Tuesday, June 20

Expo Hall

Networking Event: Breakfast and Boogie

Grab your breakfast of choice, get energized with our virtual DJ Scott Messina, and hear highlights of the day ahead.

Scott Messina, Entertainer, Host and Producer, Messina Productions

Panel: ACL Meet and Greet: Returning to In Person Programming in a “Post” COVID World

Join your colleagues during this Meet and Greet and share replicable strategies for providing evidence-based programs (EBPs) in person after a two-year shift to virtual programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will describe how we maintained relationships with partners, new considerations for in person workshops, and expected and unexpected challenges and how we overcame them. Presenters from the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM), recipient of a 2020 Administration on Community Living (ACL) Falls Prevention grant, will share lessons learned from returning to in person programming after more than two years of virtual delivery. This session is intended for EBP providers and anyone who aims to return to offering in person programming for their communities. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe key considerations for starting or resuming in-person program delivery in our new reality with COVID-19.
• Anticipate and plan for new partner and participant needs and develop innovative solutions.
• Discuss challenges and lessons that could be experienced and applied to the unique local communities of the audience.

Samantha Raad, Associate Program Manager, National Kidney Foundation of Michigan

La Nita Pickett, Associate Program Manager, National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM)

LaShawndala (LaShawn) Griffin MOB, Administrative Program Coordinator, National Kidney Foundation of Michigan

Keri Lipperini, MPA (she/her), Director in the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services

Donna Bethge, Aging Services Program Specialist, Administration for Community Living

Lesha Spencer-Brown MPH, CPH, PMP (she/her), Aging Services Program Specialist, Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, Administration for Community Living

Aniessa Rollinson

ChelseaGilchrist

Laura Plunkett, Senior Program Specialist, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

J1: Panel: Panel Discussion: Financial Caregivers: Developing Financial Knowledge, Building Confidence and Taking Action

Increasing financial knowledge and capabilities among caregivers is essential for protecting both the care recipient and the caregivers’ own financial futures. When caregivers have the right information, know how to plan, and can figure out what steps they need to take, their confidence in their ability to manage caregiving responsibilities increases and can improve outcomes and decision-making. Yet all too often there is a lack of financial knowledge which impedes planning, especially for decisions requiring immediate action. This session will explore the financial responsibilities and decisions made across the caregiving lifecycle and discuss ways to educate caregivers about the tools, information and resources available to help them develop strategies and feel more confident and in control.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the various financial decision-points and responsibilities caregivers encounter throughout the caregiving cycle.
• Analyze the impact on caregivers’ own financial security in retirement and identify how to mitigate future financial risk.
• Review financial calculators and other resources and strategize how they can share and incorporate financial caregiving into wellness programs.

Laurel Beedon PhD, WISER Senior Research Fellow, Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement

Judith Kozlowski JD, WISER Senior Fellow, Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement

Jean Van Ryzin, Senior Director, Communications, National Council on Aging

J2: Panel: Toward a More Equitable Future for MIPPA and Benefits Access

Learn about the outcomes of an assessment of how well MIPPA works to address equity in benefits access. We'll feature speakers from NCOA and ACL reviewing results of a recent equity assessment

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Learn about the outcomes of an assessment of how well MIPPA works to address equity in benefits access.
• Discuss suggestions for how to improve outreach to diverse populations.
• Distinguish how the viewpoints of equity differ between national and local institutions.

Maggie Flowers MPS, SHIP/MIPPA Program Manager, Administration for Community Living, US Department of Health and Human Services

Brandy Bauer, Director, Center for Benefits Access, National Council on Aging

J3: Panel: Developing Age and Dementia Friendly Communities: Sustainability, Partnerships, and Education

In alignment with the for Age+ Action mission to ensure that every person has the resources to age well our session is also aimed at ensuring that aging populations have resources to age well not only physically, but holistically. The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) team is dedicated to highlighting the risk and prevalence of ADRD to ensure that people living with dementia (PLWD) are recognized as a population that face additional barriers to accessing necessary resources to age well. Our work creating sustainable Dementia Friendly Communities is one of the many ways we can promote communities that make this mission possible.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify strategies to implement the Dementia Friendly Communities initiative in alignment with age friendly initiatives.
• Gain the skill set to develop community needs assessments for to inform Dementia Friendly Communities action plans.
• Build and maintain unique partnerships with community stakeholders with the common goal of creating inclusive aging communities.

Haita Ndimbalan MPH, Alzheimer's Program Coordinator, Rhode Island Department of Health

David Quiroa, Assistant Director, Cranston Department of Senior Services

Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

J4: Panel: Addressing Senior Hunger, Nutrition, and Well-Being: Insights & Resources for the Aging Network

Senior hunger and malnutrition take a toll on the health and well-being of older adults, and the Older Americans Act Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) has been proven to help reduce food insecurity and malnutrition among SNP participants. In 2022, the White House held a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health that highlighted many issues facing SNPs. In response, the Administration for Community Living and stakeholders got to work - identifying existing and developing new resources to help communities address these pressing issues. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Understand how hunger and malnutrition impacts the health and well-being of older adults.
• Define key issues affecting the senior nutrition program as a result of the White House Conference.
• Identify existing and potential resources to help the senior nutrition program navigate those key issues.

Keri Lipperini, MPA (she/her), Director in the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services

Kathryn Tucker, MS, RD, LD, FAND, Senior Nutrition Consultant, Administration for Community Living

Susan Silberman, Senior Director, National Council on Aging

K1: Deep Dive: A Collaborative Approach to Reducing Falls: Falls Free Wisconsin Center

To reduce falls, a collaborative approach must be taken. This session will explore Wisconsin’s innovative Falls Free WI Center- a virtual space where consumers and professionals alike can come to learn more about falls risks and take away tools for prevention that they can implement into their everyday lives. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify the key components of a multi-factorial approach to reducing falls.
• Discuss the challenges and successes in the development of the Falls Free WI Center
• Describe how to engage consumers in reducing their own falls risk."

Jill Renken, MPH, CHES, Director of Program Implementation, Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging

Suzanne Morley, CHES, Falls Prevention Program Coordinator, Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging

Michelle Mai, Senior Program Associate, National Council on Aging

K2: Panel: Moving the Needle on Medicare Savings

This session will focus on the unwinding of the PHE and the effect it has had on the administration of public benefits programs such as Medicaid, MSPs, and SNAP. The goal is to have a few of the Federal agencies that oversee these benefits to speak on a panel and hear from participants about their experiences. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Share best practices based on experiences in the field.
• Discover the effects the unwinding of PHE has had on the administration of public benefits programs.
• Assist with understanding and hear about experiences.

Meghan Carter, Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Council for Health Justice

Elizabeth Durkin PhD, Manager of Health Care Education and Counseling, AgeOptions

Xavier Vaughn, Program Manager of Medicare, AARP

Donya Currie, Senior Editor, NCOA, National Council on Aging

K3: Deep Dive: State-of-the-Art Processes for Co-Creating Great Services for Older Adults.

Senior centers and CBOs recognize that they need to transform their services and programs to fulfill their missions, attract more clients and generate additional funding. Learn from two very successful and experienced innovators the best practices they use to develop successful and scalable services and products for older adults. Learn about their biggest mistakes (and how to avoid them!) and what really works well. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Discuss state-of-the-art processes for going from a germ of an idea to successful, scalable and sustainable service or product for older adults.
• Explain and describe the optimal mix of in-depth interviews, focus groups, and surveys to develop the best possible product/service.
• Describe effective processes (in person and via zoom) for generating stakeholder buy-in, identifying key opportunities and barriers, and identifying next steps in the co-creation process.

James Firman MBA, Ed.D, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, BellAge Inc.

Tony Ma, CEO/Co-Founder, Benten Technologies

Yoko Meusch, MA, Program Associate, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

K4: Deep Dive: Steps to Dramatically Increase Evidence-Based Program Access to Older Adults

This session highlights strategies to maximize availability of workshop and leader trainings by providing statewide programs. Additional strategies to reaching hard to reach, underserved older adults will be discussed. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify key steps to expanding evidence-based program delivery.
• Compare options for virtual program delivery and leader training
• Discuss Opportunities for New Partnerships with Multicultural Organizations to Expand Reach to Non and Limited English-Speaking Participants

Leigh Ann Eagle BS, Chief Operations Officer, Maryland Living Well Center of Excellence, Maryland Living Well Center of Excellence - MAC, Inc.

Wendy Farthing, Community Liaison, Living Well Center of Excellence

Sue Lachenmayr, MPH, CHES, Statewide Program Manager, Maryland Living Well Center of Excellence - MAC, Inc.

Sean Thomas, Manager of Executive Operations, National Council on Aging

K5: Deep Dive: Aging and Brain Injury: Partnerships, Programs, and Prevention

According to the CDC, older adults are more likely to be hospitalized when sustaining a TBI compared to all other age groups, with the leading cause of brain injury due to falls. Additionally, TBI may be missed or misdiagnosed in older adults because symptoms of TBI overlap with other medical conditions that are common among older adults, such as dementia. Lastly, and also significant, is the fact that an existing TBI may predispose individuals to other co-occurring conditions over a life span. Recognizing these complexities, Older Americans Act funds are now able to be used for TBI screening after a fall has occurred. The challenges of serving and supporting older individuals with brain injury calls for a multi-system approach. Collaboration across and among service agencies produces better outcomes for the individuals served. This session will focus on the importance of identifying brain injury and factors and tools for better outcomes. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify partnerships and advocacy efforts at the national and local level.
• Discuss the importance of identifying brain injury within the aging community and screening tools to utilize.
• Provide resources, state initiatives, and programs that successfully provide address brain injury community based supports.

Maria Crowley, MA, CRC, Director of Professional Development, NASHIA

Elizabeth Leef, Executive Director, Administration for Community Living

Amanda Tower, Grant Project Manager, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

Rebeccah Wolfkiel MPP, Executive Director, National Association of State Head Injury Administrators

Stephanie Pilato, Senior Director, Finance and Contract Management, National Council on Aging

Plenary Session: Welcome and Opening Plenary: The Rise of High-Risk Debt among Older Adults

Contrary to common perceptions and despite efforts to save for retirement, millions of older adults hold high-risk debt. Medical debt and student loans surprisingly hit older people especially hard. Nearly 1 million people age 65+ hold student loan debt and more than 4.5 million hold medical debt and fall victim to harmful debt collection practices. As is too often the case, people of color are impacted the most – owing more and having fewer assets. High-risk debt endangers older adults’ physical and mental health—and their financial security. Understand the forces shaping these alarming trends and explore the latest program and policy solutions.

Ramsey Alwin, President & CEO, National Council on Aging

Kathy Greenlee, J.D., President & CEO of Greenlee Global, LLC & NCOA Board Chair, Greenlee Global, LLC

Sarah Sattelmeyer, Project Director, Education, Opportunity, and Mobility, New America Foundation

Jaime Cherry, Grants Program Manager, GreenPath

Christi Baker, Director of Strategy Initatives, Asset Funders Network

Berneta Haynes, Staff Attorney, National Consumer Law Center

Kara Watkins, Aspen Institute

Partner Spotlights. Legacy Essentials: Meeting the Challenges of Aging

This presentation will help families, caregivers, and providers better identify the specific challenges that seniors face as they age. These include the potential of cognitive impairment, the dangers presented by physical decline and mobility issues, and the financial realities of securing appropriate care. The main goal of the presentation is to educate the audience on important financial planning tools such as a power of attorney, advanced healthcare directives, geriatric care management, and long-term care insurance. The presentation also addresses the wide range of care options available to seniors, from adult daycare to home healthcare, to continuing care facilities.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Demonstrate a deeper understanding of the primary challenges that families face as we age. Cognitive, Physical, and financial risks
• Develop a clear plan to minimize the risks of aging that will include a power of attorney, advanced healthcare directives and long-term care insurance
• Improve retirement readiness by implementing a comprehensive plan that addresses these risks

Doug Ewing JD, CFP, RICP, Vice President, Nationwide Financial

Emily McDonald, Director, Corporate Partnerships & Engagement, National Council on Aging

L1: Deep Dive: Building Friendships and Raising Funds Through a Memoir Writing Group

Learn about the unique platform a memoir writing group can add to your senior center. Through the written word, friendships are formed and stories are captured, and, with a motivated group of participants, there is potential to raise funds by publishing. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Design a memoir writing group to create a platform for friendship building in your senior center.
• Explain the benefits of memoir writing and the expansion options outside of your senior center.
• Assess the resources needed to support a successful memoir writing group in your senior center and evaluate the potential to raise funds and/or awareness.

Linda Good PhD, Retired Professor, VINE Faith in Action

Melinda Wedzina MBA, MS, Chief Executive Officer, VINE Faith in Action

Stephanie Pilato, Senior Director, Finance and Contract Management, National Council on Aging

L2: Roundtable: Healthy Living Roundtable

Healthy IDEAS: Supporting Older Adults

Presenters: Melissa Donegan and Katrina Kyle 

This presentation will discuss older adult depression, social isolation and loneliness and an evidence-based program CBO’s can implement to combat these issues. Participants will hear from the program developer and a current grantee delivering the Healthy IDEAS Program

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

• Explain the Healthy IDEAS Program and its components.
• Describe the successes and challenges of implementing Healthy IDEAS at a community-based organization.
• Assess if the Healthy IDEAS program would be a good fit to deliver to their clients.

Group Otago with Physical Therapist Oversight 

Presenter: J. Kele Murdin 

Join this exciting discussion about an innovative delivery model of Otago. Otago is an evidence-based fall prevention program, as well as AAEBI (Arthritis Association Exercise Based Intervention). Group Otago has a excellent potential for scalability to reach this high need population.

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

• Demonstrate group Otago with oversight by a physical therapist is feasible in community based organizations, with examples from Washington state.
• Illustrate that this model is an excellent collaboration model of Physical Therapists and community organizations which creates a highly effective model.
• Discuss sustainability: Review the model to train more PTs in this work, identify other stakeholders in this space for new opportunities.

Care Transitions Intervention: A Proven Patient-First Approach to Decrease Hospital

Presenter: Michelle Comeau 

This session concentrates on how a patient-centered approach within four areas of health-management is proven to reduce the rates of subsequent rehospitalization as well as create lasting behavioral change and increased activation in patients and their caregivers during post-acute transitions. Topics to be covered include defining the Care Transitions Intervention, emphasizing the value-add a Transitions Coach is to your service offerings, the overall health system, the community network, and discuss how to implement CTI.

Case-based scenarios will be utilized for attendees to practice the "art of coaching" in a pair and share activity. This activity will review the unique communication strategies used within this empowerment model that empower and elicit critical thinking to help people for the long-term! Attendees will leave this session eager to test out the art of coaching immediately.

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

• Differentiate the unique role of a Transitions Coach and how it complements the care team and is a value-add to the community-based organization.
• Identify intervention benefits at the system and patient level.
• Apply patient-centered coaching methodologies into current, everyday practice.

Potty Talk Encouraged! Mind Over Matter: Healthy Bowels, Healthy Bladder

Presenter: Jill Renken 

Incontinence in older women is a widespread but rarely discussed problem with urinary and/or bowel incontinence affecting over 60% of community-dwelling older U.S. women (14 million).  Incontinence has a hugely negative impact on quality of life and is a significant cause of depression, isolation, falls, caregiver burnout, hospitalization and nursing home placement and costs society over $30 billion each year, which is why a new evidence-based intervention showing dramatic lasting improvement is a key ingredient in older adult women’s health.

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

• State consequences to incontinence on overall women’s health.
• Discuss the benefits of an incontinence prevention program.
• List steps to adopting the Mind Over Matter program in their community.

Melissa Donegan, Director, HLCE, AgeSpan

Katrina Kyle, Health and Wellness Statewide Coordinator, Healthy IDEAS: Supporting Older Adults

J. Kele Murdin, Physical Therapist, Murdin Therapy

Michelle Comeau, Vice President - Care Transitions Intervention, Care Coordination Systems

Jill Renken, MPH, CHES, Director of Program Implementation, Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging

Kathleen Zuke, MPH (she/her), Associate Director, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

L3: Skillbuilding: Critical Incidents: Are you prepared to Navigate the Challenges

Critical incidents in the workplace can affect people physically, psychologically, and emotionally as well as affect a program's stability. Although it is very difficult to prevent critical incidents, effective management of those incidents we can minimize the negative impact on the beneficiary, staff and agency. Are you prepared?

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Provide attendees with policy, procedure, protocol, and documentation templates as the foundation for critical incident management.
• Explain the debriefing process and stress its importance in supporting staff.
• Outline the three key aspects of critical incident management; Training, Navigating the incident itself, and debriefing.

Dennis Smithe MA, Client Services Manager, SHIP TA Center (NEI3A)

Brandy Bauer, Director, Center for Benefits Access, National Council on Aging

L4: Deep Dive: Deep Dive: Make Hidden Business Opportunities Visible for CBOs: A Data-Driven Solution

The partnership landscape for CBOs is evolving rapidly. To grow and sustain relevance, increasingly need to leverage data and technology to gain deep actionable market insights about what programs to offer, which organizations to partner with, and how to quickly identify the most relevant opportunities. This presentation will highlight a case study on how Partners in Care Foundation (Partners) was able to turn past business development experience into a treasure trove of insights to fuel their future growth goals for HomeMeds℠ in the healthcare sector. Partners engaged Eviset, a tech-enabled data solution, to support their efforts. The result? Data helped Partners make hidden business opportunities…visible and actionable. If your CBO wants to partner with the healthcare sector quicker and better, this presentation is for you! 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Assess the strengths and areas of improvement of your current organization’s business development approaches in the healthcare sector
• Develop an high-impact data-driven strategy for your organization
• Complete a sales funnel exercise to help you deeply understand your historic business development process and identify areas of improvement.

Dianne Davis MPH, Vice President, Community Wellness, Partners in Care Foundation

Julie Lawrence MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Eviset

Venus Wong, CPO, Eviset

Susan Silberman, Senior Director, National Council on Aging

M1: Learning Lab: Re-Engaging Older Adults in Physical Activity after a Global Pandemic.

Effects of the pandemic to physical activity for older adults was more substantial than other age groups, and with only 14% meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans prior to the pandemic, it is especially critical to engage older adults in physical activity to help improve their health and prolong their life and independence. Learn about the consequences of the pandemic and several evidence-based physical activity programs for older adults of varying abilities designed to decrease sedentary behavior and improve physical activity levels 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• State consequences to physical activity levels seen through the pandemic.
• Identify four programs designed to increase physical activity.
• List outcomes of four evidence-based programs designed to increase physical activity in older adults.

Jill Renken, MPH, CHES, Director of Program Implementation, Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging

M2: Learning Lab: Virtual Healthy Habits: Innovative Nutrition Education Program with Long-Term Outcomes

Virtually Healthy Habits (VHH) is an award-winning, innovative, and interactive group-based virtual program designed for older adults to learn about healthy nutrition that includes home-delivered meal kits with cooking demonstrations. Participants choose the meals they wish to prepare from a menu of options, receive fresh ingredients delivered to their door and prepare the meals from a recipe book and/or video cooking demonstration. Participants meet virtually for weekly nutrition education and social sessions for five weeks. Outcomes from this group-based design aims to improve older adults’ dietary knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors as well as their social connectedness. This highly interactive session highlight aspects of the VHH website, shows excerpts from cooking demonstration videos used in the program, and share hard copies of VHH materials such as the facilitator manual and participant workbook. Presenters will share information about the effectiveness of VHH and share testimonials from older adult participants. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe Virtual Healthy Habits and its key programmatic components
• Identify the outcomes from baseline to 6-month follow-up from Virtual Health Habits surveys
• Discover avenues to implement Virtual Healthy Habits in your community

Emir Kandzetovic MPH, Program Manager, The Oasis Institute

Matthew Smith PhD, MPH, CHES, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University

Sarah Harrell, MAFP, Senior Associate, Operations and Project Management, National Council on Aging

M3: Learning Lab: Improving Social Connectedness through Clinical-Community Linkages: The Reduce SILOS Program

Healthcare professionals are uniquely positioned to identify social disconnectedness among older patients; however, coordinated linkages to community-based organizations are essential to provide social engagement opportunities. The Reduce Social Isolation and Lift Outcome for Seniors (SILOS) program was created to screen older adults for social disconnectedness risk and link them to community services, resources, and programs. Patients ages 50 years and older are screened in the healthcare setting or by community health workers (CHW). Participants complete baseline assessments, and data are collected again at 3, 6, and 12 months. To date, 110 participants have been enrolled in the SILOS program. At baseline, 51% reported high social disconnectedness and 41% reported severe depression. Over time, significant reductions in social disconnectedness and depression were observed as were significant improvements in social support. Findings from this ongoing initiative highlight benefits of navigated clinical-community linkages to identify and address social disconnectedness among older adults. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify social disconnectedness risk among older patients participating in the Reduce SILOS program in North Texas
• Describe the Reduce SILOS program, its components, recruitment approaches, community-based partners, and effectiveness to address social disconnectedness, social support, and depression
• Discuss strategies to improve clinical-community linkages to identify at-risk older adults and connect them with effective and appropriate social engagement strategies

Melanie Nieswiadomy LCSW-S, Program Manager, Texas Health

Matthew Smith PhD, MPH, CHES, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University

Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

M4: Learning Lab: Developing Networks of CBOs for Strategic Healthcare Partnerships

In this presentation, the audience will learn about the creation of CommunityCare Link (CCL), a network of multiple NYC Aging funded aging-focused community-based organizations (CBOs) created to address social and economic determinants of health by contracting with health partners and connecting socially isolated older adults to necessary health and social services to help them age in place. This presentation will detail what infrastructure and policies aging service providers need to enter into contractual relationships with healthcare providers and ensure older adults access care. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify what infrastructure and policies aging service providers need to develop mutually beneficial programs and enter into paid contractual relationships with healthcare providers/plans
• Describe how to engage a hard-to-reach, socially isolated, and/or unresponsive population and connect them to health and social services to help them age in place
• Demonstrate ability to implement a similar network, as well as refine, expand, and replicate similar programs.

Susan Beane MD FACP, Executive Medical Director, Healthfirst

Briana Engelberg, Program Development Associate, NYC Department for the Aging

Meghan Shineman, Director, Program Devlopment & Health Care Innovations, New York City Department for the Aging

Laura Plunkett, Senior Program Specialist, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

N1: Deep Dive: Empowering People Aging with HIV

This presentation describes the SHARE board (a community advisory group comprised of older people living with HIV) and academic researchers. It explains the process to build the board and develop research engagement capacity, as well as assessing its output and ongoing evaluation. The results of its CBPR community-needs assessment will be explained. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Differentiate (1) building a research advisory board, (2) building capacity for research engagement, and (3) engagement in community-based participatory research, from non-PCOR (patient-centered outcomes research).
• Describe the evaluation and feedback data we have, showing how confidence, familiarity, and engagement have grown & evolved in the project’s first year.
• Discuss the findings of n=37 semi-structured interviews and n=217 survey responses that were gathered by our SHARE Board members as a CBPR community needs assessment.

Andy Rapoport, Project Manager, Leonard Schanfield Research Institute, CJE SeniorLife

Melanie Reese, Member, SHARE Board

Susan Stiles, Senior Director, Healthy Aging Innovations, National Council on Aging

N2: Skillbuilding: Creating Home for All: Advocating for Transgender and Non-Binary Elders

This session will increase participants’ ability support Transgender and Gender non-Conforming (TGNC) older adults in senior housing communities. Participants will begin this session by learning about various barriers faced by TGNC older adults in housing communities. Then, participants will learn about how TGNC older adults are impacted by correct pronoun use, safe and accessible bathrooms, gendered language, inclusive intake forms, name changes, and families of choice. Additionally, through case studies and role play activities, participants will learn how to navigate complex conversations around resident-on-resident conflict/discrimination with older adults. Lastly, participants will leave having identified at least one personal goal to increase the safety of TGNC older adults in their communities. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify three barriers faced by Transgender and Gender non-Conforming older adults when accessing housing and while living in older adult housing communities
• Demonstrate practices that they can implement to provide increased safety to Transgender and Gender non-Conforming older adults in housing communities
• Practice, through case studies and role play activities, the skills to navigate complex situations related to gender identity, safety, community, and housing

Thomas Godwin MSW, Assistant Director of the National LGBTQ+ Elder Housing Initiative, SAGE: Services and Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Elders

Kathleen Zuke, MPH (she/her), Associate Director, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

N3: Deep Dive: Utilizing the Social Determinants of Health to Elucidate Malnutrition Risk

Identifying malnutrition is a team sport! Using the social determinants of health as a framework is a winning game plan for the older adult, their families and aging services. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Define malnutrition and the social determinants of health
• Demonstrate the value of a combined social determinants of health and malnutrition assessment framework
• Analyze Case Studies Utilizing this Social Determinants of Health and Malnutrition Framework

Amy Covington MS, RDN, CD, DipACLM, Research Manager, University of Utah

Susan Saffel-Shrier, Utah

Sean Thomas, Manager of Executive Operations, National Council on Aging

N4: Panel: “It Takes a Village” Equitably Expanding Access to Homebound Elderly

Milford Wellness Village is a repurposed 265,000 square foot former community hospital site, transformed to provide an array of services to meet the comprehensive needs of a community through all stages of its residents’ lives. With nearly 600 employees from the local area, MWV is creating economic vitality, and offering a one-stop service hub, but more important, it’s not just waiting for people to arrive on site. MWV is deploying nurses directly into the community to help meet the needs of elders whose access may be impaired by transportation, but whose wellbeing is equally important as that of other, more mobile, age groups. This session will share insights to the partnerships required to address a growing community’s overall needs, and strategies to most effectively reach and serve high-risk seniors within that community. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Describe where and how a Healthy Village could most benefit your community and who may be the most effective partners in starting the conversation.
• Define a framework of partners who can build and deploy a non-traditional strategy to most effectively reach the highest risk target audience of homebound elderly.
• Identify a nurse-led strategy to engage the greater community in ongoing, sustainable, education and services that nurture health and wellness.

Lon Kieffer RN, BSN, MBA, CDSMP, Program Director, and Milford Wellness Village, Executive Director, Education Health and Research International

Kemi Sanni DNP, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, CRNP, Program Director, WeCare Services, Education, Health, and Research International

Michelle Mai, Senior Program Associate, National Council on Aging

O1: Deep Dive: CarePLaCe: Empowering Care Partners to be Safe, Healthy and Well

Informal, unpaid care partners are engaged in the difficult work of caring for older adults with chronic health conditions. These hidden healthcare workers can benefit from education, skills training, safer homes, community resources and empowerment to care well and stay well too. CarePLaCe is a program that evaluates the unique caregiving situation, providing an individualized careplan to serve the caregiving dyad with training, resources, home safety modifications, and support along the way. CarePLaCe was developed based on evidence and showed efficacy in a pilot study. Now CarePLaCe is being provided, and studied, in collaboration with a large US municipality in local senior centers. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Evaluate the needs of caregiving dyads (care partner & care recipient) living with chronic health conditions
• Recognize the CarePLaCe program components that support care partners to improve their knowledge, skills, environmental safety, use of community resources and self-care activities.
• Analyze the contributions of CarePLaCe to the health and wellbeing of care partners and care recipients to assess the need for CarePLaCe in your community.

Brandi L Buchanan MA, OTD, OTR/L, Director- CarePLaCe Clinics, Associate Professor, Senior Clinician, AT Still University

Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging

O2: Deep Dive: How Texas Supports Aging Nutrition

Texas Health and Human Services supports nutrition for older adults across Texas. Through a variety of programs and resources (e.g. Texercise, Age Well Live Well, SNAP, SNAP-Ed), Texas HHS assists older Texans in improving their nutritional health. COVID-19 emphasized the importance of food and access to food (home/congregate meals, transportation, etc.) in the aging population. Without food systems that can accommodate pandemics, like COVID-19, we will see an increase in people experiencing malnutrition. This session will review the barriers older adults face to healthy food access and discuss resources created by Texas HHS to address these barriers. Texas HHS developed a series of awareness campaigns (Texercise Prevents), launched a 12-week nutrition education program (Texercise Nourish), provided a nutrition resource sheet through Age Well Live Well, expanded SNAP benefits, launched a SNAP pilot project, and other initiatives to meet the nutritional needs of all Texans during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Define malnutrition, identify signs and symptoms, discuss the impact among older adults.
• Understand how utilizing a variety of methods to support aging nutrition can help older adults age and live well.
• Outline how Texas supports older Texans nutritional health.

Chelsea Couch BESS, BS, Texercise Program Coordinator, Texas Health and Human Services

Claire Irwin MA, BA, Age Well Live Well Coordinator, Texas Health and Human Services

Jean Van Ryzin, Senior Director, Communications, National Council on Aging

O3: Deep Dive: Building Resilience by Building Common Ground in a Pandemic

Older adults of different languages and cultures need to be empowered with the tools to build resilience--but how? Come and learn about the Common Ground Program, presented by the Northwest Center in Chicago; a program that by builds peer-to-peer social connectivity, intergenerational bonds, community engagement, inter-cultural sharing, awareness-raising about health, trauma and resilience, and teaches digital literacy training, all in a bilingual (English and Spanish), empathetic, and trauma-informed way. 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Explain the history and evolution of the Common Ground Program
• Discuss how the program builds resilience in comprehensive way thru social connectivity, cultural sharing, intergenerational engagement, financial education, education around trauma, and digital literacy training
• Discuss lessons learned and how to adapt the Common Ground program to their facility

Alejandra Elox-Marquez, Programs Manager, Northwest Center

Dr. Judith Kent, Ph.D., Associate Professor College of Professional Studies and Advancement Psychology, National Louis University

Linda Peters M.A., Director of Older Adult Programs, Northwest Center

Sarah Harrell, MAFP, Senior Associate, Operations and Project Management, National Council on Aging

O4: Skillbuilding: Undocumented and Aging: Addressing the Needs of a Growing Population

Undocumented older adults face pervasive and structural barriers due to their immigration status that block them from the services older adults depend on to manage their health and successfully age in place. According to multiple studies, the population of undocumented older adults in the U.S. will increase drastically over the next decade, creating an ethical stymie in health care and long-term care unless immediate policy action is taken. This presentation will summarize the implications of an aging undocumented population, as well as best practices, and policy advocacy recommendations. The presenter will also share the experience participating in a state-based coalition that advocated for and successfully obtained Medicaid coverage for this population.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

• Identify strategies to effectively advocate for undocumented older adults in their practice
• Recognize the growing population of undocumented older adults as a need for advocacy and structural change
• Analyze the structural impact of blocked access to health care for the undocumented population

Padraic Stanley, MSW, LCSW, Program Manager, Rush University Medical Center

Genevieve Waterman, Director, Corporate Partnerships & Engagement, National Council on Aging