Join fellow senior leaders for a light breakfast and purposeful peer-to-peer connections as the conference begins.

Is this your first time at SLEC, or are you a returning attendee looking to optimize your time at the conference? Join us for an informational session on getting the most out of your conference experience, including navigating the event venue, accessing conference information, selecting sessions, and exploring the expo hall.

Assisted living communities are experiencing a rapid rise in resident acuity, creating increased complexity at the point of admission. How can organizations achieve occupancy goals while balancing higher medical needs, limited resources, expanding use of technology, and ongoing staffing and competency challenges—particularly within a social model of care that still carries clear standards of responsibility?
Moderated by a Clinical Risk Manager, this session brings together perspectives from Sales and Marketing, Clinical Services, and Operations to explore the opportunities and challenges of setting and maintaining reasonable expectations at admission. Through facilitated discussion, panelists will examine how to align expectations among prospective residents and families, community teams, and corporate leadership while supporting occupancy, quality outcomes, and risk mitigation.

As demand for senior living services grows, nearly 89% of older adults still express a desire to age at home. This disconnect highlights the need to rethink how and where older adults engage with wellness, cognitive health, and community. This session introduces two emerging models—Longevity Communities and Longevity Day Clubs.
Longevity Communities are residential environments grounded in the science of Scientific Wellness, integrating the four Ps: prediction, prevention, personalization, and participation. Residents receive precision health assessments, personalized recommendations, and access to programming designed to make healthy living practical, engaging, and measurable.
Drawing on the pilot at Longevity Day Club at Merritt Island and the pilot at BrainBoosters Marin, this session focuses on Longevity Day Clubs as a capital-light, service-driven model designed to address the middle-market crisis by supporting older adults aging at home. Longevity Communities are addressed separately as a distinct residential concept centered on embedding prevention, personalization, and engagement into senior living environments.

The words we use reflect—and shape—our attitudes toward aging. In senior living, language is often learned by listening to others: words like ""elderly"" and ""facility"" carry negative connotations, while ""older adult"" and ""community"" offer dignity and connection. For employees who support older adults in their homes every day, intentional communication can transform both staff morale and resident experience.
This interactive session explores how everyday communication—speech, body language, emails, and texts—impacts workplace culture and experience. Participants will complete a mini self-assessment, compare results to national data, and practice reframing workplace scenarios to uncover how word choice shifts attitudes and builds trust.
Attendees will leave with a practical Words to Rethink Toolkit, offering strategies to strengthen communication with co-workers, residents, families, and the broader community. By watching what we say, employees at every level can foster cultures of kindness and connection while reshaping perspectives on aging.

Track sponsored By:


This session explores how creating a more engaging and enjoyable sales environment can drive occupancy, performance, and team engagement. Rather than focusing solely on hard numbers that can create stress, reinforce poor habits, and reduce morale, this session offers an alternative approach to sales success in senior living.
Attendees will learn strategies for empowering sales professionals to guide prospects through one of life’s most emotional decisions with confidence, empathy, and clarity. The discussion will also highlight how regional and corporate leaders can foster a culture that reduces pressure tied to rigid sales quotas while keeping teams focused on delivering a strong, trust-based experience for prospective residents and families.
Participants will leave with practical ideas to strengthen sales culture, improve engagement, and support sustainable occupancy growth across their organizations.

In senior living, AI often fails to gain traction because it doesn’t fit into the caregiver workflow. But when technology “speaks caregiver” — with intuitive alerts, minimal training time, and real-world relevance — adoption follows, and outcomes improve.
In this case study, Stu Hamilton will share how Amba partnered with senior living operators to deploy an AI-powered monitoring platform that combines passive sensors and predictive analytics to detect changes in resident health before they become crises. Using data from a live implementation at Simpson Senior Services, attendees will see measurable results, including:
67% reduction in falls 81% reduction in antipsychotic use Faster identification of infections and other health changes Stronger family engagement in care planning
The session will explore the design principles behind “caregiver language,” from color-coded dashboards to targeted alerts, and how these choices reduced training time, built trust, and helped staff focus on the residents who need them most.
Attendees will leave with a replicable framework for piloting AI in their own communities, strategies to overcome staff skepticism, and a clear picture of the ROI potential for predictive monitoring solutions.

Good nutrition is a cornerstone of resident health and well-being, but achieving optimal nutrition care in senior living requires more than a well-planned menu—it depends on effective collaboration across interdisciplinary teams.
This session explores how coordination among dietitians, nurses, dining teams, and caregivers can improve resident outcomes, consistency of care, and overall experience. Through practical examples and facilitated discussion, attendees will examine how organizations can break down silos, align clinical and hospitality priorities, and support teams in delivering nutrition care that meets evolving resident needs.

Take time to connect with fellow senior leaders, exchange insights, and build meaningful relationships during this dedicated executive networking break.

Break Sponsored By:

Vision Sessions are non–CE presentations that provide attendees with opportunities to learn about innovative ideas, emerging technologies, and solutions from industry thought leaders and sponsors. Additional details and speakers to be announced

Exclusively for exhibitors and sponsors. Is this your first time at SLEC, or are you a returning solution partner looking to optimize your time at the conference? Join us for an informational session on getting the most out of your conference experience, including navigating the event venue, accessing conference information, and expo hall FAQs. Open to all exhibitor and sponsor representatives, including those with expo-only passes.

Staffing doesn’t have to feel like whack-a-mole. With the right analytics, you can see trouble coming, spot hidden opportunities, and make decisions that stick. This session will show leaders how to turn workforce data into operational wins by trimming waste, reducing overtime, boosting team morale, and keeping care quality high. You’ll leave with practical strategies, a few “why didn’t we do this sooner?” ideas, and tools you can put to work before you even unpack your conference bag.

Track Sponsored By:

How can you set your senior living community apart in a competitive market to achieve your desired outcomes? Our panel of senior living sales and marketing leaders will discuss the multiple ways branding and marketing can position your brand where it matters, and carve out a winning niche to differentiate in crowded markets where communities seem more like commodities. This session will expand your sales and marketing knowledge and help you to align sales and operations to elevate your community above the others.

Track Sponsored by:

Looking to boost revenue by engaging seniors earlier in their decision journey—before they move to your community? Friendship Village Senior Services in St. Louis, MO, shares two membership programs designed to expand the prospect pipeline while strengthening long-term occupancy and revenue performance. These programs allow prospective residents to participate in social events, use community amenities, and access comprehensive campus-based health services, supported by a personal concierge and an exclusive member-only app. Learn how this model shortens the sales cycle, reduces barriers to senior living residency, helps fill hard-to-sell small apartments, and drives downstream revenue through ancillary services such as home care, private duty, and hospice.

As the senior living and assisted living sectors continue to experience increasing demand for highly skilled professionals, developing clear and sustainable career pathways has become essential. This session brings together leaders from Job Corps, American Job Centers, community colleges, universities, and senior living organizations to explore how cross‑sector partnerships can strengthen Career Pathway Modeling and support long‑term workforce growth.
Drawing on insights from regional workforce symposiums convened with Argentum state partners, as well as state partners from California and Wisconsin, this discussion highlights a shared commitment to building a connected, future‑ready workforce for aging services. These partnerships not only enhance talent pipelines but also create structured, stackable opportunities for workers to advance as they build competencies and transition into higher‑skill roles—ultimately improving the consistency and quality of care for older adults.
Attendees will engage in practical frameworks, real‑world examples, and replicable models they can use to design or strengthen their own career pathways, ultimately improving workforce stability, enhancing care outcomes, and advancing organizational sustainability.
Learning Objectives: Understand the value of training programs aligned to progressive skill development, enabling learners to advance from entry‑level roles to specialized and leadership positions.
Review recruitment strategies that introduce diverse talent into defined pathways with clear on‑ramps and advancement opportunities. Explore retention approaches that leverage career ladders, mentorship, and professional growth frameworks to promote longevity and job satisfaction. Understand how emerging workforce trends, including technology‑enhanced learning, apprenticeship models, and intergenerational training, can provide flexible, scalable ways to map competencies to evolving job demands.

Senior living providers face increasing pressure to deliver more personalized care amid evolving resident needs, workforce shortages, and fragmented systems. From first contact through ongoing support, leaders are seeking smarter, more responsive ways to personalize care at scale.
This session presents a practical roadmap for integrating AI, automation, and analytics across the full resident journey. Attendees will explore four key phases—intake, assessment and verification, onboarding, and care delivery—and how technology can support more timely, consistent, and personalized experiences at each stage.
Drawing on real-world examples from Independent Living, Assisted Living, LPCs, and SNFs, the discussion will highlight how data-driven decision-making can improve responsiveness, enhance outcomes, and reduce friction for both staff and residents. Participants will leave with a clear framework for aligning care models with evolving needs through thoughtful, incremental transformation—not sweeping change.

Exclusively for exhibitors and sponsors. Details to be announced. Open to all exhibitor and sponsor representatives, including those with expo-only passes.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept—it is actively shaping operations, care delivery, and risk exposure in senior living. From fall detection systems to predictive health analytics, AI offers significant promise. But when technology fails—when a fall goes undetected, a medication alert is missed, or predictive analytics influence care decisions incorrectly—organizational accountability and liability quickly rise to the executive level.
This session examines the evolving legal and operational gray areas of AI adoption through real-world case scenarios. Attendees will explore key risk considerations, including data privacy, HIPAA compliance, vendor accountability, and litigation exposure tied to AI-driven decisions. The discussion focuses on executive-level risk management strategies—from contract structure and governance models to staff training and policy development—that allow organizations to leverage innovation while protecting residents, reputation, and enterprise value. For senior living leaders, understanding where liability begins and ends is now a core leadership responsibility in an AI-driven environment.

Difficult conversations with residents, families, and team members are an inevitable part of senior living leadership. When handled poorly, these interactions can contribute to tension, burnout, and cultures of avoidance. When handled well, they can strengthen trust, engagement, and long-term relationships.
This interactive session explores proven strategies for transforming challenging conversations into opportunities for connection and growth. Through real-world scenarios and practical tools, attendees will learn how to move beyond defensive responses, turn criticism into collaboration, and equip frontline teams to navigate difficult interactions with confidence and empathy. Leaders will leave with actionable approaches to fostering a culture where hard conversations strengthen relationships rather than strain them.

Life enrichment and memory care are not simply activity programs—they are strategic business drivers that directly impact retention, occupancy, and reputation. Forward-thinking organizations are reframing engagement as a differentiator that strengthens resident satisfaction, enhances workforce stability, and contributes to financial performance.
This session, hosted by the Engagement and Memory Care Coalition (EMC²)—a group of national senior living leaders who meet monthly to share strategies—will explore the business case for life enrichment. Leaders will highlight how intentional engagement strategies improve resident outcomes, strengthen brand identity, reduce turnover, and deliver measurable ROI.
Key Topics:
National Trends: How engagement is evolving as an industry differentiator in competitive markets. Talent Strategy: Using enrichment as a tool for associate retention, career growth, and recruitment. Portfolio & Growth: Framing engagement and memory care as pathways to leadership, preparing high-potential associates for executive roles. Revenue Impact: Case studies on how engagement initiatives drive occupancy, length of stay, and market positioning. Best Practices Exchange: Attendees will contribute real-world strategies; results will be shared live during the session. Leadership Panel Facilitators: Tamorra Sims, Corporate Director of Lifestyles & Pathways, Sagora Senior Living; Brenda Gurung, National Director of Memory Care Services, Kisco Senior Living Panelists: Brenda Richy, National Director of Community Integration & Engagement, Artis Senior Living Daniela Vegas, Assistant Vice President, Trilogy Health Services Haley Kinne-Norris, Regional INSPIRE Wellness & Life Enrichment Coordinator, Liberty Senior Living Lauren Dubay, Wellness Director, Sunshine Retirement Tara Burrow, Director of Education & Engagement, Cedarhurst Senior Living

New research and executive insights reveal why emerging leaders are opting out of leadership opportunities — and how companies can redesign roles to make growth not just possible but rewarding. This fireside chat will explore the challenges mid-level leaders face and practical strategies to cultivate confident, motivated leaders for the future.
- During this fireside chat, attendees will learn:
- Why Emerging Leaders Step Back: Understand the key reasons mid-level talent hesitate to take on greater responsibility and how to address them.
- Redesigning Leadership Roles: Learn practical strategies to make leadership positions more meaningful, achievable, and aligned with career goals.
- Developing Future Leaders: Discover ways to foster confidence, motivation, and readiness in the next generation of leaders.

How can technology shift from being an IT burden to an amenity that drives occupancy, efficiency, and resident satisfaction? Digital inclusion is now a competitive differentiator in senior living. Residents increasingly expect seamless tech support, yet inconsistent solutions often overburden staff and put engagement and occupancy at risk.
This session features a case study of BHI Senior Living’s partnership with The Smarter Service to create an enterprise-wide Tech Concierge program across 12 Life Plan and Active Adult communities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. After a pilot that resolved 600+ resident tech issues, reclaimed 20% of staff time, and generated a 3.4x ROI per community, BHI scaled the program portfolio-wide.
The model combines on-site concierge desks, in-home and virtual support, enrichment classes, curated resources, and data-driven insights. Early results include increased resident adoption of engagement platforms, stronger brand differentiation, and more staff time focused on caregiving and strategic priorities.
Through the joint perspectives of BHI’s operations leadership and The Smarter Service, this session equips senior living executives with a proven roadmap to:
Evaluate resident tech support investments through measurable ROI. Reduce staff workload while improving resident experience and engagement. Scale concierge-style tech services portfolio-wide without overburdening teams.
Attendees will leave with a clear framework to pilot, evaluate, and expand tech-support programs that deliver both a superior resident experience and measurable business results.

Senior living employees face unique safety risks, from resident aggression to interactions with visitors and third parties. As OSHA increases its focus on workplace violence in healthcare and long-term care settings, senior living leaders must proactively address prevention, preparedness, and response.
This session highlights compliance expectations, best practices for training and prevention, and practical strategies for balancing resident rights with employee protections. Attendees will gain insight into how organizations can strengthen safety culture, reduce risk exposure, and support frontline teams through clear policies, training, and leadership alignment.

An industry informed is an industry moving forward. This opening keynote will set the tone for SLEC 2026 with a welcome from Nick Stengle, CEO of Tennessee-based Brookdale Senior Living, followed by Argentum’s State of the Industry address from Argentum CEO James Balda—an essential look at how the organization is uniting and advancing the senior living field through its strategic vision.

We’ll also come together for one of the most meaningful moments of the conference: The Hero Awards, a celebration of community-level heroes who represent the true heart of the field. Join us as we honor these extraordinary individuals and celebrate what makes senior living so special.

State of the Industry Sponsored By:

Hero Awards sponsored By:

Hero Awards Video Partner:

Following the annual Hero Awards celebration and State of the Industry plenary, the Expo Hall Opening Reception brings senior living leaders together with leading solution providers from across the country. Engage with organizations showcasing products and services designed to enhance resident experience and strengthen operational performance. Connect with industry peers and trusted partners in a focused, executive-level setting. Light refreshments will be served.

A light breakfast bringing senior living executives together for focused peer connection and conversation.

Celebrate innovation and leadership in senior living with the Best of the Best presentations—hear directly from leaders on why their work stands out and what you can learn from it. The Argentum Best of the Best Awards honor innovative programs, products, and services that are shaping the future of senior living—recognizing solutions that address key challenges and advance excellence across the industry.
The session also features the presentation of the Cobb Cup, awarded annually to the provider companies with the highest level of participation and support for Argentum’s Silver PAC.
Together, these recognitions spotlight the creativity, commitment, and advocacy that move our industry forward.

A dedicated networking break for senior living executives to connect with peers and engage with industry solution providers in the Expo Hall.

Track Sponsored By:

"Price Transparency” has become a hot topic in Senior Living in recent years. How has your company responded and have you maximized the opportunity? Learn what “Price Transparency” means for our industry and how some of the top companies have optimized their approach to this topic. And, learn what “Price Transparency” means to our customers and what they are seeking as they navigate Senior Living options in the local market. You will hear the results from a recent national consumer survey regarding Pricing in Senior Living from the team at U.S. News and World Report. A panel of Senior Living marketing experts will share their own company approaches and recommend the 10 “Must-Do” Steps to achieve “Price Transparency”.

Independent Living has historically been viewed as lower risk for Professional and General Liability (PL/GL) claims, as healthcare services are not typically provided in this setting. However, as resident acuity, services, and expectations evolve, Independent Living communities are facing new and emerging liability exposures.
In this moderated discussion, a Clinical Risk Consultant, Corporate Director of Resident Services, Vice President/Chief Risk Officer, and a Defense Attorney specializing in aging services will examine professional and general liability scenarios that can lead to PL/GL claims in Independent Living. Panelists will review closed claim examples and share practical strategies for setting realistic expectations, reducing exposure, and strengthening risk mitigation practices in this expanding at-risk segment of senior living.

In today’s senior living communities, dining operations are no longer just a cost center—they represent a strategic opportunity for revenue generation and resident engagement.
This session explores proven best practices in culinary upsell programs, from wine pairings and guest meals to point-of-sale strategies that capture previously missed revenue. Featuring insights from successful communities such as Sunrise Senior Living and Amica, panelists will discuss packaging and pricing strategies, staggered meal plan refresh cycles, and the operational impact of charge accounts and billing structures.
Attendees will learn how to design dining programs that are easy to administer, resonate with residents and staff, and support financial performance. Whether you lead culinary operations, sales, or administration, this session offers actionable takeaways and real-world examples to help transform dining into a powerful lever for satisfaction and profitability.

Luxury in senior living is no longer defined by chandeliers or marble lobbies -it is defined by the moments that shape daily life. In today’s crowded marketplace, experiences speak louder than amenities. Communities that excel recognize that every curated interaction, from a private chef’s table dinner to a hallway exhibit, is both a source of joy and a compelling brand story. True luxury lies in access - not only to comfort and care, but also to culture, conversation, and discovery. A restaurant tasting paired with a chef’s story, a corridor transformed into an immersive exhibit, or a cultural day built around music, art, and cuisine becomes more than entertainment: it signals aspiration, sophistication, and meaning.
This session introduces curated engagement storytelling - the practice of turning authentic daily moments into narratives that build exclusivity, foster emotional connection, and reinforce community identity. Attendees will explore how thoughtful design can transform standard programming into distinctive experiences that resonate with residents and prospective families alike.
The program features the LUXE Model, a framework for developing engagement that is purposeful, consistent, and aligned with brand standards. Real-world case studies will demonstrate how details elevate activities into signature offerings, and participants will leave with a practical toolkit for evaluating and enhancing their own community calendars.
The result: a new perspective on how intentional storytelling and curated engagement can enrich resident life, strengthen community culture, and set communities apart in a competitive senior living market.

Senior living leaders are navigating workforce shortages, occupancy pressure, rising costs, and increasing expectations for transparency and outcomes—often while critical data remains fragmented across EHRs, payroll, financial, and care systems. For executives, the challenge is no longer access to data, but turning data into timely, confident decisions.
This session explores how AI, generative business intelligence, and smart dashboards are enabling executive teams to move beyond retrospective reporting to forward-looking, decision-ready insight. Through real-world examples, attendees will see how next-generation platforms forecast census trends, surface staffing risks, identify resident risk indicators, and generate proactive recommendations that improve operational and clinical performance.
Designed for senior leaders, this discussion focuses on how organizations can use predictive and generative intelligence to shift from reactive management to proactive, insight-driven leadership—unlocking efficiency, resilience, and sustainable performance at scale.

Senior living providers are navigating an increasingly complex policy environment where state-level legislation and regulations often set the stage for national trends. Join us to examine the most pressing state legislative and regulatory developments expected in 2026 and their broader implications for the senior living industry.
During this session, hear from Argentum State Partner leaders on some of the leading legislative and regulatory issues facing providers and the senior living industry at the state level. Attendees will learn about how these issues will impact both providers and residents, and will receive guidance that can be used to proactively address these issues in other states.

Vision Sessions are non–CE presentations that provide attendees with opportunities to learn about innovative ideas, emerging technologies, and solutions from industry thought leaders and sponsors. Additional details and speakers to be announced.

An executive lunch bringing senior living leaders together for peer connection and engagement with industry solution providers in the Expo Hall.

Track Sponsored By:
Back by popular demand! The Showdown returns in 2026 with new twists, bigger energy, and even bolder strategies. This session once again brings together sales and marketing pros in a game-show inspired competition—designed to spark insights, debate, and unforgettable takeaways. With live polling, real-time challenges, and panelist-judged contests, you’ll laugh, learn, and leave ready to take your community’s results to the next level. Don't miss this session - GAME ON was one of the most popular and well attended sessions of 2025!

Track Sponsored By:

In today’s challenging senior living landscape, providers must identify innovative ways to strengthen care revenue while maintaining quality, transparency, and trust. This session explores the strategic use of tiered care models, in which residents are charged for baseline care readiness—even when daily care services are not actively utilized.
Attendees will examine how to ethically justify these models, balance financial sustainability with transparency, and implement tiered structures that support both profitability and resident satisfaction. The discussion will highlight practical strategies such as acuity-based pricing, care package bundling, and expanded wellness offerings that go beyond traditional care.
Participants will leave with actionable insights for navigating tight margins, optimizing care coordination, maintaining compliance, and ensuring residents continue to feel valued and well-supported within evolving care models.

Approximately 42% of residents in assisted living have a diagnosis of moderate to severe dementia, creating significant challenges in accurately identifying and managing pain. When residents are unable to self-report, how can organizations ensure pain assessment is accurate, consistent, and less dependent on subjective observation?
This session explores how two pioneering U.S. communities—The New Jewish Home (NY) and Oaknoll Retirement Residence (IA)—became the first North American providers to implement PainChek®, an AI-powered pain assessment tool originally developed in Australia. Attendees will examine the limitations of traditional observational scales and learn how AI-driven tools can improve pain detection, assessment accuracy, and clinical decision-making for non-verbal residents.
PainChek® combines automated facial recognition with structured digital checklists to identify pain behaviors, offering a more objective and consistent alternative to traditional methods. Through real-world implementation insights, attendees will learn about operational considerations and clinical outcomes, including improved pain management indicators and reductions in falls, frailty, and medication use.
This session also highlights findings from a multicenter study validating PainChek®, which formed the basis for an FDA regulatory submission. If cleared, PainChek® would become the first FDA-approved pain assessment application for individuals unable to reliably self-report pain, such as those living with dementia.

What if residents ran the community? That provocative question is at the heart of The Resident Takeover—a fresh, innovative look at how senior living organizations can flip the traditional script and place residents in the driver’s seat.
This session explores the Emery Place Resident Takeover case study and practical strategies for implementing resident-led leadership models, including advisory boards, co-created programming, and resident involvement in staff recruitment and training. Attendees will see how honoring residents as true partners can strengthen occupancy, improve satisfaction, and foster a culture of belonging that no marketing campaign alone can replicate.
The case study demonstrates how resident-led models can result in higher engagement, stronger alignment with the expectations of today’s and tomorrow’s aging population, improved satisfaction scores, increased occupancy, and revenue growth.
This is a vision of senior living that is not staff-driven, but resident-led.

Dementia and mental health conditions often coexist, amplifying the challenges faced by residents, families, and staff in senior living communities. While traditional pharmaceutical treatments offer limited relief, holistic approaches that address nutrition, activity, sleep, cognitive engagement, and emotional wellbeing—when paired with geriatric-informed medication management—have shown safer and more effective outcomes.
This session explores how senior living providers can integrate dementia care and mental health services into a unified, resident-centered framework. Attendees will learn practical strategies to support cognition, mood, and overall quality of life while reducing hospitalizations, improving staff satisfaction, and strengthening trust with families.
Designed for executive directors, clinical leaders, and operators, this session bridges evidence-based clinical insight with operational execution—equipping leaders to implement sustainable care models that improve outcomes, empower teams, and elevate the resident experience.

Federal policy is rapidly reshaping the future of senior living. Aging demographics, workforce constraints, and cost-of-living issues are converging at a moment when policymakers are actively searching for solutions to a growing long-term care crisis. Senior living must be at the table. Join Argentum’s Policy & Government Relations team for a comprehensive federal update and strategic discussion on how the industry is telling the story of senior living at the national level. This session will explore the latest legislative and regulatory developments, highlight progress in positioning senior living as a cost-effective, affordable, and person-centered solution to the nation’s long-term care challenges, and outline emerging opportunities for engagement from Washington, DC all the way to back to your communities.

Exclusively for Exhibitors and Sponsors.
Senior living is continuously evolving, and with that comes the need for owner/operators to purchase products and services to address business growth, market trends, and changing resident care dynamics. In this session created specifically for solution providers/vendors, executives from operators across the country will share their perspective on products they’re seeking, how economic conditions are impacting their budgeting process, and how solution providers can assist with their growth plans. This VIP panel discussion will be moderated by Argentum President/CEO James Balda, who also will share Argentum’s outlook for the senior living sector and the impact on solution providers.
Open to all exhibitors and sponsors representatives, including those with expo-only passes.

Today’s families expect more from senior living communities, and today’s seniors expect to age with greater agency—often while entering communities with higher levels of acuity. This session explores how operators can meet rising expectations while driving sustainable clinical and operational results.
Attendees will learn how the latest AI-powered platforms enable care teams to deliver better daily care, provide operators with actionable data to run more effective organizations, and support residents throughout their care journey. The discussion will highlight which AI technologies are currently available, easiest to implement, and most impactful—along with how they can scale seamlessly across both resident needs and organizational growth.
Panelists will examine how deeper wellness insights support more effective care planning, how predictive analytics improve operational efficiency and safety, and how integrated platforms are reshaping staffing, wellness, and risk management. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how AI innovation can raise the standard of care, extend resident tenure, and drive meaningful clinical and financial performance.

The senior living industry is well positioned to align with the growing value-based care (VBC) movement, which emphasizes improved outcomes, enhanced quality of life, and reduced avoidable healthcare costs. With its close connection to residents’ daily lives, senior living has a unique opportunity to advance VBC goals—particularly through social wellness, an often underutilized driver of clinical outcomes.
By embedding social engagement strategies into daily operations, care planning, and community culture, organizations can improve resident well-being, reduce isolation, and support key VBC objectives such as lowering hospitalizations and improving overall health outcomes. In this panel session, senior living leaders will share their perspectives on VBC, highlight proactive social wellness initiatives, and discuss measurable results achieved through these efforts.
Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for integrating social wellness into their organizations and positioning their communities as leaders in holistic, person-centered care within a value-based healthcare environment.

Providing care in senior living communities is a deeply human and complex responsibility, where incidents and challenges are sometimes unavoidable. When problems in delivery of care occur, senior living operators and staff start making choices: ignore, respond defensively, or adopt communication and resolution program (CRP). CRPs involve a structured and principled process for quickly identifying problems in care and ensuring the response is compassionate, transparent, and accountable. With CMS’s recent emphasis on patient safety measures, including requirements for CRP adoption in healthcare settings, senior living operators can expect that requirements to use the CRP approach is likely in the future.
While CRP may be appealing in theory, senior living executives may have questions and concerns about its use in their environment. In this presentation, industry and CRP experts will discuss how to adapt the CRP model to the senior living environment and learn from an operator about the real-world benefits from the successful implementation of CRP in their senior living communities. This session will place emphasis on one element of the CRP model that is effective communication with residents and families in the aftermath of harm events.

In the assisted living industry, employees are the heart of resident care — yet their own experiences often go underexamined. This session will offer an insightful look into the emotional, physical, and professional realities faced by team members in assisted living communities.
Drawing on real-world experiences, organizational assessments, and front-line feedback, this session will explore what it truly feels like to work in assisted living today — the challenges, the calling, the culture, and the critical areas for support and retention.
This session will place emphasis on one element of the CRP model—effective communication with residents and families in the aftermath of harm events—an area with important implications for executive leadership, trust, and organizational culture.

Track Sponsored By:


Senior living executives are under constant pressure to deliver occupancy growth while controlling costs and justifying marketing spend. Yet, many operators still face three major challenges: fragmented systems that limit visibility, inconsistent sales performance, and the inability to demonstrate clear ROI to ownership.
In this session, two operators will share how they partnered with Yardi and Further to tackle these challenges head-on. By unifying CRM and AI-driven sales and marketing tools, they transformed the way prospects were engaged and measured across the buyer journey. The result: higher lead-to-move-in conversion, stronger alignment between sales and marketing, and the ability to present clear, board-level reporting on marketing ROI and sales effectiveness.

Track Sponsored By:

The senior housing industry has experienced demographic shifts, new development challenges, rising costs, and changing consumer expectations. Senior housing is facing a $275 billion investment shortage across the country by 2030. This presents great opportunities and challenges for senior housing stakeholders. Sound decision making is paramount for seizing the opportunities and avoiding costly mistakes. For example: The industry relies on outdated statistics, such as 10–15% rent premiums, 3% annual rent growth, and antiquated lease-up windows, but current data indicates many communities are achieving higher rent premiums and stabilizing quickly. This highlights a need to recalibrate financial models to match current market absorption rates and rent premium potential. Operators can learn how to effectively harness data to sharpen decision-making, optimize pricing strategies, improve budgeting precision and strengthen competitive positioning. Attendees will learn how real-time, building-level insights empower operators to align with demand, reduce revenue risk, and capture opportunities that drive occupancy and margin growth. Senior housing operators are navigating one of the most competitive landscapes in the industry’s history. By combining market analytics with innovative pricing intelligence, operators can proactively address challenges, seize opportunities, and deliver value to residents, families, and stakeholders. This session will equip executives with actionable insights they can use immediately to strengthen their organization’s performance and competitive edge.

A dedicated networking break for senior living executives to connect with peers and engage with industry solution providers in the Expo Hall.

Join top executives from the senior living industry for a panel discussion on the trends shaping the future of senior living. During this session, industry leaders will share their perspectives on market shifts, workforce challenges, innovation, and evolving resident expectations. Gain firsthand knowledge of the strategies and priorities guiding top organizations and learn what’s on the horizon for senior living. Whether you're looking for leadership insights or a glimpse into the future of the industry, this session is a must-attend for anyone navigating today’s complex senior living landscape.

Session Sponsored By:

Begin the final day with a light breakfast bringing senior living executives together for focused peer connection and conversation.

What if the key to improving behavior, mood, sleep, and cognition in dementia care is not found in a new medication, but in restoring something that already lives within us? This session explores the critical role of circadian rhythms and how neurodegenerative diseases disrupt the brain’s internal clock.
Attendees will learn how disrupted rhythms contribute to common challenges like sundowning, agitation, and poor sleep. More importantly, they will discover how to rebuild these rhythms using daily routines, strategic activity timing, environmental cues, lighting, and sensory input.
This session blends current brain science with practical tools that can be applied immediately in any care setting. It challenges traditional care models and offers a refreshing perspective on how to create more predictable, calm, and engaging days for those living with dementia.
Whether you are a nurse, activity professional, or administrator, this session will change the way you view your daily schedule and empower your team to restore a rhythm that brings comfort and connection back into care.

Track Sponsored By:

Before you “Value Engineer” the project enhancements that could set your project apart and make a real difference for residents and staff, try taking a different approach. Too often, those details that could lead to a better end result are VE'd out of the plan. Join our diverse panel of industry experts to explore how to select the right enhancements for your project and make sure they actually have the desired impact on occupancy, resident satisfaction, operations, and revenue. Done right, the very things most likely to get cut can do more than just pay for themselves – they can make all the difference. They can bring new life and opportunities to an outdated community. And they can be the key differentiator for a new project entering a tight, competitive landscape. Learn how to identify and then pay for the right design differentiators …whether through faster ramp up, design offsets, cost savings, or ongoing revenue generation. We will review examples from the field from independent living to assisted living and memory care in both for-profit and not-for-profit settings.

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This session explores how intentional experience design can elevate every prospect visit and drive stronger sales outcomes. Attendees will learn practical strategies to personalize community tours and create memorable marketing events that resonate with prospects and families.
The discussion highlights how engaging the front desk, community leadership, frontline staff, and residents can create a cohesive, differentiated experience at every touchpoint. Participants will leave with actionable ideas to increase move-ins, shorten the sales cycle, and ensure every visit reflects the unique culture and value of their community.

Wildfires, hurricanes, floods, pandemics, power outages, and other emergency events can significantly impact senior living communities, residents, families, and staff. While immediate response is critical, leaders must also be prepared for the operational challenges that follow an emergency.
This session provides an overview of key considerations to help senior living leaders assess community risk, strengthen emergency preparedness, and prioritize response planning. Through an operational lens, attendees will explore recommendations that support continuity of care, communication, staffing, and recovery efforts before, during, and after an emergency event.
While geared primarily toward assisted living communities, this session will also be relevant for leaders in independent living and memory care, as well as clinicians and operations professionals responsible for emergency planning and response.

Take time to connect with fellow senior leaders, exchange insights, and build meaningful relationships during this dedicated executive networking break.

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The digital marketing landscape is experiencing a seismic shift as search engines evolve from traditional click-through models to AI-powered summary experiences. With Google's AI Overviews now appearing in over 13% of all search queries and reaching 1.5 billion monthly users globally, marketers must fundamentally rethink their strategies for the no-click era. This paradigm represents the transformation from "click to search" to "search to informed decision," where users receive comprehensive answers directly within search results before ever visiting a website. As search clicks have declined by 30% in the past year due to AI-driven features, businesses face the critical challenge of maintaining visibility and driving conversions in an environment where traditional organic traffic metrics are becoming obsolete. This session will explore how to optimize content for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), leverage structured data for AI Overview inclusion, and restructure advertising strategies to capture intent at the moment of discovery rather than after the click.

Falls remain a top risk and cost driver in senior living communities. With a growing number of fall detection technologies—Inspiron, SafelyYou, Sage, Vayyar, Teton, and others—operators face a crowded and often over-promised market. This panel gathers five senior living leaders to offer candid, real-world perspectives on what’s working, what’s not, and what communities should consider before investing.

Loneliness and social isolation are recognized as urgent global health challenges, and senior living communities are uniquely positioned to lead in creating solutions. At the heart of this movement is The Green Bench, a symbol of intergenerational connection and a catalyst for combating ageism.
This session is designed as an immersive viewing experience, inviting attendees to reflect on the power of storytelling, intergenerational connection, and resident voice. Attendees are invited to join the exclusive U.S. screening of *The Green Bench* documentary, produced in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Schlegel Villages’ #ElderWisdom campaign.
The 45-minute film follows residents as they return to their hometowns and dream destinations—St. John’s, Newfoundland; London & Brighton, England; Elmira, Ontario; and Ottawa, Ontario—sharing their stories, lived experiences, and wisdom with the community. These journeys are powerful reminders of purpose, belonging, and the untapped resource of elders’ voices.
Following the screening, Schlegel Villages leaders who traveled alongside residents will offer brief reflections on the journey and its meaning, setting the stage for deeper conversation in the companion discussion session.

In *Dementia Isn’t the Challenge: The 10 Commandments of Memory Care*, attendees will learn ten foundational principles designed to reduce behaviors across memory care settings. These concepts are simple for associates to remember, improve learning retention, and shift focus from what cannot be changed to what can be successfully improved. The session explores how applying these principles can reduce injury risk, improve safety, and create more supportive memory care environments. Designed to be practical and scalable, this framework helps leadership teams align staff around consistent approaches that improve outcomes for residents while strengthening confidence and effectiveness across care teams.

Discover how Vi transformed its approach to evaluating and improving the candidate experience by leveraging targeted tools and best practices—resulting in faster, more strategic hiring decisions.
A positive candidate and new hire experience is a critical driver of workforce success. When done well, it leads to larger applicant pools, shorter time-to-hire, stronger retention, improved productivity, and higher job satisfaction. Positive experiences also fuel referrals and strengthen employer brand through word-of-mouth and external reviews.
Conversely, a poor candidate experience can contribute to attrition, negative employer reviews, workforce disruption, and increased recruiting costs. This session explores how intentional candidate experience design can help organizations attract, engage, and retain talent while protecting and enhancing their employer brand.

Building on the themes and experiences highlighted in *The Green Bench* documentary, this facilitated discussion focuses on the leadership implications of storytelling, intergenerational connection, and resident voice in senior living.
Schlegel Villages leaders will engage attendees in a reflective conversation on how symbolic programs like the Green Bench can be translated into sustainable cultural practices. Discussion topics will include how storytelling and resident-led narratives can strengthen organizational culture, deepen engagement and belonging, and position senior living communities as leaders in social connection and public impact.
Designed for executive leaders, this session emphasizes application and translation—helping attendees identify practical ways to integrate storytelling, intergenerational programming, and community partnerships into their own organizations.