||||
W16) Corporate CCS Health Workshop USAging HOLD |
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2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Workshops | |||||||||||||
W13) Embracing the Shift: The Impact of Health Care Contracting on AAAsFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Join this session to learn about the impact of contracting on AAAs. AAAs and other community-based organizations (CBOs) and networks are increasingly contracting with health care entities to assess and address health-related social needs. This session will share new data from a qualitative study conducted in partnership with Scripps Gerontology Center. Participants in this session will hear insights from interviews with AAAs on the impacts of contracting on organizational culture and structure, data infrastructure and staffing. Presenters will share lessons learned on developing a business case, negotiating contracts, managing change and more that AAAs can use in their own contracting work. A AAA presenter will also speak to the impacts of contracting on their specific organization.
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W14) Exploring Best Practices for Supporting Older Adult Behavioral Health NeedsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection While generally older adults have good behavioral health, there are an estimated one in five older adults that have a mental health condition, substance use disorder, or both. Managing a behavioral health condition can be complex, and it can be challenging for providers to know how to best support individuals with behavioral health conditions and what services are available. This session will explore innovative practices and programs nationwide to help support older adults. We will discuss evidence-based behavioral health education programs and what is coming next in training the Aging Network workforce in what they need to know about behavioral health. There will also be an opportunity for the audience to share best practices, top priorities, and where more technical assistance is needed.
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W15) Community Care Corps: Volunteer Power Supporting Healthy Community LivingFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Community Care Corps (C3) is a national, ACL-funded program that fosters innovative local models in which volunteers provide nonmedical assistance to family caregivers, older adults and adults with disabilities to maintain their independence at home. In this session, C3 partners will expound on program alignment with National Strategy priorities, present key evaluation findings and share video stories of caregivers supported by C3 models. Speakers will also share how grantees sustain their volunteer models to expand support to harder-to-reach populations, engage more community members and improve health outcomes. Join us to learn about tools that will help you explore how to tailor support, coordinate volunteer assistance, and adapt resources for your community.
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W17) Rural Relevant Solutions: Innovative Partnerships and Outreach StrategiesFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations Discover how organizations can reduce barriers to care in rural and frontier communities. Lutheran Services in Americas Rural Aging Action Network (RAAN) will share actionable steps for developing both traditional and non-traditional partnerships in rural and frontier communities, emphasizing an asset-based approach. Explore how the RAAN leverages local community strengths to address social determinants of health in these unique regions. Additionally, USAging will provide insights into addressing rural health-related social needs identified by aging and disability community-based organizations. Learn effective marketing and outreach strategies and gain tips for using inclusive and authentic imagery.
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W18) What is Important to You? Integrating Goal Conversations into Value-Based CareFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Since 2023, NCQA, Connecticut Department of Social Services, and the UConn Center of Aging have been collaborating to implement the person-centered outcomes (PCO) measures in Connecticuts Access Agencies for value-based payment purposes. The PCO measures assess goal identification, follow-up, and achievement. We begin the workshop with an introduction to the PCO measures. With this foundation, we will discuss our experiences implementing the PCO approach including clinician training, technical assistance and adapting the measures for use in Connecticuts HIE to support sharing of an individuals goals, provider services and support care coordination. Session attendees will learn how to successfully implement the PCO approach, measures, strategies and learnings on building person-centered care into clinical workflows for value-based care from a participating Access Agencies.
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W19) Volunteer Provided TransportationFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More In this session we will discuss the importance of providing transportation to clients for medically needed appointments. Volunteer play a crucial role in ensuring that individuals with limited to access to reliable transportation can still attend their essential medical appointments. We'll also highlight the impact of these services on the overall well-being of the clients and share success stories, including Errand Buddy experiences.
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W20) New Approaches for Reaching Communities with Falls Prevention ActivitiesFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Falls among older adults are common, and significant strides have been made in disseminating evidence-based falls prevention programs to reduce falls risk. However, these efforts are not reaching all communities. They can be challenging for organizations with limited capacity and resources to offer, they may not resonate with all populations, and they may not be sustainable for all organizations. To address these challenges, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) Innovation Lab awarded 18 community-based organizations grants to test and demonstrate falls prevention activities that are associated with reducing falls risks with historically underserved populations in their communities. Learn about the grantees, their planned activities, and the challenges they aim to address. Come away with an understanding of the potential impact for AAAs to meet the needs of a variety of populations in their communities.
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W21) Aligning the Internal Systems of Your AAA: Mobilizing Engagement for Long-Term PlanningFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Is your organization struggling to translate multi-sector plans into meaningful action for those you serve? Discover how one Area Agency on Aging is modernizing its approach by implementing an Internal Systems Bureau. This innovative strategy has catalyzed broad services and high-quality programs for older adults. Learn how leadership spearheaded a multi-level planning effort and research agenda, aligning with the National Plan on Aging to craft a compelling vision for older adults. Through community engagement and data analysis, we identified critical concerns including affordable housing, health services, transportation, and ageism. Our strategic plan prioritizes equity and access for underserved populations, aiming to create an age-friendly community where all older adults can thrive. Join us to unlock the potential of your AAA's internal systems and drive change.
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W22) Respite, Readiness, and Resiliency (R3) in Family CaregivingFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Outreach alone is insufficient. Engaging with family caregivers requires a cognitive effort to ensure they receive the health and human services they need to thrive and prevent burnout and maladaptive coping strategies during caregiving. This session highlights some creative approaches from ACLs Administration on Aging-funded grant projects focused on this mission and dedicated to providing essential services for all family caregivers and recipients.
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W23) Transforming Dementia Care in Rural Communities: The Aroostook Memory CenterFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Alzheimers disease is the fifth leading cause of death in Aroostook County, Maine, where vast rural landscapes and limited healthcare access hinder diagnosis and treatment. With a quarter of the population over age 65, the region needs dementia-focused resources. The Aroostook Memory Center, in partnership with Acadia Hospitals Mood & Memory Clinic, facilitates memory specialists, primary care and local support services. This session will explore strategies like telehealth, caregiver interventions, and improved referral systems to enhance the lives of those with dementia and their care partners. Attendees will learn how the Center combines clinical expertise, community resources, and tailored programs to reduce disparities, burnout, and ensure early diagnosis and person-centered care in rural areas.
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W24) Community Care Hub Collaboration: Joining Forces in a Competitive LandscapeFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Taking this proverb to heart, AgeOptions Illinois Pathways to Health Community Care Hub, in partnership with the Coordinated Care Alliance and Rush University Medical Center, have built a collaboration between networks including health care institutions and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to integrate care and improve quality of life for older adults. Hear from leaders of these organizations about big questions they had to ask to align efforts and build on each others strengths, and lessons learned in this process. Attendees will gain insight into best practices for fostering such partnerships, the impact on health outcomes for older adults, and how these collaborations can be replicated in other communities.
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM General Sessions | |||||||||||||
GS01) Ensuring that People Living with Dementia Can Live, Engage and Thrive!Focus Area: Plenary - N/A The 50th USAging Conference will open in song! The Good Memories Choir composed of people living with dementia and their care partners will fill the room and our hearts with the power of music to ignite memories, connections and joy. People living with dementia are a key, critical and growing client base for AAAs and Title VI programs. This session focuses on the emerging and innovative roles that your agencies play in valuing and supporting people living with dementia through the lens of an expert dementia researcher, a AAA director at the forefront of Dementia Friendly America and an individual living with dementia and their care partner. Find out what we can all do to ensure people living with dementia can live, engage and thrive!
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5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | |||||||||||||
Welcome Reception in the Tradeshow |
Monday, July 21
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM | |||||||||||
20th Annual Early Bird Walk |
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7:30 AM - 5:00 PM | |||||||||||
Registration and Information Desk Open |
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7:30 AM - 8:30 AM | |||||||||||
Networking Breakfast in the Tradeshow |
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8:30 AM - 10:00 AM General Sessions | |||||||||||
GS02) Excellence in Aging and Community Living: A Federal PerspectiveFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice Hear from the top Trump Administration official on aging about the vision and work of ACL and how it all impacts your efforts to serve older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers on a host of issues!
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10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | |||||||||||
Networking Break in the Tradeshow |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Roundtables | |||||||||||
RT01) Housing Horizons: AAAs Reshaping the Future of Aging in PlaceFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More In recent years, AAAs have been finding new ways to help older adults stay housed. These new endeavors have included new partnerships, educating decisionmakers and/or advocacy, housing navigation, homelessness prevention or intervention, housing development/ownership, and coordinating services at housing sites, among others. Whether youre starting or expanding your AAAs housing efforts, this roundtable is the place to discuss innovations and opportunities in small peer groupings. Youll gain valuable insights to help inform your next steps on housing and/or homelessness. The session also provides a forum for AAAs to guide USAgings efforts to meet AAAs changing needs on these issues.
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Hot Topics | |||||||||||
HT03) Hot Topic USAging HOLD |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Corporate Workshops | |||||||||||
W28) Corporate CCS Health Workshop USAging HOLD |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Workshops | |||||||||||
W25) Live from DC: A Federal Aging Policy UpdateFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice Advocacy is a critical part of our shared mission to support older adults and caregivers. To support Aging Network advocates, USAging's policy staff will expand upon our 2025 Policy Priorities and provide an in-depth, real-time update about breaking aging and health care policy issues that will affect your clients and community. Get the latest updates on the new Congress and Administration, OAA reauthorization, appropriations, Medicaid HCBS, caregiver policies, key advocacy messages and what you can do NOW to advance better federal aging policy! Session is appropriate for all levels of policy knowledge.
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W26) Celebrating 50 over 60: Amplifying the voices of seniors to address ageismFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Recent years have seen an increase in ageism cross the nation, particularly directed at older adults. This result in poorer physical and mental health, social isolation, and an overall decreased quality of life. Among the greatest champions against aging are older adults themselves, who are making meaning impacts on their communities through advocacy, education, multigenerational efforts, and volunteerism. This session will focus on how one Area Agency on Aging launched a multi-year campaign to combat ageism by amplifying the voices of older adults, starting with a monthly Aging Unbound highlight of diverse community seniors and culminating in a regional 50 over 60 list and fundraising event. Join us to learn how to replicate this awareness campaign, while increasing your development efforts to secure meaningful resources.
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W27) Transformative Innovations in Health Care Contracting and PartnershipsFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration The winners of The John A. Hartford Foundation 2024 Business Innovation Award, Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging (SARCOA), Allegheny DHS Area Agency on Aging and ArtWorks will discuss their innovative partnerships and contracting models addressing health-related social needs and positively transforming the lives of diverse, underserved and underinsured older adults and people with disabilities. These national award winners will share the strategic planning, partnership building, and evaluation processes they used to successfully improve the quality of life of these vulnerable people. Presenters will share examples, outcomes, and case studies, engaging the audience in discussions and allowing time for audience questions.
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W29) Center for Dementia Respite InnovationFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers The Alzheimers Association Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI) is leading the way in advancing dementia care by funding innovative respite care projects nationwide. Through a five-year initiative, CDRI will award $20 million in competitive grants to expand access to and enhance the delivery of person-centered dementia care, focusing on innovation, collaboration, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability. This session will provide an overview of the Administration for Community Livings strategic aims for respite services in dementia care, highlight innovative approaches from current awardees, and offer key insights into eligibility criteria and opportunities for upcoming grant cycles. Participants will leave equipped with knowledge to leverage these grants and contribute to the future of respite care.
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W30) Striving for Sustainability: The Tale of Two CCHsFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration This interactive session will focus on how organizations that offer health and social care can integrate with the medical care system, addressing both opportunities and the challenges. Consultant, Tim McNeill, will share pathways that AAAs, Community Care Hubs (CCH), and CBOs can take to achieve a sustainable business model. Two diverse CCH's will share their efforts to achieve sustainability; Western NY Integrated Care Network. (WNYIC) and Oregon Wellness Network (OWN). Together, we will hear about how the 1115 Waiver is being implemented in their state and how they each have had to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. Finally, we will break out into small groups and walk through the use of a financial readiness tool that organizations can use to test their own sustainability.
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W31) Building Bridges: Creating Partnerships to Connect and Support Diverse Older Adult CommunitiesFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People As the population of older adults grows more diverse, collaborative efforts are essential to meet their needs. The Training and Health Equity Collaborative at the University of California - San Francisco supports diverse aging communities through multidisciplinary, equity-focused trainings. This interactive session will feature a panel with representatives from an AAA/ACL, a nonprofit serving diverse older adults, and a healthcare training organization. Attendees will explore strategies to serve diverse populations, implement trauma-informed provider training, and access local and national training resources. Stories from older adults engaged in advocacy will illustrate the impact of equity-based approaches. Participants will also receive an organizational assessment tool to help identify community engagement strategies, address training needs, and innovate services to better support diverse aging communities.
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W32) What's Cooking with Virtual Healthy HabitsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Serve up our sizzling nutrition program to your participants! Virtual Healthy Habits is on its way to becoming evidence-based and may be the perfect program to round out your health-related workshops. This five-week, twice per week virtual program has proven to be highly effective in increasing nutrition knowledge, improving healthy eating habits, and creating social connections. In addition to short nutrition education sessions, participants get to roll up their sleeves, prepare and enjoy healthy meals! Recipes have been created by Brooke Huber, RD and meet all the nutritional guidelines for older adults. The research study results and anecdotes tell a compelling story about how Virtual Healthy Habits makes a lasting and positive impact on the lives of those who participate in the program.
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W33) How to Effectively Market Your AAAFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Now, more than ever, AAAs need to learn how to not only market their services, but also how to make the public and lawmakers aware of AAAs crucial role as the frontline provider of these critically important supports.
Hear from three distinctly different AAAs who have successfully built their brands, raised the profile of their AAAs, and represented their AAAs in public arenas, enabling them to raise funds for new programming strategies and launching new service delivery models. Each has done so in different ways, including strategic communications, advocacy, fundraising, and public presentations.
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W34) Turning Numbers into Impact: How Kinship Data Unlocks Better OutcomesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers A deeper dive into how the Exemplary Designated Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. Kinship Navigator Program uses program performance measures to drive better outcomes for kinship and grandfamilies. Learn what program evaluation and survey tools are used to obtain data for reporting program performance measures and caregiver satisfaction. Find out how initial assessment and follow-up increases the caregivers awareness of community resources. Learn how educational programming, including evidence-based Child Traumatic Stress Workshops and Wellness Initiative for Senior Education, tie into improved outcomes for caregivers. Explore a myriad of outreach activities across sectors and how cultivating community partnerships and increasing community awareness has a positive impact on kinship and grandfamilies and reduces the likelihood of children being placed in the foster care system.
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W35) Supporting Older Adults Before and After a DisasterFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Come learn about how older adults finances are uniquely impacted by disasters and take home resources to help empower older adults to prepare for and recover from disasters.
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W36) All Means All – Meeting People Where They AreFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Effectively meeting the needs of older adults as a population requires us to first consider each older adult as an individual. Thats why person-centered planning and service delivery are at the core of all of ACLs programs. The session will discuss language access, trauma-informed practices, workforce training and more in the context of ensuring our programs meet the needs of ALL of the people we serve, particularly those in greatest social need.
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Roundtables | |||||||||||
RT02) Advocating in Complicated TimesFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice Join USAgings policy team and your peers for a conversation about how to protect your strong and appropriate advocacy role under the Older Americans Act despite a highly charged political climate. Bring your examples of successful advocacy techniques, messaging and campaigns!
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Hot Topics | |||||||||||
HT04) Hot Topic USAging HOLD |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Corporate Workshops | |||||||||||
W40) Corporate CCS Health Workshop USAging HOLD |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Workshops | |||||||||||
W37) Getting the most from your Title III-B legal services collaborationFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice ACL and representatives from the National Center for Law and Elder Rights will help Area Agencies on Aging identify some beneficial legal remedies to address common issues faced by older adults. Participants will learn about available resources to ensure older adults safety and independence. The session also will address how Older Americans Act Title III-B legal assistance providers can be a valuable ally and resource to ensure holistic assistance for older adults and strengthen the aging services network.
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W38) Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Super ScamsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection The SMP program is on the frontlines of fraud. The presentation will include new variations on common schemes such as hospice, home health, and durable medical equipment, and unique emerging trends such as urinary catheters and care management scams. Trend information will include geographic and statistical analysis, including the method of contact and percent change trends in specific categories. It will include information on remote patient monitoring and how this trend is mingling with other service types. New medical identity theft strategies will be discussed including a fascinating look at the social engineering tradecraft used by criminals to convince beneficiaries to provide their personal health information and recent red flag indicators that scammers are building and sharing identity theft portfolios.
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W39) The Buzz on HUBs: Creating a Swarm Around Your CCHFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Whats all the BUZZ about? Community Care Hubs are emerging as the preferred way to pollinate social service contracts. Creating a buzz is essential to attract the swarm of partners needed to execute social care in the community. Fly into this session and get a view from inside the hive of a developing CCH. Learn how each member of the colony plays a critical role in creating the sweetest and most high-quality honey that draws the attention of payors and provides sustainability to the Queen, aka: The AAA. Receive a better understanding of the structure of the honeycomb and how each core function contributes to a fully supported HUB that acts as the central place for buzzness to occur.
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W41) The Supportive Housing Model: Highlighting the Massachusetts Approach of Wrap Around CareFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More This interactive workshop will provide a background on the national Supportive Housing model, including the history and legislation that drove the generation of the model with a lens to the fluidity and flexibility of how the model has been implemented state to state. Leveraging the expertise of two industry leaders involved in Housing Programming currently focused in the greater Boston area of Massachusetts, the workshop will use real-life information and examples of the impact of a wraparound approach to residential services including the importance of collaboration between key stakeholders such as supportive living coordinators, housing authorities and property management companies. The role of evidence-based practices and data collection will be an undercurrent of this presentation, sharing statistics and outcomes data of the Supportive Housing Model.
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W42) Engage, Connect and Act - Become A Dementia Friend Today!Focus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection There are over 6 million Americans aged 65 and older who live with Alzheimers today and this number is projected to double by 2050, excluding individuals under 65 and/or with other forms of dementia. A Dementia Friend is someone who will be able to recognize, respond to and support a person living with dementia. Dementia Friends USA is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. With an understanding of dementia and its effects on an individual YOU can take action and impact the lives of people living with dementia. In this session you will learn about dementia, engagement and communication tips, Dementia Friends 5 key messages, and how to bring Dementia Friends to your community
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W43) Engaging Older Adults from Historically Marginalized Communities: Strategies for Inclusive OutreachFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations The Older Adults Equity Collaborative (OAEC), supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), brings together six organizations dedicated to providing culturally responsive resources for older adults from historically marginalized communities. This session will explore practical strategies developed by the OAEC to enhance outreach and engagement efforts tailored to cultural, linguistic, and social needs. Attendees will learn about innovative approaches, success stories, and actionable insights. Through interactive discussion and shared tools, this session aims to empower aging network professionals to design more inclusive and equitable outreach strategies.
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W44) A New Approach to Improve Clinical Mental Health for Older AdultsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection How can your Area Agency on Aging make great progress towards solving several tough but vitally important needs at one time? Join us to find out how our AAA worked with Council on Aging (COA) Directors and other non-profit community organizations to design and fund a program to improve Behavioral Health and Social Connectivity for older adults by providing direct access to counseling and other supports at local senior and community centers. The vision of our group, the self-described South Shore Elder Mental Health Consortium (SSEMHC) was to remove barriers towards better mental health. Ultimately, we found that embedding graduate (MSW) Social Work students at our local centers yielded amazing and surprising results! Come find out how this model will work for you!
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W45) Navigating Demand: Prioritizing Home-Delivered Meal Participants EffectivelyFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The Elder Nutrition Program (ENP) is experiencing rising demand, necessitating equitable and efficient service delivery. To address this, the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources (GWAAR) developed the Right Meal & Services for You process, which applies the Screen, Assess, and Intervene methodology alongside a Tiers of Service framework. This approach effectively allocates resources by identifying and prioritizing individuals with the greatest need. This model promotes sustainability by tailoring services to client needs while improving outcomes for vulnerable populations. Attendees will leave with a link to a toolkit containing materials to prioritize meals, avoid or manage waitlists, and pivot to person-centered planning.
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W46) Culturally Sensitive End-of-Life Care Planning and Family Caregiver SupportFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers End-of-life care planning is an important component of providing holistic family/informal caregiver support. Offering culturally-sensitive end-of-life options that align with diverse family values, traditions, and needs protects the care recipients dignity and empowers the family caregiver. This session will explore Pima Council on Aging's end-of-life work, identifying the unique cultural and social dynamics of family caregivers supporting older adults and preparing for dying and death. Participants will gain strategies for normalizing end-of-life conversations, educating people about end-of-life considerations, making and communicating informed decisions, and developing personalized advance directives that foster a more cooperative and compassionate caregiving experience for caregiver and care recipient alike.
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W47) The Way Home: Unhoused Older AdultsFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Homelessness among older adults is increasing across the country. Partnerships that bridge the continuum of housing and aging services are critical to addressing the unique needs of older adults and providing them with the necessary supports to live independently in the community of their choice. Its important for communities and policy makers to understand the need and challenges, explore what is working and outline where we want to go in the future. This workshop will focus on building coalitions to effectively leverage resources and expertise that ultimately help enhance housing stability for older adults, assist older adults to exit homelessness and receive coordinated services and supports, and provide a way home for unhoused older adults.
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W48) Building Legal Supports for Chicagos Most Vulnerable: LTC Residents Facing Involuntary DischargeFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice An ongoing phenomenon in Chicago and across the US is Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities use of Involuntary Discharge as a mechanism to remove residents. This practice has continued to disadvantage the most vulnerable, and to be a grave concern for residents, their families, and the communities where they live. This workshop details Chicagos work to bolster their Long-Term Care Ombudsman program with Title III-B Legal Services to more fully fight and represent LTC residents against this practice. Combining individual case studies, discussion of existing laws and protections, and ongoing advocacy, this workshop presents attendees with an opportunity to learn more about how this program was created and has been integrated into AAA services to more fully meet the needs of Chicagos LTC population.
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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | |||||||||||
Networking Break in the Tradeshow |
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3:00 PM - 4:15 PM | |||||||||||
W49) Achieving Excellence in Older Americans Act AdministrationFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More "The aging services network is recognized as a critical component of our nations long-term care infrastructure. You make it possible for millions of older adults and their caregivers to maintain their health, well-being, and independence and ACL remains your committed federal partner in achieving the goals of the OAA. The work we do together has never been more important. The population of older adults continues to increase rapidly, and nearly three-quarters of us can expect to need assistance in order to age in place. The continued success and sustainability of OAA programs depends more than ever on efficient program operations and proper stewardship of resources.
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W50) Workshop (75 min) HOLD |
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3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Corporate Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||
FT01) Corporate Fast-Track USAging HOLD |
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3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||
FT02) Facilitating Advocacy and Leadership Skills Development in Older AdultsFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice Older adults and family caregivers are eager to be involved advocacy, but the world of public policy is overwhelming and fraught with everchanging information and players. Area Agencies on Aging are the drivers of empowering older adults to build the advocacy and leadership skills necessary to engage in the policy space. Through training, roleplaying exercises, and peer-to-peer discussion, advocacy skills can be nurtured in even the most timid of potential advocates. By building up a base of engaged, excited advocates, your agency will have capacity to flexibly respond to urgent issues and develop long-range strategic planning on policy issues impacting older adults and family caregivers in your area.
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FT03) Surprising Providers: Who’s Behind Your Next Bite?Focus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging serves 18 mostly rural counties, providing meals to older adults. When our primary meal provider raised prices by 11-18%, we explored alternatives. Initially, we considered frozen meals for rural congregate sites, but consumer feedback led us to local, unconventional providers offering fresher, higher-quality meals at lower costs. This solution has been a win-winbetter meals, lower prices, and support for local communities. In a recent survey of congregate consumers, 69% of consumers rated the meals as good, and 97% reported improved health. Join us for an interactive session to learn how to identify local providers, develop action plans, and improve your meal program with higher consumer satisfaction and lower costs.
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FT04) From Homelessness to Hope: Housing & Care Solution For Those Who ServedFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More In Massachusetts, the median monthly cost of assisted living facilities (ALFs) is $7,120 nearly three times the average monthly income of a Veteran entering the VAs homeless programs in the same state. To address this, the VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program offers older Veterans experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts access to ALFs by partnering with the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a national, non-profit model of healthcare. Through this collaboration, HUD-VASH provides housing vouchers while PACE covers care costs at one of their contracted ALFs. This partnership creates an affordable, supportive living option with comprehensive care that would otherwise be inaccessible and unaffordable for some of our nations most vulnerable heroes.
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FT05) We HEART Aging: A Discussion on Seattle's Citywide Anti-Ageism TrainingFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Creating an age-friendly city requires fostering a culture that celebrates aging and seamlessly addresses the needs of older adults. Join us to learn about the anti-ageism training we produced for City of Seattle staff, aimed at reducing ageist bias and integrating aging considerations into all aspects of city work. Well also discuss the next iteration we launched thats publicly available for the community at large. We'll share the genesis of these trainings, the topics included, lessons learned, and the impact we've seenand will leave time to share audience insights and experience around similar efforts to change the way we all think about aging.
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FT06) National Caregiver Strategy Updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers The CMS Office of Minority Health (OMH) and CMS OPOLE partnered with NORC at the University of Chicago to identify gaps in caregiver resources and guide improvements. Recently, CMS hosted a series of listening sessions with caregivers, officials, advocacy groups, and care facility staff to explore caregiving challenges, disparities, and best practices. The sessions focused on local, state, and national caregiving issues. Key findings highlighted challenges in caregiver identification, respite, service access, training, workforce, coordination, and funding. Two main themes were care transitions and cultural competence. CMS used these insights to create eight policy and program recommendations to better support family caregivers. CMS will present the findings and progress towards filling the gaps for this critical population.
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FT07) Empowering Seniors as Grassroots Advocates in Diverse CommunitiesFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations The Senior Ambassador Program trains older adults to act as trusted advocates in their communities, sharing critical resources with seniors, caregivers, and people with disabilities. Available in five languages, this grassroots initiative has trained over 500 ambassadors, creating a model for reaching underserved populations and improving access to aging services.
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FT08) TRIAD: An Entertaining, Engaging, and Modern Approach to Safety and Well-BeingFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection What is TRIAD? TRIAD is a collaborative effort that unites Law Enforcement, Social Services Organizations, and Older Adults to provide education on various topics of interest, particularly emphasizing the prevention of fraud and scams in a unique and fun way. In this engaging session, participants will discover the essence of TRIAD, explore its significant influence on the safety and well-being of older adults, find out how to actively participate in existing TRIAD initiatives, and learn the steps to establish a new TRIAD in their community.
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FT09) Cultural Humility Elder Justice: Collaborative Approaches to Elder Abuse in Tribal CommunitiesFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice This workshop will delve into the complexities of elder abuse within tribal communities, emphasizing the need for cultural awareness and sensitivity. Participants will explore culturally and trauma-informed responses that prioritize the dignity and well-being of Indigenous elders. The session will also highlight the importance of cultural humility in elder abuse interventions and the role of a coordinated community response. By showcasing effective collaborations between Adult Protective Services, Area Agencies on Aging, and tribal communities, this workshop will provide attendees with best practices and strategies for building respectful, culturally responsive partnerships. Participants will leave with the tools needed to recognize and address elder abuse in ways that honor tribal values and strengthen support systems for Indigenous elders.
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FT10) Empowering Family Caregivers: A Comprehensive Approach to Enhancing Patient Care and OutcomesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers More than 75% of caregiving is provided by family and friends, yet they often lack support. In 2020, 41.8 million Americans provided unpaid care to adults over 50, nearly 17% of the U.S. adult population. Duke Health supports caregivers by integrating caregiver support referrals into EPIC, the nations largest electronic medical record system, making these referrals part of clinical interventions. This is further supported through educational events, media, and advocacy. This session will explore the benefits of involving caregivers in patient care, addressing both care and outcomes. Participants will learn how healthcare organizations can collaborate with community partners, including our Area Agency on Aging, to develop programs that improve care delivery by family and friends, assist with care transitions, and reduce preventable hospitalizations.
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FT11) Tax Deferral Options to Address Housing ChallengesFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The goal of this session is to inform attendees about the successful partnership between the Berks County Agency on Aging (AAA) and the countys tax claim office. The presenter will share strategies on how this collaboration has enabled the AAA to assist individuals at risk of losing their homes due to tax sales. Through this program, both the AAA and the tax claim office can refer older adults who may qualify for assistance. The AAA case manager's role is to meet with individuals who are unable to complete the application process on their own. This partnership has helped the AAA identify older adults at risk of losing their property, thereby reducing their risk and evaluating their overall situation to connect them with necessary services.
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FT12) OUTSafe: Advancing Justice for Victimized LGBTQ+ Older AdultsFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice Seniors in the LGBTQ+ community face a higher level of victimization, including a rising tide of violence, than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. In fact, studies from the National Institutes of Health reveal that 20-45% of older LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. have faced recent acts of violence/discrimination. AgeLinc, the Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland, and the Illinois Public Health Association have teamed up with other social service/aging services providers in Illinois to develop OUTSafe, a new violence prevention program for providers serving older LGBTQ+ adults. The OUTSafe program provides critical education and anti-violence training to social service providers, law enforcement, health care providers, and long-term care workers on the victimization of older LGBTQ+ adults. This workshop will lead attendees through the OUTSafe curriculum and resources.
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3:45 PM - 4:15 PM Corporate Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||
FT13) Corporate Fast-Track USAging HOLD |
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3:45 PM - 4:15 PM Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||
FT14) From Guidelines to Action: Promoting Physical Activity Among Older AdultsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection This interactive workshop will explore how AAAs and other aging services professionals can use strategies from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Physical Activity Guidelines Midcourse Report: Implementation Strategies for Older Adults (Midcourse Report) and the associated Move Your Way® campaign to increase physical activity among older adults in their communities. Presenters will share key findings from the Midcourse Report, introduce the Move Your Way® campaign, highlight successful local initiatives, and share free tools and resources that attendees can use to support their efforts to increase physical activity and foster social connectedness among older adults in their communities. Attendees will collaborate to share best practices and develop their own implementation strategy to promote physical activity among older adults.
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FT15) Two AAA’s: DIY NCQA CertificationFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Two rural Area Agencies on Aging successfully navigated the NCQA accreditation process for multiple programs without relying on external consultants.
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FT16) The Aging Network and Dementia-Capable Primary CareFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers The aging network has an opportunity to partner with primary care to develop holistic dementia-capable programs for persons living with dementia and their caregivers. The lack of specialists is pushing the need for dementia diagnosis down to the primary care level. However, physicians are hesitant to address dementia due to the lack of a cure and a hesitancy to have the long care plan conversation. They are not well suited to address the non-medical needs. The aging network, through the National Family Caregiver Support Program, has the expertise to round out a dementia capable program with resources and support. Discover the new thinking around dementia-capable healthcare and what it means for community caregiving programs.
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FT17) Unlocking Potential: Engaging and Retaining Older WorkersFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People This presentation explores strategies for effectively engaging and retaining an aging workforce at an Area Agency on Aging. We will discuss the benefits of creating an age-friendly workplace, including increased employee engagement, improved productivity, and enhanced organizational diversity. We will also delve into practical strategies for implementing age-inclusive policies and programs, such as flexible work arrangements, skills development opportunities, and mentoring programs. Additionally, we will discuss how to overcome common challenges in recruiting and retaining experienced employees. By the end of this presentation, attendees will have a better understanding of how to create a more inclusive and productive workplace for all ages. Q & A Session: Time for questions and answers at the end. Resource Sharing: Provide handout and digital tools
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FT18) FlourishCare-Enhanced (FC-E): Advancing Age and Dementia-Friendly Healthcare in KentuckyFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Join us for an engaging workshop on FlourishCare-Enhanced (FC-E), an innovative initiative aimed at transforming healthcare for older adults in Kentucky. Discover how the creation of four FC-Centers of Excellence (FC-CEs) is revolutionizing care through person-centered, age- and dementia-friendly approaches. Participants will explore the integration of academic training, healthcare systems, and community support networks to deliver specialized, team-based care. Learn about the 4 Ms Framework (Matters, Medication, Mentation, Mobility) and its role in improving transitions of care. The session will highlight partnerships with AAAs, state organizations, and educational institutions to strengthen geriatric workforce development and support community health initiatives. Dont miss this opportunity to gain insights into advancing age-friendly care in primary care, nursing, and beyond.
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FT19) Tools for Navigating Faith-Based Conversations with Black Americans Facing Terminal IllnessFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations How do cultural perspectives on faith and spirituality shape end-of-life care for Black Americans with serious illness? This session provides practical strategies and tools to help providers engage in meaningful, culturally informed conversations about advanced care planning and hospice. Drawing from recent research, attendees will explore how faith, resilience, and spiritual beliefs influence decisions about a "good death." Through case studies and actionable insights, participants will learn how to bridge cultural gaps and foster trust, ensuring that care aligns with the values and traditions of Black American patients and their families. Whether youre a seasoned professional or new to the field, this session offers essential skills to create equitable, compassionate, and culturally
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FT20) Changing Aging Attitudes: Tackling Ageism in Ourselves, Others and Systems of CareFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Beliefs about aging impact our systems of care, how we treat each other, and, most importantly, our own health and lifespan. Learn about "Aging Attitudes", a community campaign in Oregon to 1) create awareness of ageism and its impact, 2) train systems of care to identify and address structural ageism, and 3) empower older adults and community of all ages to discover and celebrate that aging is LIVING!
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FT21) Engaging Your Advisory Council: Strategies for Recruitment, Retention, and ImpactFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People The Advisory Council (AC) is sometimes considered the Area Agency on Agings (AAA) eyes and ears; with lived experience and local knowledge, Council members have unique and valuable insights on the changing needs of the community. Attendees will learn best practices for recruiting diverse AC members who bring valuable expertise and perspectives. The session will also cover techniques to maintain engagement and connection and explore the importance of clear communication to encourage collaboration. Additionally, the session will delve into effective meeting structures, including how to design productive and purposeful meetings involving staff and volunteers that promote member participation. Whether you're starting a new AC or seeking to rejuvenate an existing one, this session will provide actionable insights to strengthen your ACs leadership and impact.
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FT22) Enhancing Your Caregiver Support Program with Community PartnershipsFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Community partners are the backbone of impactful caregiving programswe can't do it alone! This session explores how to effectively engage, utilize, and maintain strong partnerships that benefit everyone involved. Learn how to recruit passionate, like-minded collaborators, foster mutual support, and create a shared sense of purpose. With insights on setting clear expectations, nurturing relationships through tough times, and knowing when to part ways gracefully, youll gain practical strategies to build a dynamic network. Discover how to make these connections meaningful and lasting, whether youre seeking event sponsors, support group facilitators, or coalition members. Join us to ensure your partnerships arent just productivetheyre transformative.
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FT23) Traffic Crashes and Sidewalk Cracks – Making Streets Safer and More AccessibleFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Traffic safety and accessibility impact the quality of life for the most vulnerable roadway users, including people with disabilities and aging populations. As the metropolitan planning organization for northeastern Illinois, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency is improving traffic safety and accessibility through two first-of-their kind programs. This session will utilize interactive polls and examples to demonstrate real-world scenarios and solutions to improve roadway safety and accessibility. Participants will walk away knowing what their rights are under Title II the ADA, understand the Safe System Approach to transportation safety, and resources to start identifying and removing barriers to create safer, more accessible, and inclusive communities.?
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FT24) Integrating Health and Social Care in Rural CommunitiesFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration This session will showcase Community Care Hubs (CCHs) that link community-based organizations with health care partners to advance culturally relevant initiatives to improve health outcomes and care coordination within rural, frontier and Tribal communities. Learn more about efforts to build the capacity of social and health care providers to reach remote areas and address the unmet needs of underserved populations. In this session, the Partnership to Align Social Care and USAging will share gaps and needs identified and potential opportunities to improve the integration of social and health care in rural and Tribal communities. The session will feature existing and forthcoming resources and support for social and health care networks.
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4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Hot Topics | |||||||||||
HT05) Corporate Hot Topic USAging HOLD |
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4:30 PM - 5:00 PM Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||
FT25) Reframing Aging: Through the Lens of Ethical Artificial IntelligenceFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice After attending this fast-track session, participants will be able to recognize and mitigate AI ageism caused by AI algorithmic discrimination, leading to the unfair treatment of older adults, which broadens the AI physical digital divide; articulate and defend that AI systems should be developed from a human/user-centric approach with the inclusion of older adults embedded in their design; and lastly participants will be able to demonstrate to policy makers with the understanding that AI regulations, laws, and/or policies must ensure that ethics are clearly identified in strengthening AIs safety, and at the same time assure equity for older adults.
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FT26) How to Move from Good to GreatConsumer Satisfaction SurveysFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Discover the transformative power of consumer satisfaction surveys to enhance business growth and service quality. Learn the survey process, leverage data for staff improvement, and align with NCQA metrics, driving your organization from good to great with actionable insights and strategic adjustments.
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FT27) Kinship/Grandfamilies: Legal Issues, Options and SolutionsFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Nationwide, over two million relatives raise children whose biological parents are unavailable. Collectively, these families are often called kinship- or grandfamilies and those raising the children, kin caregivers.
Research shows that kin caregivers and children benefit from being in these families. Even so, kinship/grandfamilies face legal challenges unknown to parent-headed families. Unlike parents, kin caregivers do not automatically possess legal relationships with the children they raise, frequently causing issues when enrolling children in school or making healthcare decisions.
Legal options exist. However, laws vary, and the cost of these options can be prohibitiveespecially for low-income kinship/grandfamilies.
Workshop attendees will hear about these legal challenges and options, the impact of foster care and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), resources and innovative Aging Network programs.
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FT28) Going Your Way: End-of-Life Documentary and Toolkit for EventsFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Engage in sensitive conversations around end-of-life issues inspired by the PBS documentary Going Your Way. Going Your Way focuses on the personal, medical, and spiritual issues surrounding end-of-life, the options available, and steps that can be taken to put those wishes to practical use. The documentarys title highlights the active role many people are not taking to ensure their death goes according to their own plans. End-of-life planning doesnt have to be painful. Youll learn from the experts and real people who have stories to share about preparing for life and death in the documentary. Adopt a toolkit to work with your local PBS station, screen the film and assemble your own group of experts for a Going Your Way event!
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FT29) Help Shape the Future of AAA-Health Care Contracting!Focus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration The world of health care contracting and health systems integration is changing, and AAAs are changing along with it. USAgings Aging and Disability Business Institute (Business Institute) is here to help you successfully negotiate those changes whether youve been engaged in health care contracting work for years or are just beginning your contracting journey. As we consider the future of the Business Institute, come to this session for a fast-paced interactive discussion about your agencys training and technical assistance needs in this space and how we can best support you and your networks in getting and keeping health care contracts.
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FT30) Building Connections: IA2's Healthy Brain Initiatives and Resources for Indigenous CommunitiesFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations The International Association for Indigenous Aging (IA²) is a non-profit committed to supporting the brain health and aging needs of American Indian, Alaska Native (AI/AN) and Native Hawaiian (NH) populations. This presentation will showcase IA²s culturally centered process for adapting public health resources, such as Healthy Brain Initiative materials, to align with (AI/AN) and (NH) values and traditions. We will also share best practices for engaging with Indigenous communities, including honoring sovereignty, fostering reciprocal relationships, and integrating community input and Indigenous knowledge into program development. Attendees will gain insights into IA²s approach to creating impactful, culturally relevant resources and learn strategies for respectful, effective collaboration with AI/AN/NH communities.
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FT31) Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: How Evidence-Based Health Programs Create ConnectionFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Once simply considered a sad circumstance, loneliness and its contributor social isolation are now recognized as public health concerns, an epidemic in fact. Join us for an informative overview of loneliness and isolation definitions and community health impact. We will then explore effective solutions to increase connections, including maximizing impactful and easy to implement strategies and programs that have multiple levels of health benefits.
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FT32) New Freedom Transportation Keeping You On the MoveFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The New Freedom Transportation (NFT) Program provides on-demand and non-fixed route transportation services that address service gaps and barriers to public transportation and assist older adults and/or individuals with disabilities in improving their overall quality of life. The program increases access to community engagement and health and wellness destinations. NFT provides mobility management services throughout Los Angeles County through generous grants from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Volunteer Driver Mileage Reimbursement (VDMR) Program is a client-centered transportation program that gives participants the opportunity to select volunteer drivers for their transportation needs. The Taxicab Services Program (TSP) operates like traditional taxicab services; however, for a seamless customer service experience, clients are issued a pre-loaded swipe card with a monthly transportation allowance.
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FT33) Department of Justices Resources for Older Victims of Abuse and FraudFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice Over 5 million older adults experience some form of elder abuse each year. And yet, there has never been a national needs assessment to determine what older adults perceive as important in their recovery. Therefore, the Department contracted with ICF to conduct a national elder abuse victim services needs assessment. Attendees will learn what services older victims report they most desire to aid in their recovery, as well as what elder justice professionals believe older victims need. Attendees will also learn of the Departments various elder justice initiatives such as elder justice coalitions, VOCA-funded elder abuse programs, and resources for engaging in elder abuse and elder fraud public awareness efforts. Time will be allotted for questions.
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FT34) Igniting the Spark: Elevating BIPOC Leaders in AgingFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People This session will explore the powerful impact of mentorship and sponsorship on individuals and organizations. Hear firsthand from ASA RISE Alumni about their transformative journey and how the program equipped them to lead in the aging field. Gain valuable insights from a RISE funder from The John A. Hartford Foundation on the critical role of these programs in fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. Engage in an interactive conversation with our speakers and fellow attendees to discuss the importance of prioritizing equity through intentional staff development, creating opportunities for growth and advancement through sponsorship, and leveraging both formal and informal mentorships. This session is designed for professionals who are passionate about fostering a more diverse, equitable and engaged aging field.
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FT35) How to Rock Long Distance CaregivingFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Families are often spread out across cities, states, and even countries. What are the strategies to best handle a remote caregiving situation? Elizabeth Miller, founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver, will share personal remote caregiving stories and weave in suggested solutions that have worked for her or her clients. Shell share technological options that help you be there without actually being there and offer tips on how to create an emergency plan and stay organized. This is a helpful session for primary caregivers to know what help can be requested of their support care team members and for support caregivers to know how they can lean in to best support their care recipient and the primary caregiver.
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Tuesday, July 22
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Registration and Information Desk Open |
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7:30 AM - 8:30 AM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Continental Breakfast |
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8:30 AM - 10:00 AM General Sessions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
GS03) Transformation at the Tipping Point: The Future of Health, Medicine, Aging and LongevityFocus Area: Plenary - N/A Ironically, historys greatest accomplishment increasing longevity could become civilizations biggest challenge. Due to the combination of rising longevity, declining fertility and the aging of the baby boom, every dimension of health and healthcare as well as aging and longevity - are being challenged. Without innovation, the ensuing age wave could cause: misalignment of many aspects of society from pensions to playgrounds; pandemics of degenerative diseases like Alzheimers; and a gerontocracy that could spark political age wars. In this session, Ken Dychtwald will outline four grand challenges needed to match our health span and brain spans to our lifespans, safeguard lifelong financial security, activate a non-ageist longevity marketplace, and provide a 21st century purpose for older adults, and the role of AAAs in addressing these challenges.
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10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Break on Your Own |
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10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Mobile Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
MW01) Safe, Supported, and Engaged: CASLs Approach to CareFocus Area: Mobile Workshop - N/A Join us for an engaging mobile site visit to the Chinese American Service Leagues (CASL) Adult Day Service, where community and care come together to enrich the lives of older adults. CASL is located in Chicagos Chinatown neighborhood and the full-day program offers a safe and vibrant environment designed to enhance the physical, mental, and social well-being of participants. Attendees will experience the variety of enriching, culturally responsive activities offered to older adults. Dont miss this unique opportunity to see firsthand the positive impact of a center that truly supports and empowers the local community! CASL is the selected CMS GUIDE Model participant providing support and services to Medicare participants beginning July 2025.
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Roundtables | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
RT03) Innovative Partnerships to Provide Transportation in Rural, Frontier & Tribal CommunitiesFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Join us for an exciting discussion on how organizations are building innovative partnerships to overcome transportation challenges in rural, frontier and Tribal communities. Learn about the common barriers faced by rural AAAs and Title VI Programs in delivering transportation. Explore creative funding sources, interventions and partnerships to enhance transportation access for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers. Gain insight into best practices, success stories and lessons learned. Connect with peers to share ideas and solutions that ensure effective, accessible and reliable transportation for geographically isolated communities.
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Hot Topics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
HT06) Hot Topic USAging HOLD |
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Corporate Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
W61) Integrated Care Boot Camp, Part 1: Where Are Health Plans Going in 2025, and Why?Focus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration In this session we will discuss the complex challenges and pressures that health plans are experiencing, which drive their business decisions. By understanding these pressures and challenges, AAAs can better identify their own areas of expertise that they can market to health plans to help them to achieve their goals for their members. Key factors discussed may include, but are not limited to: federal actions such as sunsetting financial alignment initiatives and conversion to SNP models, expected focus on nutrition and health-related social needs, and oversight activities and health plan ratings (e.g., audits, Star ratings); and State Medicaid agency involvement in plan development (such as target populations or key metrics).
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
W51) Meet ACL's Regional AdministratorsFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People ACL's leadership team, including 10 Regional Administrators, provides support to the national aging network in a variety of ways. This session is ideal for those new to their positions, seeking collaboration opportunities, and/or wanting to discuss aspects of aging services programming from a regional perspective. After brief updates on OAA programs and ACL activities, we'll separate into regional breakout discussion groups to connect with the Regional Administrator and others within your region of the country.
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W52) Bridging the Gap: A Toolkit for Strengthening AAA Relationships with Healthcare SystemsFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration As healthcare systems prioritize Age-Friendly care, they increasingly seek partnerships with community-based organizations to improve outcomes. However, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and healthcare entities often operate in silos, limiting collaboration and leaving healthcare providers unaware of valuable resources for older patients. This session introduces a Toolkit designed to help bridge the community-health system gap by fostering strong community-clinic linkages and positioning AAAs as valuable healthcare partners. The Toolkit offers practical strategies for outreach, follow-up, quality improvement, and referral facilitation, helping AAAs address key challenges such as increasing visibility and fostering collaboration. Participants will learn how to use the Toolkit to develop and enhance sustainable partnerships, ensuring AAAs play a central role in improving care for older adults.
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W53) Investing in Excellence: Launching Your Agency's Own Leadership Training InitiativeFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People This workshop will detail two AAAs (Bay Aging and Lewis Mason Thurston Area Agency on Aging) approaches to develop leadership across their staff at all organizational levels, which resulted in trainings tailored to the needs of their agencies. Learn about the various strategies you can utilize when envisioning and executing internal training programs for your own staff, and the lasting benefits to your agency and the aging network of investing in future leadership among your staff!
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W54) Making a CBO Network Work for You Engaging with a CCHFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Joining a network creates opportunities for community-based organizations (CBOs) to enhance and sustain services and get support from a community care hub. Learn about the potential benefits of being part of a CBO network led by a community care hub and what to consider when deciding whether to be part of a network.
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W55) Innovative, Replicable, and Effective Ways To Reach and Engage Older AAPI/Chinese AmericansFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations Government agencies, nonprofit service providers, and the private sector often feel that Chinese-American/AAPI elders have been hard to reach due to language, cultural and other barriers that may prevent them from achieving health, financial and information equities. This workshop will share how Happy 50 Plus (Happy50) Foundation, a community-based nonprofit organization in California, has successfully reached and constantly engaging over 12,000 fifty-year-and-older Chinese Americans and their family caregivers. Happy50 will share four engagement strategies that are impactful, cost-effective, and replicable, including: Learn how to leverage in-language traditional and social media to reach your target audience Understand how to leverage diverse community leaders, influencers, business partners, and academia to raise awareness of local resources and programs Apply powerful culturally- and language-appropriate tools to attract Chinese elders
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W56) LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Aging Services: Collaborative StrategiesFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations This workshop highlights innovative strategies between SAGE, Pima Council on Aging (PCOA), and AgeOptions to advance LGBTQ+ inclusivity in aging services. SAGE, the leading national organization supporting LGBTQ+ older adults, provides training, technical assistance, and resources that empower Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to deliver affirming care. PCOAs Visibility Matters program has successfully transformed aging services in Tucson, Arizona, while AgeOptions Thrive with Pride program fosters social connectedness and delivers LGBTQ+ aging training in the suburban Chicago area. Attendees will learn practical strategies for implementing inclusive programs, training staff, and engaging LGBTQ+ older adults and their families. With a focus on resource-sharing and actionable tools, this workshop equips participants to better serve LGBTQ+ older adults in their own communities.
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W57) Leveraging Libraries: Enhancing Social and Cognitive Well-Being for Older AdultsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection This session will highlight the important role libraries can assume within the Aging Network through successful partnerships and program implementation. This session will also explore Wits Workout, a peer-reviewed, pilot-tested brain health resource designed for leaders facilitating programs for older adults. The program is built on research showing that intellectual engagement and social connectedness significantly impact brain health. Wits Workout offers structured activities to engage older adults intellectually while fostering meaningful social connections through sustained group participation. We will also explore the brain health benefits of supporting a program promoting social engagement integrated with cognitive stimulation. Libraries make excellent partners within the Aging Network, as they provide accessible, welcoming spaces for community engagement.
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W58) The 3-Cs Framework of a statewide AAA Association: Communication, Collaboration, and CoordinationFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People The core key takeaways of this workshop, through an interdependent approach, will enable session participants to incorporate the 3Cs framework model to enhance relationships between their state AAAs and offer building blocks to strengthen relationships with their State Unit on Aging, Administration for Community Living, and federal and local representatives who ultimately advance policy for aging well. This session will provide successful examples and interactive exercises for building a local association or building on existing association relationships.
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W59) Engaging Care Partners in Adaptations of the Home-based CAPABLE ProgramFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Johns Hopkins completed two studies/pilot tests of two enhancements focused on caregivers and on people with mild cognitive impairment. These enhancements are being woven into the evidence-based home visit program (CAPABLE) which builds functional health and reduces depression among older adults. The enhanced program could strengthen the tie between caregiver counseling and support services offered by Area Agencies on Aging with the local/regional CAPABLE program site. Likewise, there are opportunities to connect with local Alzheimers Association services to support individuals facing memory loss, and their families.
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W60) One Path to Building a Critical Partnership Between AAA & SUAFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People The new Director of the Illinois Department on Aging and the Illinois Area Agencies recognize the importance of a positive relationship between the two most important organizations critical to providing services to older adults. The newly appointed Director of the Illinois Department on Aging and the President of the Illinois Association of AAAs will share the story of growing and enhancing the AAA/SUA partnership. Attendees will hear our story and gain insights that may improve their partnerships. This session will illustrate methods of connecting AAAs and SUAs to focus on the positive aspects of our work. Learn how we build stronger rapport through respectful communication to build trust and how we are working to focus on overarching mutual goals to work as team.
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W62) APS Integrated Care Services (ICS) Program in Collaboration with AAA Service ProvidersFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice The APS Integrated Care Services (ICS) Program is a $1.5 million contracted collaboration between Los Angeles County APS and AAAs service providers/community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide long-term case management to APS clients. Once the APS social worker has resolved the clients immediate safety concerns the APS case can be referred to a CBO. The CBOs initiate case management services by assisting our APS clients with a person-centered approach by obtaining and maintaining adequate health care, nutrition, financial stability, and housing. Through ICS, APS clients receive assistance with various activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. This support includes home safety modifications, minor house repairs, hoarding cleanup, purchase of adaptive and mobility devices, respite care for caregivers, and efforts to prevent social isolation.
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11:30 AM - 1:00 PM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lunch on Your Own |
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Technology Lab & Caregiving Fair Expo |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Roundtables | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
RT04) Caregiver Navigation: Paving a Strategic Roadmap for the FutureFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Join USAging for this dynamic discussion to help chart the path forward for Caregiver Navigation in AAAs and Title VI Caregiver Support Programs across the country. USAging received the Caregiver Navigation Services grant in 2024 to enhance the capacity of YOUR agencies to provide vital caregiver navigation. We need your input to ensure that the future of OAA-funded caregiver navigation is not only based on what you do but will best support your work in the future. Come prepared to delve into challenges, share solutions and identify opportunities for enhancement. This is your chance to contribute to the strategic roadmap for the future and provide direct input regarding how YOU want to shape the future of caregiver navigation in AAA and Title VI agencies.
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Hot Topics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
HT07) Hot Topic USAging HOLD |
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Corporate Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
W63) Integrated Care Boot Camp, Part 2: Preparing Your AAA to Partner with Health Plans in 2025Focus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Come to this session to learn the what and the how for AAAs in forming successful partnerships and contracts with health plans. AAAs bring deep localized knowledge of the populations they serve and the provider networks they support to their relationships with health plans. Well discuss the ways your AAA can better leverage your capabilities in developing partnerships with health plans, including your ability to co-design operational models and your in-depth knowledge of the clients you serve, and how you can strengthen systems for staff and provider training, information sharing, workflow development and reporting/tracking to prepare for future partnerships.
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
W64) Strength in Numbers: Tips for Joining Coalitions to Prevent FallsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Falls among older adults are common, but not inevitable. Effective prevention stems from coordinated efforts across various stakeholders. Joining a state falls prevention coalition can help your AAA reduce the risk of falls in your community; further, it can lead to new partnerships and opportunities to support your work. Come explore the ins and outs--and benefits--of coalition participation. Learn about coalitions state/local initiatives, including recently awarded coalition grants in 12 states. Hear from both the Illinois Falls Prevention Coalition lead about AAAs contributions to their statewide efforts and from a AAA on their experiences and advice to peers on getting involved. Come away with a plan to get involved with a falls prevention coalition in your area to better meet your communitys needs.
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W65) Pathways to Dementia-Capable Communities: Pursuing and Achieving Meaningful ProgramingFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More During the workshop, ACL will provide highlights of ADPI funded strengths-based, person-centered dementia programs successfully being implemented in states and communities across the nation. The session will include insights into the broad range of local initiatives being adapted and implemented, to include, innovative interventions, trainings, and new twists on existing activities. Insight into existing tools and resources available to support successful translation to new communities will also be part of the workshop.
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W66) Aging & HIV: Bridging the Gap in Services and SupportFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations This interactive workshop introduces aging services providers to the intersection of HIV and agingan often overlooked but critical issue. Participants will first explore the basics of HIV and aging, then hear a powerful personal story from someone living with HIV, offering insight into the unique challenges faced by older people living with or vulnerable to HIV.
The session also highlights an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) in Arizona, demonstrating how local agencies can address the distinct needs of older people with HIV, along with a AAA in Illinois that is providing HIV prevention services. Participants will also learn about key HIV and aging resources available to their communities.
Through interactive polls, practical insights, and open dialogue, attendees will gain foundational knowledge and actionable strategies to enhance services, advocate for change, and leverage community resources to better support older people living with or vulnerable to HIV.
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W67) Innovative Solutions to Prevent and Address HomelessnessFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The Area Agency on Aging in Phoenix, where the housing crisis has had a devastating impact due to a housing shortage and high cost of rent, created the Homeless Prevention & Intervention Program (HIP). Through HIP, the Area Agency can pay utilities, rent/mortgage, property taxes, and moving expenses, helping individuals stay in their homes and prevent eviction or utility shut off. During this presentation attendees will learn about the causes of homelessness in older adults and about how HIP has helped over 1,000 individuals from being evicted. Also highlighted is the Area Agencys partnership with the Justa Center, a day center that provides critical services and a safe, indoor space for older adults who are experiencing homelessness.
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W68) Building Equitable Aging Networks Through Inter-Agency Relationships; Strategies for Title III AAAsFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations AAAs are considered the nexus of health and social care through programs and services, however there are only 8 Tribal AAAs nationwide to serve 574 federally recognized tribal communities, including Alaska and Hawaii. Join our discussion to learn tips and strategies for building inter-agency relationships with Tribal Nations to ensure build capacity in under-served areas, improve access and promote equity for Native American/Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian Elders. All of our Relatives deserve to live well at any age and ability. Come learn how inter-agency relationships can help make that a reality.
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W69) Supporting AAAs in Addressing the Digital Divide for Diverse PopulationsFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations In the post-Covid era, digital inclusion innovators face three main challenges; how to provide quality programs and services online; how to scale and sustain national programs, and how to support a network of community organizations in a time of changing technology. To support AAAs across the country, OATS developed the Senior Planet licensing program, creating a mechanism by which any non-commercial entity can provide free, best of class technology programs designed for older adults. This panel will explore the multifaceted landscape of digital equity. It will feature perspectives from four practitioners and cover challenges, successes, and opportunities. By examining diverse older adult communities, the session aims to uncover strategies to enhance digital inclusion to help older adults navigate the digital world with confidence.
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W70) Increasing Social Connection Through Volunteerism: Lessons Learned from Commit to ConnectFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Are you interested in how your organization can tap into volunteer-based programs to promote social connection? Attend this session to learn more about volunteerism as a promising approach to reduce social isolation and loneliness among clients and volunteers alike. Commit to Connect will share insights, strategies, and learnings from its Community of Practice (COP) focused on evaluating volunteer-based programs on social connection. Dr. Matthew Lee Smith will provide an overview of the Upstream Social Interaction Risk Scale (U-SIRS) as a possible measure to evaluate volunteer-based programs. Attendees will also hear from Commit to Connect COP members about their experiences conducting an outcome evaluation and the social connection outcomes from their volunteering programs. Commit to Connect is an initiative led by ACL and coordinated by USAging.
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W71) Tips for Aging Networks When Planning with Individuals Aging with Sensory DisabilitiesFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Under the Older Americans Act, state agencies must develop policies and procedures that list specific actions the state agency will do or require the area agency on aging to use to target services that meet the greatest social needs in the state. Several commenters during the OAA rulemaking stressed for the need for area agencies on aging to provide culturally competent, accessible services to older adult consumers who are blind, low-vision, deaf, hard-of- hearing, deafblind. This presentation will review grantee obligations for accessibility and bring in presenters or examples covering challenges the communities are facing and best practices for improving on state plans to meet these greatest social needs.
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W72) Driving Respite: Using Transportation to Lighten the Load of Family CaregiversFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Transportation is an essential, yet often overlooked, care task performed by family caregivers. Despite its importance, it is rarely addressed in caregiver support programs. The Respite Care Association of Wisconsin and the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc. collaborated to create a solution by offering respite funding to cover transportation services. This initiative leveraged funding sources to better meet the needs of family caregivers, including those that are underserved. Aligned with the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, this session highlights transportation as a critical tool to reduce caregiver burden, enhance access to services, and promote equity in caregiving. The session will explore the alignment between the Strategys call for innovative, equitable, and integrated caregiver support programs and the design of this initiative.
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W73) Reframing Aging: Breaking Silos to Build Age-Inclusive CommunitiesFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are breaking down silos to ensure communities provide the resources needed for everyone to age well. Building a society that supports productive, healthy lives requires cross-sector collaboration rooted in leadership, communication, and trust. Transforming how we communicate about aging is key. Understanding and addressing ageism and implicit biases in messaging creates truly age-friendly communities. In this session, hear from P4As Rebecca May-Cole and Karen Leonovich, along with Trish DAntonio from the National Center to Reframe Aging, as they share how they partnered to advance a well framed multisector plan on aging.
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W74) Funding the Future: Driving Innovation to Combat Elder AbuseFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice This session brings together diverse perspectives to explore innovative strategies for addressing elder abuse through effective use of funding. Presenters include the director of the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging, the executive director and a geropsychologist of a nonprofit organization, The Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center. Together, they will share insights on leveraging funding to implement cutting-edge practices that protect older adults, enhance service delivery, and promote dignity and safety.
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2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Mobile Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
MW02) Renew, Learn, Connect: Exploring Renaissance Court Senior CenterFocus Area: Mobile Workshop - N/A Experience the vibrant heart of Chicagos older adult community at the Renaissance Court Regional Senior Center, located within the iconic Chicago Cultural Center. This award-winning center offers a unique blend of cultural, educational, health, and fitness programs tailored to meet the interests of today's seniors. Whether older adults are looking to rediscover past hobbies, pursue intellectual interests, expand skillsets, or connect with others, Renaissance Court provides a welcoming space to do it all. Managed by the Department of Family & Support Services, the center fosters an atmosphere of lifelong learning, social engagement, and personal growth. Join us for this exciting mobile site visit and discover how Renaissance Court is enhancing the lives of older adults through diverse, exciting, and impactful programs!
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2:15 PM - 3:15 PM Roundtables | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
RT05) Navigate Your Priorities with USAging ConsultantsFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People The USAging Consulting Services program works with health and social care experts from across the country to offer tailored approaches to address the needs of AAAs, community-based organizations (CBOs), states, associations, and community care hubs (CCHs). Bring your questions to this roundtable and talk directly with members of our Business Institute (BI) team and our consultants in small group, interactive discussions. BI staff and consultants will be available to support you with advice and feedback to help you respond to business needs and opportunities at the intersection of health and social care.
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2:15 PM - 3:15 PM Corporate Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
W90) Corporate Technology Lab Presentation USAging HOLD |
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2:15 PM - 3:15 PM Workshops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
W80) CCAM Listening Session with the Federal Transportation AdministrationFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The work of Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI Aging Services Programs in transportation for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers is extensive and includes providing human services transportation directly or through contract, working closely with public transit agencies, and advocating for improved transportation access and funding in their communities. This listening session provides an opportunity for the Federal Transit Administration and the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility to hear firsthand from AAAs and Title VI Programs about their transportation experiences, concerns and recommendations for improvement. Please join us and help shape the CCAM 2027-2031 Strategic Plan!
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W81) Assess and Address Needs Through Data, Strategies for AAA Engagement with TribesFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Join Dr. Collette Adamsen and staff of the National Resource Center for Native American Aging to learn about best practices in engaging with Tribal Nations for information and data gathering. This session will review key topics such as data sovereignty, appropriate pathways for community engagement, and how to utilize resources such as the NRCNAA's triennial Elder health and quality of life survey. The workshop will share important statistics from the survey that highlight gaps in equity and access within aging services. Presenters will also discuss share nationwide analysis of Medicaid participation and eligibility captured through the lens of the NRCNAA survey and how this information shows an opportunity and need for informed capacity building across Indian Country.
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W82) Improving Access To Housing Through Housing and Services Partnership AcceleratorFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More This session will provide an overview of HSPA and the newly launched community of practice for aligning housing, health, and social care, and then talk about how that TA/coaching translated into local partnership opportunities to support older adults at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. The session will highlight how partnerships with housing and disability, aging, and health agencies are instrumental in helping people find, access and activate wrap around services and supports that help people maintain housing and engage in life. The session will feature speakers from AAAs participating in the HSPA community of practice and lessons learned.
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W83) Briding Workplace Generational Gaps: Maximizing Strengths and Finding Common GroundFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People With four generations working side-by-side in the workplace today, coupled with the acceleration of technology over the past 10 years, there is a critical need to understand where generations intersect, where they diverge, and what makes them tick. The session will diffuse colloquialisms, myths and tribal knowledge about each generation, build blocks for templates to understand co-workers as people with skills and talents and create an environment to transform thinking about who we work with and supervise by soliciting real-life experiences from the participants. This session will set up a framework for participants to experience the four generations, what each is passionate about, and how those passions influence how individuals think, behave, and envision their futures.
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W84) Happy Anniversary Dementia Friendly America! Celebrating Network Growth, New Resources and More!Focus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Join the DFA team as we celebrate ten years of fostering community support for people living with dementia and their essential care partners so they can safely remain and continue to engage in the community. Learn from our DFA network members and your AAA colleagues as we highlight the great work happening in communities across the nation. We will share opportunities for engagement, valuable resources that can support you in your dementia friendly efforts and all that is in store for DFA. Already engaged or considering joining the DFA network? Come with your ideas, questions and your own success stories - we want to hear from you! You will be sure leave inspired by and excited for what the future holds for Dementia Friendly America!
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W85) Move Boldly: Leveraging Transportation for Senior IndependenceFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The ConnectorCard Program is an income-based cost-share program providing older adults with subsidized transportation via a prepaid debit card. This innovative program ensures seniors have the mobility they need to move boldly, empowering them to reach vital destinations. Join us to explore how this program is transforming lives and how you can implement it in your own community.
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W86) Evidence-based and Fun! Lifelong Arts Strategies for Mental Health and Healthy AgingFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection The Indiana Arts Commission has recently developed the Lifelong Arts program model, a creative aging program that is designed to get older adults hands-on with arts experiences and which has been proven to greatly improve the mental and physical health of the participants. The program has been implemented by 100+ community sites across the state. One Indiana AAA will share their experience in this work and the impact it made on their community. Join this session to get hands-on with art-making, learn the Lifelong Arts model's key components and how to replicate them, and to hear about the evidence that demonstrates the positive impact the creative arts have on older adults.
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W87) Bridging Aging and Disability: Supporting Aging Adults with Developmental Disabilities and CaregiversFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers There is a growing population of older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), many of whom reside with aging family caregivers. This session will engage in discussion of challenges and opportunities to collaborate across disability and aging networks to better serve these families. First, we will share emerging and promising practices from an ACL-supported community of practice where seventeen states are working together to bridge aging and disability. Illinois will highlight their experiences and work to improve information and referral systems across aging and disability networks. Finally, the University of Illinois and USAging will share information about an opportunity for AAAs to partner on delivering an evidence-based intervention to assist adults with IDD and aging family caregivers in planning for the future.
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W88) Strategic Community Partnerships To Enhance Safety and Well-BeingFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Collaborating with unique community partners helps strengthen and expand programs and improve quality of life for older adults. This workshop will showcase two Area Agencies on Aging and their partnerships with fire departments. Area Agency on Aging 3 in northwest Ohio will highlight its collaboration with local fire departments and emergency medical services on a referral system to connect fall victims to the AAAs programs and resources, enhancing fall prevention efforts for older adults. Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington will then spotlight its Mobile Integrated Health partnership with Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue to deliver Care Transitions and share ideas to find common ground with potential partners and bring new partners to the table to meet organizational needs.
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W89) Empowering Family Caregivers in Emergency Preparedness: Exciting New ResourcesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Are you ready to discover innovative ways to involve family caregivers in emergency response planning? Join us for an insightful session where USAging will showcase new resources available through the Innovations in Family Caregiver Services and Supports Initiative! In collaboration with Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, a new comprehensive Action Guide tailored specifically to empower the Aging Network to better support family caregivers in emergency preparedness and response will be presented. Additionally, AAA will share their impactful work ensuring that the unique needs of family caregivers are front and center in emergency preparedness and response strategies.
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W91) Celebrating 50 Years: Reflections, Advocacy, and the Future of Aging ServicesFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice The session will reflect on the 50-year history of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) highlighting accomplishments, challenges, and the vital role AAAs played in shaping the aging services landscape from a local and national perspective. The 3 panelists who have a combined 148 years of aging network and advocacy experience will commemorate the milestones achievements over the last 50 years; highlight the importance of advocacy in the ongoing development of aging services and policies; present a forward-looking perspective on future challenges and opportunities for aging services, focusing on the next phase of advocacy; and engage participants in discussions about the next steps for sustaining and improving programs for older Americans in a rapidly changing world.
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W92) Advocacy in Action: How to Win Lawmakers and Influence PolicyFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice This session will cover strategies, actions, and tools organizations can adopt to enhance the efficacy of their advocacy. Over the past four years The Senior Alliance transformed its approach to advocacy by proactively building strong relationships with elected officials to ensure they know where to turn when aging-related policies or funding issues arise. In this presentation, we will discuss how we did so, noting the tips and tricks weve developed along the way. Topics covered include cultivating connections with elected officials and their staff, building memorable (and effective!) one-pagers, crafting advocacy alerts, creating a plan to maximize efficiency and impact, and more. We will share tools and materials to help attendees advance advocacy efforts at their organizations.
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W93) ACL Regions 1 & 2 Meeting (Open to AAAs only)Focus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Through regional breakout meetings, AAAs will meet directly with ACL's Regional Administrators serving Regions 1 (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) & 2 (NY, NJ, PR, USVI) to discuss successes, challenges, and questions. Come prepared to meet AAA colleagues within your region of the country and to engage in peer-to-peer sharing from the AAA perspective.
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W94) ACL Regions 3 & 4 Meeting (Open to AAAs only)Focus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Through regional breakout meetings, AAAs will meet directly with ACL's Regional Administrators serving Regions 3 (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV) & 4 (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN) to discuss successes, challenges, and questions. Come prepared to meet AAA colleagues within your region of the country and to engage in peer-to-peer sharing from the AAA perspective.
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W95) ACL Regions 5 & 7 Meeting (Open to AAAs only)Focus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Through regional breakout meetings, AAAs will meet directly with ACL's Regional Administrators serving Regions 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) & 7 (IA, KS, MO, NE) to discuss successes, challenges, and questions. Come prepared to meet AAA colleagues within your region of the country and to engage in peer-to-peer sharing from the AAA perspective.
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W96) ACL Regions 6 & 8 Meeting (Open to AAAs only)Focus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Through regional breakout meetings, AAAs will meet directly with ACL's Regional Administrators serving Regions 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) & 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) to discuss successes, challenges, and questions. Come prepared to meet AAA colleagues within your region of the country and to engage in peer-to-peer sharing from the AAA perspective.
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W97) ACL Regions 9 & 10 Meeting (Open to AAAs only)Focus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Through regional breakout meetings, AAAs will meet directly with ACL's Regional Administrators serving Regions 9 (AS, AZ, CA, CNMI, GU, HI, NV) & 10 (AK, ID, OR, WA) to discuss successes, challenges, and questions. Come prepared to meet AAA colleagues within your region of the country and to engage in peer-to-peer sharing from the AAA perspective.
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3:30 PM - 4:45 PM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
W100) Blending and Braiding Dollars: Strengthening Public-Private Funding PartnershipsFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations It is stated that around 2% of philanthropic funding in the US goes to specific efforts to better the lives of older people. And while government funding streams are a critical piece of the funding puzzle, they cannot meet every need or support every innovative idea. Current funding for the Aging Network and its services remains inadequate in light of the growing unmet needs and shifting demographics. To effectively tackle these funding gaps, it is crucial to strengthen the alignment between public and private resources directed toward aging-related programs and services. This session will highlight a partnership between an AAA and philanthropy and will discuss strategies to blend and braid diverse sources of funding to unlock new opportunities and extend the reach of critical programs.
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W98) Become a Strategic and Agile Leader and OrganizationFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People To build a healthy and successful business, leaders need strong leadership skills AND the tools and abilities to be strategic and agile. In this session attendees will learn how vision, strategy, leadership, people, performance and processes all drive organizational health.
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W99) Title III and Tribal Title VI CoordinationFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The aging services network is required by the Older Americans Act (OAA) to coordinate between Title III and Title VI programs so that there are culturally appropriate supports and services for tribal elders and family caregivers. This session will focus on reasons, responsibilities, and best practices for coordination.
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3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Corporate Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
FT36) Corporate Fast-Track USAging HOLD |
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3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
FT37) Culturally Fluent Caregiver Support Vital for Tackling Racialized Health Disparities in DementiaFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations In this workshop, a neurologist, caregiver, and case manager explore the role of culturally fluent caregiver support that uses technology and situated learning to address racialized health disparities in dementia care. Cultural factors impact diagnostic delays, caregiving practices, and brain health. Empowering caregivers facing intersectional challenges in culturally responsive ways can reduce inequities in dementia care. Through case studies and Q&A, stakeholders will learn how neglecting cultural beliefs, communication styles, and structural challenges worsens health disparities, and how addressing these issues improves care quality and caregiver well-being. We build place-based communities of mutual aid. AAAs can scale the Harris County work by providing free: 1. dementia screening tools, 2. a beginners guide, and 3. 400+ audio short story library for caregivers in four languages.
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FT38) Empowering Aging in Place: Fast-Track to Accessible Transportation SolutionsFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More This fast-paced, interactive session will spotlight the collaborative efforts between Missouri AAA, Aging Ahead, and On the Go (OTG) to address transportation barriers for older adults and individuals with disabilities. Aging Ahead will showcase its approach to driving program growth, improving rider outcomes, and securing sustainable funding sources. With OTGs support, Aging Ahead has developed a model that expands service reach while optimizing costs. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies and tools to replicate this success to overcome transportation barriers within their own communities.
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FT39) Integrated Care for Seniors and Repeat Users of 911 & Hospital ERsFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration Challenge: Older adults face chronic health conditions, falls, and emergency room (ER) visits. In Riverside County, 71% of repeat 911 callers are seniors, often due to illness and falls. SOLUTION: Riverside County AAA, 911, and Riverside University Health System expanded efforts to target seniors age 60+ with 3 or more encounters in one year. Data sharing endeavored to track high utilizers of emergency services, enabling timely interventions like managing health conditions, medication adherence, and connecting to the Jurupa clinic hub for non-emergency care. Results: Outreach to seniors with repeat ER discharges yielded a 9% engagement rate, with 36% agreeing to services and 25% attending multiple clinic visits. Participants received resources like food, transportation, and utility assistance, along with access to behavioral health and housing supports.
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FT40) Advancing Equity through Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Area Plans: A Step-by-StepFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations Need a framework for documenting and organizing your goals for advancing equity in your AAA Area Plans? Join this session to become familiar with USAgings Business Institutes newest Step-by-Step Guide, developed in partnership with HealthBegins, designed to help align your Area Plan with ACL Core Programs Requirements related to ACLs 2024 updated guidance for developing state plans on aging specific to the Greatest Economic Need and Greatest Social Need Key Topic Area. This session will provide attendees with the intended purpose of the tool, how to use it, benefit of utilizing it, and share some examples of AAAs implementing equity practices featured in this Guide.
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FT41) Assisting Assistive Technology: Lessons Learned Developing Assistive Technology Programs for Older AdultsFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection We all know that strong partnerships and programming are critical to supporting older adults and persons with disabilities in the community. The Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) and the Illinois Assistive Technology Program (IATP) have established such a partnership through the Illinois Care Connections (ICC) grant. Started during COVID to address social isolation through tablets and internet, this grant has expanded over the years to encompass providing assistive technology for older Illinoisans, helping them access equipment to maintain their independence and increase their functioning in their homes and communities. In this session, IATP and IDoA will share how ICC has evolved, present data showing the impact the program has had, and offer tips and lessons learned for states interested in offering assistive technology programs.
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FT42) Strengthening and Enhancing Caregiver Navigation ServicesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers This session will explore a three-year initiative funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to enhance the capacity of the Aging Network in providing caregiver navigator services through Older Americans Act (OAA)-funded Title III-E/VI-C programs. USAging, in partnership with ADvancing States, Family Caregiver Alliance, Scripps Gerontology Center, and the National Resource Center for Native American Aging, aims to understand current usage of caregiver navigation services, identify successful models, and offer technical assistance to enhance services across diverse populations. This session will include insights into data collected to understand the current landscape of Caregiver Navigation Services and how this initiative will identify the most successful approaches for replication.
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FT43) Building Collaborative Networks for Kinship Caregivers: Expanding Partnerships and Supporting FamiliesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Making connections outside the aging arena can be challenging. What common ground do we share, and how can we help one another? In this session, you will learn how one local Area Agency on Aging stepped out of its comfort zone to invite new and innovative partners to the table, fostering collaboration around Kinship Caregiver services. Discover how engaging local schools, faith-based communities, minority health organizations, alcohol and drug abuse outreach programs, and other community-based groups has created a cohesive network of services supporting kinship families.
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FT44) LIVE Case Study: Enhancing a Senior Housing Program with HUD InnovationFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging is leveraging HUDs Older Adults Home Modification Program (OAHMP) funding to enhance its long-standing Senior Housing Assistance Repair Program (SHARP). SHARP has successfully supported aging in place for decades, but HUD funding offers an exciting opportunity to pilot innovations and address challenges like streamlining processes, modernizing technology, and introducing Occupational Therapist (OT) assessments into the program model. With OAHMP funding, PCA aims to incorporate these enhancements into SHARP to expand its impact and serve seniors more effectively. Join us for a LIVE Case Study session to explore how PCA is adapting HUD program requirements, addressing long-standing operational hurdles, and gathering recommendations to achieve sustainable improvements in home modifications for older adults.
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FT45) The Uniqueness of the Ombudsman ProgramFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice This session will explore and explain why you feel like your Ombudsman staff are different from the rest of your staff. (Because they are!) Can't see their notes? Letting them speak to legislators and the media? Inviting them to the table to discuss budget and expenditures issues? Having them travel outside the office? Who's their boss -- you or the State Ombudsman? These and other aspects of the role of the LTCOP will be covered. Come with questions, and hopefully, some answers to share.
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FT46) Enhanced Caregiver Support: Driving Outcomes Through Grants and Community ResourcesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Join us for an impactful session on building and sustaining evidence-based caregiver support programs funded by community grants. Caregivers face immense challenges, from physical strain to emotional stressthis program combines community grants and partnerships with local organizations to provide vital services like respite care, mental health support, and wellness resources. Discover how these collaborations help create a network of care that empowers caregivers, improves their well-being, and enhances their ability to support loved ones. This session offers practical insights and proven strategies for those passionate about making a difference in caregiver support. Together, we can build a brighter, more resilient future for caregivers and the communities they serve. Dont miss this opportunity to be part of the solution!
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4:15 PM - 4:45 PM Corporate Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
FT57) Corporate Fast-Track USAging HOLD |
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4:15 PM - 4:45 PM Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
FT47) Building Skills for Dementia Caregivers Statewide in MichiganFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers Knowing how hard it is for caregivers to carve out time for learning and support, Michigan AAAs wanted to develop ways to deliver concise, accessible information to enhance caregiver expertise while also providing support to them. In 2023 a team of content experts from Michigan AAAs partnered with the State Unit on Aging to create an updated 3-part webinar full of practical ideas and vital information on dementia caregiving. The AAAs also collaborated to design monthly virtual support groups for dementia caregivers, general caregivers, professional caregivers, and kinship caregivers across the state using AAA facilitators with expertise to run the groups. The feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive and they are building skills for caregiving others while also learning to better care for
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FT48) Building Capacity and Bridging Knowledge Gaps: Onboarding and Grants Management SolutionsFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Join us for an innovative session on building grantee capacity and strengthening service delivery through comprehensive training and digital solutions. This presentation will highlight AgeGuides journey to improve the capacity of grantees to deliver Older Americans Act services, manage their grants, and ensure comprehensive understanding of all aging network services. Presenters will provide valuable tools and strategies for organizations in the aging network, addressing both the immediate needs for capacity building and the long-term goal of strengthening partnerships and knowledge sharing. By empowering attendees with the right tools, AgeGuide aims to create a more resilient aging network that continues to deliver essential services effectively, despite the challenges posed by workforce changes and financial constraints.
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FT49) Bringing Digital Equity HomeFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Howard Countys innovative approach to digital equity for older adults brings devices to their fingertips and classes to their doorsteps. Discover how the Office on Aging and Independence collaborated with multiple partners to distribute HP Chromebooks to low-income older adults paired with Chromebook courses offered conveniently at their places of residence. Learn how impactful this approach can be on digital inclusion and empowerment in the community.
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FT50) Facilitating Care: A Community Care Hub Success Story from a CBO-AAA PartnershipFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration How can AAAs and CBOs partner to advance social care practices, increase service delivery and enhance sustainability? In this session, presenters will describe the development and establishment of their emerging Community Care Hub (CCH) model which offers a unique partnership between Pennsylvanias Association of AAAs and a community-based organization with experience in network partnership, health care contracting and claims reimbursement for disease prevention. Learn how two organizations with unique backgrounds and experiences joined together to facilitate the growth of an emerging CCH, including the development of an Advisory Council and creating shared mission, values, and goals.
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FT51) Engaging BIPOC youth and elders in planning for long-term care.Focus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations The WA Cares Fund is the nation's first long-term care benefit program. As trusted community partners, AAAs have been conducting outreach at the local level to raise awareness about long-term care and the positive impact this program will have for Washington families. In culturally rich and diverse King County, this outreach has focused on communities of color -- the WA CARES Fund is an opportunity to move the needle on long-standing health and economic disparities. Learn how the Seattle-King AAA engaged youth and elders to raise awareness about the importance of planning for long-term care and how WA Cares can help.
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FT52) Wisdom of the Ages: Lessons from 20 Years of Intergenerational ProgrammingFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection The County of San Diegos Area Agency on Aging, Aging & Independence Services, has been implementing intergenerational (IG) programs for over 20 years. Join our session to learn from our successes and mistakes! Gain awareness of tools, strategies, and pitfalls, laying a foundation from which you can plan and support your own IG programs, including selection of activities, recruitment strategies, evaluation methods, and ways to identify partner sites. Learn how to leverage the talents of your younger and older community members to reduce social isolation, address ageism, promote inclusion within diverse populations, encourage healthy habits, and achieve a variety of other desired outcomes. Tap into the wisdom of the agesALL ages!
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FT53) An Innovative Approach to CCH and Network DevelopmentFocus Area: Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration In this interactive session, you will learn about an innovative approach to CCH and network development through the experience of five AAAs in Vermont, including the initial development, launch, ongoing successes and progress to date. At the national and local levels, policy makers and health care leaders wish to improve outcomes by contracting with AAAs to provide social services that are strong and integrated through the Community Care Hub network. In Vermont, we are taking a different starting approach, with the goal to create economies of scale through shared services, to reduce duplication in operations to leverage efficiency and cost, while building capacity to improve coordination first, prior to establishing contracts and connections with payers and health care systems.
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FT54) Caring Together, Living Better (CTLB): Empowering Caregivers Through Trusted VoicesFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers The Caring Together, Living Better (CTLB) Program is a grassroots program by AgeOptions that partners with five faith and community-based organizations. who provide resources, education, and a sense of community to low-income African American and Latinx family caregivers. AgeOptions created this program when we learned that traditional programing did not address the Black and Latinx older adults needs. This session will review the CTLB program model, lessons learned, strategies and best practices to build relationships between AAAs and aging service providers with local faith-based and community organizations to connect caregivers to needed resources via trusted voices. Engage in an interactive conversation and hear from a CTLB partner about their experience leading their program as a volunteer and engaging with the aging network!
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FT55) Steering Success: Strengthening Community Engagement Through Collaboration with AAAs in Rural CommunitiesFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection Join this interactive session to explore how Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) engage rural communities in innovative ways to address nutrition, physical activity, social engagement, and community support. From leading focus groups to delivering hands-on services and programs, AAAs are the driving force on the ground for social connection in geographically isolated areas. Discover exciting partnerships with health care and other sectors that showcase collaborative efforts. Don't miss this chance to fuel your knowledge and connect with forward-thinking AAA leaders steering the future of community engagement!
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FT56) Maintaining Autonomy and Self Determination: How to Avoid Conservatorship and Court InterventionFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice No one wants to talk about death or prepare for the possibility of incapacity and yet we are all going to face it one day. Avoiding discussions surrounding end of life care and death often result in the use of governmental programs such as the Public Administrator and Public Guardian. While these programs are an important safety net for vulnerable clients, they can be costly, intrusive and may not always align with the clients or decedents express wishes. Attendees learn about alternatives to probate conservatorship and estate administration such as durable powers of attorney for health care and finances, beneficiary account designations, trusts and life insurance.
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5:00 PM - 5:30 PM Corporate Fast-Track Sessions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
FT68) Corporate Fast-Track USAging HOLD |
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FT58) The Village Movement and Healthy AgingFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More The Village Movement in the U.S. started around the year 2000, and describes a variety of grassroots, community-based initiatives that aim to support aging in place and promote social integration, health, and well-being.Villages are a social and community construct rather than a physical place.
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FT59) CommUNITY Kindness - Outdoor ChoreFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More In this session, we will discuss an innovative idea called CommUNITY Kindness. This is an outdoor chore project that promotes volunteering and intergenerational connections. Students and volunteers assist with raking, trimming, etc. This program not only helps seniors maintain their homes and stay safe, but also fosters intergenerational connections and community spirit. We'll cover the logistics of organizing these efforts and share stories of how this initiative has positively impacted both the students and the seniors involved.
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FT60) Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a (Volunteer) MatchFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection The Council on Aging of Central Oregons Caring Connections program addresses social isolation among rural and urban older adults through personalized matchmaking with volunteers. Launched during the pandemic in response to the significant impact of isolation on older adults' mental, emotional, and physical health, the program has evolved over four years from a telephone-based service to one that prioritizes in-person engagement. Supported by federal, state, and foundation funding, weve expanded volunteer roles, increased participation, and reached new communities. This presentation will provide an overview of the programs structure, practical implementation steps, and methods for data collection and analysis. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming challenges and learn how our program transitioned to foster deeper, more impactful relationships. The presentation will also include opportunities for audience
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FT61) Guardianship 101: Understanding the Process, Capacity and Alternatives to GuardianshipFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice This presentation will cover the basics of guardianship; when it is appropriate, determining capacity, the legal process, and alternatives for a less restrictive environment.
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FT62) Empowering Area Agencies to Serve Blind and Low Vision Older AdultsFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations This session will focus on how Area Agencies on Aging can better serve older adults with blindness and low vision by connecting to vision rehabilitation resources. The session will highlight the partnership between APH ConnectCenter and Eldercare Locator to share lessons and best practices for connecting people to specialized services. This session will delve into the details of this partnership highlighting national data and providing a snapshot of the needs of blind and low vision individuals. Practical tips and practices will be shared that agencies can implement into their own practices to improve service delivery and resources for people with blindness and low vision. Attendees will also learn about APH ConnectCenter services and resources for blind and low vision individuals.
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FT63) Revolutionizing Dining for Older Adults: Café-Style Approach to Expand Access and NutritionFocus Area: Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection How can innovative dining models revolutionize services for older adults? Join us to explore NYC Agings Café-Style Dining Impact Study, funded by an ACL Innovations in Nutrition grant. This initiative brings pop-up cafés to underserved neighborhoods in NYC, offering flexible hours, diverse cultural meals, and a welcoming environment for younger older adults and those with mobility challenges. The café reduces stigma often associated with older adult center (OAC) meal programs, making them more accessible and appealing. By reimagining traditional OAC services, these cafés promote social connection and improve community engagement. Attendees will gain insights into the research design, comparing health, nutrition, and social outcomes between café participants and traditional OAC attendees. Practical strategies for adapting this model to communities will also be shared.
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FT64) A Tale of Two Cities Within One CityFocus Area: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations In northwest Ohio, we lose a generation of life by traveling less than 4 miles between the neighborhood where people are living the longest and the neighborhood where they are living the shortest. The AAA in Toledo, Ohio has taken a deep dive into the Census data and partnered with organizations living and working in the neighborhood with the shortest life expectancy to close this longevity gap. The Agency has held a Legislative Breakfast event to educate public officials and community leaders about this longevity gap and solutions they can support to close this longevity gap. The Agency has also put together a short documentary to put a face on this topic to help individuals understand the human impact.
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FT65) An Introduction to the Creating & Advancing Caregiving Research and Evidence NetworkFocus Area: Supporting Caregivers The National Alliance for Caregiving and its partners - Emory University, Marquette University, and USAging established the Creating & Advancing Caregiving Research and Evidence (CARE) Network to create a more unified and adaptable national infrastructure for family caregiver research. The CARE Network aims to support the collection of population-based data, use consistent language to define caregiving, and support the expansion of research on family caregivers served across the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)/Native American Caregiver Support Program (NACSP) network. This presentation will highlight the objectives of the CARE Network in addition to specific grant activities.
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FT66) "Delivery With A Ring" Doorbell ProgramFocus Area: Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More Piedmont Senior Resources "Delivery With A Ring" program ensures older adults never miss a meal. After clients reported missing deliveries due to not hearing the knock, PSR provided doorbells with two receivers for those in need. Clients can place the receivers at different ends of their homes, reducing the chance of missed meals. The doorbells feature adjustable volumes and lights, making them easier for older adults to hear and see when a delivery arrives. Our friendly drivers install these easy-to-use doorbells during their regular meal deliveries, enhancing both safety and convenience for those we serve.
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FT67) Harnessing Coalition Power to Drive Policy Change for Older AdultsFocus Area: Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice This session will explore the power of coalition building between organizations advocating for older adults, people with disabilities, and the health and human services sector. Participants will learn how strategic partnerships and aligned messaging amplified efforts to achieve historic increase wages for the direct care workforce in Ohio and secure greater investments in home and community-based services by the state. By combining advocacy, research, and shared goals, coalitions can create a stronger voice for policy change, improving the quality of care and ensuring that older adults and individuals with disabilities can live safely and independently at home. Attendees will gain practical strategies for building and sustaining these coalitions, with real-world examples of successful campaigns and actionable steps to drive lasting change.
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Wednesday, July 23
8:00 AM - 10:30 AM | |||
Registration and Information Desk Open |
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8:00 AM - 8:30 AM | |||
Continental Breakfast |
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8:30 AM - 10:00 AM General Sessions | |||
GS04) Telling Our StoriesFocus Area: Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People Since we first began talking to each other, telling stories has been a powerful way to capture attention, engage an audience, and motivate them to act. As we learn more about how our minds work, were also discovering that stories are intrinsic to decision-making and influence our behavior every day. In Telling Our Stories Kirsten Farrell will answer three important questions for AAAs: Why must we tell stories? How do you tell a memorable and persuasive story? What kinds of stories should your AAA tell?
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10:30 AM - 12:00 PM | |||
USAging New Board of Directors Meeting |
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