2025 Assisted Living & Residential Care Conference (MO)

2025 Assisted Living & Residential Care Conference (KS)

Assisted Living: Growth Trends for the Future

Course Description:

Once heralded as “the alternative to nursing homes”, assisted living has undergone considerable transformation over the last 30 years. Initial emphases around residential models with minimal supports have been gradually displaced. Resident acuity has grown and aging in place has become increasingly important. The number of assisted living customers in America is expected to double over the next 15 years, but tomorrow’s assisted living customer is not today’s assisted living customer. This session will explore the rapidly expanding opportunity and market for assisted living, how the assisted living model is likely to further evolve and change in both the near and long-term, and what operators should be thinking about as they position for future success.

Objectives:

• Summarize the evolution of assisted living care and services over the last 30 years.

• Explain key trends and market forces shaping the future of assisted living.

• Outline essential steps operators should consider to adapt and prepare for future change.

Faculty:

Andy Edeburn | Elder Dynamics

Andy Edeburn is an accomplished healthcare advisor and thought leader with more than 20 years of healthcare consulting experience, specializing in acute, post-acute, and senior care services. Over the course of his career, he has advised nearly 250 organizations in 43 states across a diverse range of issues. Andy guides organizations through strategic thinking and planning efforts, partnering and collaboration, population health readiness, board and governance development, community-based care models, and market analysis and research services. He is a sought-after speaker, facilitator, and author on a range of topics. Prior to founding Elder Dynamics, Andy served as a principal in Premier’s Strategy, Innovation and Population Health Advisory Practice, as a vice president with GE Healthcare Camden Group in Los Angeles, California, and led the consulting practice area for continuum strategy and integration engagements at Health Dimensions Group in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services: Regulatory Breakout

Course Description:

This presentation will review the current regulatory field for state license only adult care homes in Kansas including frequently cited tags, common non-compliance misconceptions, introductions to state licensure and regulatory team. It will also cover several licensure, certification and enforcement topics including: initial licensure, change of information, change of ownership, management companies, enforcement remedies, closure, discharge reporting and continue care retirement communities. Objectives:

• Attendees will have a better understanding of minimum adult care home regulatory expectations

• Attendees will have knowledge of the Kansas Organizations Tracking Application (KOTA).

• Attendees will be given contact information for state regulatory and licensure teams and understand how to contact the KDADS with questions and concerns.

Faculty:

Lacey Hunter, Commissioner Survey, Certification & Credentialing Commission | Kansas Department of Aging & Disability Services

Lacey began working for the KDADS as the Licensure and Certification Enforcement Manager in 2017 during which time she also became the state’s PEAK liaison and Sunflower Connect coordinator. Prior to her work at KDADS, Lacey was a licensed operator in the State of Kansas and the Executive Director of an assisted living community. Lacey has 13 years of customer service experience in addition to eight years of management and leadership experience as well as 5 years within the public health sector. She has served as a leader both inside and outside of her professional career through serving for and with various organizations. Lacey earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University in 2010 with a major in marketing and minor in management. Lacey reports to Deputy Secretary of Hospitals and Facilities Scott Brunner and serves on the KDADS leadership team as well as various committees. Lacey works closely with her team to create and enforce regulatory compliance for various licensure categories overseen by the commission and has a dedication for creating systems and process to better serve the people of Kansas.

Garden of Eatin’: Creating a Culinary Culture in Your Dining Program

Course Description:

In today’s world of long-term care, a community’s dining program is often the deciding factor when it comes to a resident selecting their future home in a care community. And despite the dining program being an integral part of growing resident census, it is often an overlooked and underappreciated department. Together we will look at how and why creating a culinary culture in your community can enhance your resident and staff satisfaction and the steps you can take to implement a successful dining experience.

Objectives:

• Discover the importance of meeting your residents’ food needs and rituals.

• Implement a successful dining program in your community.

• Engage your residents and staff in a collaborative dining program.

Faculty:

Amanda Marsh, RDN LD | Martin Bros. Distributing

Amanda Marsh is the Missouri Nutrition and Dining Strategist at Martin Brothers Distributing Co., Inc. She received a Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics from Illinois State University and completed her dietetic internship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Prior to joining Martin Bros., Amanda worked as a long-term care dietitian for over 10 years before transitioning into a marketing role, working with school, health clinics, and the local media on behalf of the agricultural industry. Amanda is a certified personal trainer and enjoys connecting nutritional and physical health. At Martin Bros., she supports healthcare customers through menu development, education, and training. Amanda also partners with organizations throughout the state of Missouri to coordinate continuing education events.

Creating a Cohesive team: Building Trust, Managing Expectations, and Working Together

Course Description:

To explore best practices in supporting family members of senior living residents to build trust, manage expectations, and create a team that works together for the benefit of the resident. Family members advocating for the well-being of their loved one in senior living is necessary and encouraged, especially for the residents who cannot fully participate in their own care. However, there may come a point when a family member has unrealistic expectations of the senior living staff. In this session, an expert in family support services will impart best practices in respectful and transparent communication, and how to work collaboratively with family care partners.

Objectives:

• Establish and maintain the expectations of family members and the senior living community.

• Understand how to actively listen to families and recognize best ways to respond.

• Coach community staff to recognize best courses of interaction and procedure to work with family members.

Faculty:

Jaime Cobb Tinsley & Hollie Glover, MA, LPC, NCC | James L. West Center for Dementia Care

Jaime Cobb Tinsley, Certified Alzheimer’s Educator and Montessori Dementia Care Professional, serves as the Vice President of Dementia and Caregiver Education at the James L. West Center for Dementia Care. With a degree in Integrated Marketing Communication from Abilene Christian University and over 17 years of experience working with individuals living with dementia and their families, Jaime is a dedicated advocate for enhancing quality of life and promoting caregiver empowerment. At the West Center, Jaime has spearheaded the development and implementation of groundbreaking programs designed to improve outcomes for families navigating dementia. Her innovative approaches blend compassion with evidence-based practices, providing support and education that truly make a difference. Jaime also champions collaborative training models to prepare current and future healthcare professionals for excellence in dementia care. A recognized leader in her field, Jaime is a Certified Independent Positive Approach to Care™ Trainer, a Master Trainer for Dementia Live®, and the Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers™.

Hollie Glover, MA, LPC, NCC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, at the James L. West Center for Dementia Care in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the Director of Education and Family Support Services. She facilitates the center's family support groups and is involved in and writes many of the numerous education services provided by the center. Hollie has been recognized as a national and statewide speaker on topics such as Dementia, Hospice, Grief, Trauma Informed Care, and Professional and Caregiver Stress. One of the highlights of her career includes getting to meet and speak before First Lady Rosalynn Carter and Senator Elizabeth Dole. She has also written a therapy to be used with patients at the end of life, that focuses on the individual needs of the person and their family. Her passion is educating the public and helping families who have a loved one diagnosed with dementia.

Authentic Leadership

Course Description:

Join us for an inspiring and energetic one hour keynote that will ignite your journey towards discovering your authentic leadership style. In this dynamic presentation, we will explore the power of authenticity in leadership and how it can transform not only your professional life but also those around you. This session will give you the opportunity to learn more about yourself and who you are as a leader and who you want to be, because when you lead authentically, you'll inspire others to do the same!

Objectives:

• Learn and practice easy to follow attainable tools to help you uncover more about yourself and your authentic leadership style.

• Understand how bringing your authentic self every day impacts your team and will help create a healthy work culture.

• Develop an understanding of the key principles and actionable steps for building resilience and maintain emotional well-being.

Faculty:

Julie Thorson | Friendship Haven

Julie graduated from the University of Kansas, majoring in journalism. After a couple of years working in the broadcast journalism field, Julie returned to her hometown and began her career at Friendship Haven as a part-time social worker. Her love for working with senior adults caused her to shift her career goals to long-term care, where she now has worked since 1999. She is currently in her 13th year as the organization’s CEO. Julie’s passion is leadership and coaching. She has received training from several sources, including the LeadingAge Leadership Academy, LeadingAge Educator Program, and LeadingAge Iowa Leadership Academy. In addition to the leadership programs she has developed and leads for Friendship Haven, she has also served as coach/mentor for both LeadingAge and LeadingAge Iowa and is currently a facilitator for the LeadingAge Iowa Leadership Academy. Along with her involvement in these industry associations, Julie has also provided coaching/mentoring services to other long-term care organizations as well as other community businesses. She is also a certified REAL COLORS facilitator. Julie has received several leadership awards, including the 2018 LeadingAge Dr. Herbert Shore Outstanding Mentor of the Year award. She also received the LeadingAge Iowa Outstanding Mentor Award in 2015. As a monthly blog contributor to McKnight’s Senior Living online magazine, her “Living Leadership” blog was named the Best New Department Bronze Award winner by the American Society of Health Publication Editors.

Creating Service Opportunities for Individuals Living with Dementia

Course Description:

Individuals living with dementia have often lived full, rich lives making contributions through their careers and community service. Day programs that offer group service projects provide opportunities to rekindle that sense of purpose. Although their skills may have been affected by changing health, working on service projects is an opportunity to build up wellbeing in individuals living with dementia. Attendees will learn best practices for service projects that can be performed in a group setting. Understand how bringing your authentic self every day impacts your team and will help create a healthy work culture.

Objectives:

• Attendees will develop an understanding of the Respite For All (RFA) Model of respite programming.

• Attendees will learn best practices for service projects that can be performed in a group setting.

• Attendees will consider strategies for fulfilling residents’ desires/needs to give back to their community.

Faculty:

Daphne Johnston | Respite for All Foundation

Daphne Johnston is executive director of the Respite for All Foundation (RFA), a nonprofit based in Montgomery, Alabama, that she co-founded in 2018 to promote a sustainable, volunteer-based model of respite program that supports individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. The RFA model was recognized by the U.S. Administration on Aging as an innovative initiative for dementia in 2016 and 2019 and won the coveted Anne and Irving Brodsky Innovation Grant from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in 2021. The inspiration for the RFA began in 2012 when Johnston drew on her 15-year background in senior living administration to establish a volunteer-based respite ministry at a church in Montgomery, Alabama, to serve individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers, and over the next ten years, this initial respite community logged 100,000 volunteer hours. By forging a link with faith-based communities to recruit and train the volunteers, Johnston realized the model could easily be replicated in other locations, and she joined with a caregiver in the original program to establish the RFA and expand the model through education, training and shared best practices. Johnston has a master’s in gerontology and is the author of Reclaiming Joy Together, a guidebook for “why and how” to begin an RFA community.

Kansas State Fire Marshal: Regulatory Breakout

Course Description:

In today’s breakout session, I will explain the code requirements for Assisted Living facilities, where to find them, and how to work within those requirements to provide a safe environment for your residents. I will go over some of the frequently cited violations found by KSFM staff during inspections and how you can avoid having them cited at your facility. I will also touch on some of the resources available on the KSFM website and how to utilize our Code Consultation Form to ask code and compliance related questions.

Objectives:

• Identify applicable code requirements and where to find them.

• Recognize the importance of keeping organized maintenance records for review during KSFM inspections.

• Utilize the KSFM website resources to aid with code compliance and questions.

Faculty:

Rachel Martin | Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal

Rachel Martin has lived in Kansas most of her life, and has spent 25 years in public service, starting in law enforcement before coming to the Kansas State Fire Marshal. She started her career with KSFM in 2015, working as an inspector and enforcement officer and is now an NFPA certified fire and life safety inspector. In July 2024, Rachel became the KSFM code compliance officer and education consultant. She is excited to share her fire code knowledge with facilities throughout the state and work towards a safer Kansas.

Residency Agreements: Strategies for Avoiding Pitfalls

Course Description:

This presentation will focus on residency agreements in assisted living and residential care settings and provide strategies for avoiding common pitfalls related to those agreements. Presenters Brooke Bennett Aziere and Amanda M. Wilwert will walk attendees through key provisions that should and shouldn’t be included in residency agreements and discuss how the agreements protect the organization. They will also dive into tricky issues such as how to communicate the content of the agreements to residents, involuntary discharges, and the importance of sticking to the terms of the agreements.

Objectives:

• Understand key provisions to include in residency agreements.

• Recognize the importance of following the provisions of the residency agreements.

• Identify common issues with residency agreements and communicating the terms of such agreements with residents and their families.

Faculty:

Brooke Bennett Aziere & Amanda M. Wilwert | Foulston Siefkin LLP

Partner Brooke Bennett Aziere leads Foulston Siefkin LLP’s healthcare law practice group. She represents a broad range of healthcare providers including long-term care facilities, delivering counsel on matters including regulatory issues, compliance, state licensure, patient care issues, and Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. She frequently speaks and writes on healthcare topics.

Partner Amanda M. Wilwert is a member of Foulston Siefkin LLP’s healthcare law practice group. She represents a broad range of healthcare providers including skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. She regularly counsels providers on healthcare regulatory matters, compliance, conditions of participation, state licensure, resident issues, and Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.

Art Exploration with the Aging Community Using Visual Thinking Strategies

Course Description:

We think about making art as good for our brain and mood. Looking at and engaging with art also stimulates the brain’s creation of the “feel good” chemical dopamine and the neurotransmitter serotonin. This session will introduce you to Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) an interactive, facilitated looking exercise with art. VTS sessions are successful with people at varying cognitive levels because it is participation “in the moment” with a long-lasting sense of well-being. These discussions do not require any knowledge of art from the participants or the facilitators. We will experience the looking activity, breakdown its structure and identify successful images to use in a discussion.

Objectives:

• Summarize the mental and social benefits of art looking with the aging community.

• Demonstrate the correct use of Visual Thinking Strategies questions and language.

• Compare a suitable image to a non-suitable image for Visual Thinking Strategies.

Faculty:

Kim Richards | Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art

Kim Richards has been engaging with visitors at the Beach Museum of Art for 17 years. Her passion for museum education began in a docent position. Richards has been the Beach Museum of Art’s Lead Gallery Teacher since 2012 connecting with visitors ranging from pre-K to Older Adults. She is a trained Visual Thinking Strategies facilitator and has been using VTS with all age groups and special audiences for 11 years. Specifically working with the Memory Program at Meadowlark Hills Retirement Community providing programs and as a member of their Memory Leadership Team.

Strut Your Stuff: Strategies for Excellent AL Marketing in the Digital Age

Course Description:

This session will touch on several points in a prospect's journey where your marketing can help create a better experience for your AL Audience.

Objectives:

• SEO and how on-site and off-site tactics can help improve search performance.

• Paid Media and which tools to use to target AL audiences

• Content that meets prospective residents where they are in their decision process.

• Reporting that provides actionable data and informs budget decisions.

Faculty:

Steve Howell | Experience Fresh

Steve Howell is Chief Revenue Officer and partner at Experience Fresh, a full-service marketing agency based in the beautiful and historic city of St. Louis. He is also the founder of an AI startup developing chat interfaces for more intelligent lead generation and lead management. He previously served as VP of Marketing for Aline, a leading software provider in senior living. His career spans 20 years in marketing, PR, and advertising agencies with an emphasis on digital assets and serving brands as diverse as Alaska Airlines, ExxonMobil, Triumph Motorcycles, and Alcon Pharmaceuticals. He began his long association with technology as co-founder of a company delivering the first live streaming video of wildlife to National Geographic and Discovery Online. Steve earned his bachelor's at Missouri State and his MBA at Washington University in St. Louis. His happy place is canoeing with his wife and two golden retrievers.