November 19-21, 2024

Sessions

Enrich your career with shared learning, inspiration, and exploration of new innovations and best practices in wellness.

 

7:00 a.m.–7:30 a.m.

Wake up with Wellness

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7:45 a.m.–8:45 a.m.

Building skills in memory care for improved care and outcomesAJ Cipperly

Focus on Teepa Snow’s approach to care philosophy and care partnering techniques in this interactive session. Delve into skills to help you shift from “dealing with behaviors” to creating a positive, caring environment for those living with cognitive impairments. Develop observational skills to recognize signals of “unmet needs and growing distress,” and cultivate hands-on skills to respond in a way that reduces anxiety.

You’ll be able to:

  • Describe the five sensory input and processing systems, highlighting the dominant role of vision, and the major differences between protective and discriminating sensation in each.
  • Demonstrate the Positive Physical Approach (PPA) and Hand Under Hand (HUH) care partnering techniques in everyday situations.
  • Describe effective combinations of multimodal helping techniques, emphasizing use of preserved abilities.

Faculty: AJ Cipperly, BS, MEd, National Memory Care Director, Eclipse Senior Living.
CEUs

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Music for All: Promoting wellness through community music-makingMary Knysh

Music for All is a participatory program that promotes music-making as a means to enhance social, emotional, cognitive and physical wellness. This program builds community, connection and communication through interactive musical creation. Learn the key components of music for wellness programs and explore ways to lead engaging, fun and accessible activities designed for older adults and intergenerational groups in healthcare, assisted living and community settings. This interactive session will feature music-making with body percussion, instruments and voice. No prior musical experience necessary.

You’ll be able to:

  • Lead simple breath, voice and movement icebreakers designed to establish basic rhythmic skills, initiate trust and improve the group’s focus, concentration and relaxation.
  • Facilitate and/or lead three music activities that support the five core elements of wellness: a sense of identity, belonging, value, purpose and joy activities.
  • Apply the six primary facilitator cues to lead improvisational rhythmic activities designed to promote nonverbal communication, adaptability, increased self-expression and group connection with clients, groups and communities.

Faculty: Mary Knysh, Founder, Rhythmic Connections; Program Director, Music for People; professional musician and international author.
CEUs

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Inspire programs with four dimensions to grow a wellness cultureTheresa Perry, Andrea Powell & Kimberly Huff

Two proven programs bring to life the wellness culture of Acts Retirement-Life Communities. Residents from all levels of living take part in a monthly, two-day event preparing and serving a meal at a soup kitchen through “A Servant Heart,” a spiritual and vocational wellness program. Discover how this program was created, piloted and shared, and leave with a how-to manual. To engage social and intellectual dimensions, Wellness Chats have been led by in-house staff monthly in all communities over the past three years. Learn how chats are created, shared and presented plus modified with personal touches.

You’ll be able to:

  • Explain how vocational and spiritual wellness can provide a sense of purpose for residents.
  • Organize an intellectual program that utilizes multidepartment collaboration.
  • Implement procedures for using available resources to effectively present a community-wide or companywide program of Wellness Chats.

Faculty: Theresa Perry, BS, MBA, RD, Corporate Director of Wellness, Andrea Powell, Life Engagement Director, and Kimberly Huff, MS, CSCS Director of Fitness and Wellness, Acts Retirement-Life Communities.
CEUs

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Environmental wellness, sustainable happiness and the MOGO principleMargie Pacher

Research links individual well-being to the well-being of other people, all species and the environment—which has been defined as sustainable happiness. The MOGO (most good least harm) principle is a tool to share environmental topics in a creative, informed way. It can build residents’ reverence for nature and motivate them to explore environmental concepts, develop solutions and take purpose-driven daily actions. Learn research on sustainable happiness, participate in an activity exploring an environmental issue, explore how to use MOGO in lesson planning, develop an action plan to present environmental wellness topics and promote ecologically responsible behaviors in independent living.

You’ll be able to:

  • Discuss environmental wellness, sustainable happiness and the link between individual well-being and the well-being of other people, all species and the environment.
  • Apply the MOGO (most good least harm) principle to lesson plans.
  • Develop an action plan for presenting environmental wellness topics and promoting more ecologically responsible behaviors within independent living communities.

Faculty: Margie Pacher, MEd, Regional Wellness Coordinator, RehabCare.
CEUs

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What is artificial intelligence and how does it impact senior living today?David Sawyer

Some of the biggest industry challenges are being solved with predictive technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools. Learn how to use AI tools to determine which prospects to focus on, why a prospect chose your community over others, and which workflows and tools will provide the most value to staff members. Also learn the definition of AI and how AI helps communities and organizations operate more effectively. Examine the differences between automation, data mining, predictive analytics and business intelligence and explore how they are being leveraged in senior living.

You’ll be able to:

  • See how real-time data can produce real results in reshaping and improving the resident experience and create better bonds and stronger connections within the community.
  • Demonstrate to sales and marketing teams how AI tools can narrow their searches to the prospects with the highest potential of moving in.
  • Recognize what technology exists to make strategic, key business decisions.

Faculty: David Sawyer, Founder and CEO, TSOLife.
CEUs

Dying Well–Good grief. Let’s talk about itDiane Doster & Stephanie Ludwig

Conversations about death are often taboo. Yet people die and more grieve, often under suboptimal conditions. What if we embraced the reality that no one is here forever? What if we invited healthy conversation and considerations for a beautiful exit strategy? What is the wellness department’s role in supporting emotional and physical well-being as it relates to grief and loss? As quoted in the Global Wellness Summit’s “2019 Global Wellness Trends,” “Everything around dying is getting radically rethought,” from making the experience more humane, to mourning and funerals being reimagined, to people exploring death as part of a mentally healthy life. Finally, a “better death” is becoming integral to a “well life.”

You’ll be able to:

  • Review global trends and statistics around the “death positive” movement
  • Explore potential programmatic solutions for dying well and grief support
  • Take away best practices for both dying well and grief support

Faculty: Diane Doster, MS, Founder and Chief Relevance Officer, Project Relevance, and Cochair, Global Wellness Institute’s Dying Well Initiative; and Stephanie Ludwig, MDiv, MA, PhD, Resorts Director of Spirituality, Canyon Ranch. | CEUs

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Simplified tai chi for your less mobile residentsDianne Bailey & Jim Bailey

A tai chi class is wonderful to include in fitness programming as it improves balance, reduces stress, challenges the brain’s executive functioning and provides a social experience for participants. Some older adults may be intimidated by tai chi, however, especially if they have to stand for long periods of time. Learn how to utilize a simple form of tai chi to make this gentle form of exercise accessible to people of all activity levels. Explore seated modifications for this form so those with limited mobility can participate.

You’ll be able to:

  • Discuss the history and purpose of tai chi.
  • Describe the underlying principles that drive the benefits of tai chi.
  • Recall the simplified eight-movement form with seated modifications.

Faculty: Dianne Bailey, BBA, CSCS, Creator, and Jim Bailey, BS, MA, Instructor, Open the Door to Tai Chi.
CEUs

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Great regressions: Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forwardLibby Norris & Ruth Parliament

Review foundations, including the continuum of movement progression, along with the evolving demographics of current and potential members and participants. Program design is based upon foundation movement patterns that support daily living, including pushing and pulling, rising and lowering, and rotation and locomotion. Review common core exercises and explore how to step back and move forward with modifications and progressions one layer at a time.

You’ll be able to:

  • Provide an inclusive group exercise experience that modifies exercises to address individual needs based on mobility, stability, balance and strength.
  • Plan progressive programs that offer variety and fun, support activities of daily living and improve postural and structural integrity.
  • Add exercise options for the broadest ranges of participants in a group exercise setting.

Faculty: Libby Norris, BA, Fitness Manager, City of Mississauga; and Ruth Parliament, BSc, MA, Faculty, American School of Tangier.
CEUs

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9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.

ICAA GENERAL SESSION
The new age of aging: A holistic view of life’s Third AgeKen Dychtwald

This special briefing for International Council on Active Aging members will feature new, cutting-edge ideas and forecasts from Dr. Ken Dychtwald, Age Wave CEO, ICAA INSPIRE Award recipient and author of the new book What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life’s Third Age. Dychtwald will share insights from Age Wave’s just completed study, “The Four Pillars of the New Retirement.” This groundbreaking survey examines the new hopes, fears and challenges of what it means to live longer today—including the impact of COVID-19 on people’s dreams and plans. See page xx for a full description.

Faculty: Ken Dychtwald, PhD, Founder and CEO, Age Wave; psychologist, gerontologist, best-selling author of 17 books, and 2018 ICAA INSPIRE Award recipient.
CEUs

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10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

ICAA VIRTUAL EXPO

Discover new technologies, equipment and services to support multidimensional wellness from providers committed to meeting the industry’s needs. View demonstrations and ask exhibitors questions in this live virtual session. Enjoy “real world”-type interaction and make purchasing decisions from the comfort and safety of your home or office.

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12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.

Boost your programming from silo shows to community-wide performancesPeggy Buchanan, Jennifer Leggett & Dani Tervo-Shiffman

Explore ways to develop campus-wide life enrichment programming that combats the disconnection and “silo-ing” that often exists between levels of care. Receive a blueprint to create “play with age” activities. Be inspired to add more variety, interest and energy to create “happenings.” Explore how to spark more resident-driven events and upcycling traditional programs. Reshape life-enrichment programming and ensure activities stay popular, playful and progressive. Discover how to put residents “back to work” by adding relevance to community living and integrating wellness dimensions. This presentation will enlighten, engage and entertain those seeking new ideas for lifestyle programming while using outcomes for promotion.

You’ll be able to:

  • Determine the building blocks to create collaborative programming across the continuum of care.
  • Create a strategy to change the organizational mindset, allowing a paradigm shift for inclusive programming.
  • Assemble a toolkit of ideas to support “cross care” programming.

Faculty: Peggy Buchanan, MA, Founder, ProActive Aging: Innovative WELLth Management; and Jennifer Leggett, Resident Life Director, and Dani Tervo-Shiffman, BA, MS, Campus Wellness Coordinator, Covenant Living at Samarkand.
CEUs

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LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Strategic steps to ensure wellness succeeds while redefining agingKelly Stranburg & Verna Chisman

Learn from personal experiences of two industry veterans about how to ensure your wellness program’s success. Discuss prioritizing wellness within your organizational chart, recategorizing and relabeling types of programming, identifying opportunities to maximize benefits of resident-managed programs, and building relationships with residents and staff that support wellness initiatives. Explore the value of objective-based committees and how best to establish them. Participate in a breakout exercise to discuss the idea of redefining aging and how this effort directly impacts wellness programming and initiatives. Share ideas about the need to develop a vocabulary indicative of Boomers while embracing whole-person wellness.

You’ll be able to:

  • Share the ROI of implementing innovative wellness programs to leadership personnel to cultivate full support of the initiative and complete understanding of why wellness programming is critical.
  • Use a metric-based tool to assess and determine ongoing success of wellness programming in order to review effectiveness and make adjustments to meet goals and objectives.
  • Develop new and thoughtful language for the meaning of “wellness” in our evolving industry. Redefining aging!

Faculty: Kelly Stranburg, MS, CEP, CSCS, Wellness Director, Mather; and Verna Chisman, BBA, President, Allure and Wellness Management Services.
CEUs

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LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Living Well, Aging Well: A senior center model of integrating well-beingSue Horst, Crystal Booth & Jill Spezzano

Experience an innovative, replicable model of integrated service used by the San Francisco Senior Center, the oldest nonprofit senior center in the United States. Learn how to use a center’s resources to cultivate a person-centered approach and hear how communities of caring thrive using these techniques, even in at-risk, diverse settings. See how professionally developed data tools, outcome measures and evaluation procedures validate the role centers play in helping participants age well and in place. Discover how staff and volunteers used focus groups and participant feedback to develop the Living Well, Aging Well model.

You’ll be able to:

  • Change from a center with classes and programs to an intentional community supporting personal multidimensional growth and well-being for older adults.
  • Utilize data and measurement tools to support your work and seek new partners and new funding.
  • Explore current research literature regarding self-determined well-being.

Faculty: Sue Horst, MS, Director, Crystal Booth, MA, Supervisor–Downtown Center, and Jill Spezzano, BSW, Social Services Director–Aquatic Park Branch, San Francisco Senior Center, a Community Service of Sequoia Living.
CEUs

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Disrupting ageist nutrition advice to live well and age wellNgaire Hobbins

Nutrition needs must form the cornerstone of programs designed to boost activity and advance wellness, independence and capacity. Much popular or public health nutrition advice is ageist—appropriate for younger adults but potentially unhelpful or even damaging for older adults. In particular, the protein requirement for adults over 70 is at least 20% higher than for 50-year-olds. And weight loss, even in overweight adults, can have potentially catastrophic consequences due to loss of lean body mass and the impacts on immune capability, wound repair, cognition and physical ability. Learn about older adults’ unique nutrition needs. Take away practical, age-appropriate strategies to maximize physical and mental function in older people.

You’ll be able to:

  • Recognize where popular health and eating advice may not be appropriate for older people.
  • Discuss the basics of older adults’ unique nutrition needs.
  • Offer some basic, sensible eating advice to older clients to ensure they get the most from their physical activity as they age.

Faculty: Ngaire Hobbins, APD, BSc, Dip. Nutrition and Diet, aged care consultant, and dietitian in aging and brain health.
CEUs

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How music and technology are elevating cognitive careAndrew Tubman

Go on a musical journey that will reveal the science and business behind active music-making and how it can help providers meet the needs of a wide variety of residents, including those with dementia, Parkinson’s disease and low vision. Learn how music and technology can elevate purposeful programming while providing better outcomes for residents, marketing opportunities, brand differentiation, and resident and family satisfaction.

You’ll be able to:

  • Discuss the science behind how music impacts neurological, physical and emotional health.
  • Articulate at least three best practices when implementing top-tier musical care to colleagues.
  • Analyze the options available in senior care for implementing and scaling musical care.

Faculty: Andy Tubman, MT-BC, Cofounder and Chief Clinical Officer, Musical Health Technologies.
CEUs

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Wellness university: Training your staff for wellness successBrittany Austin & Morgan Monroe

Learn how to successfully onboard and train new wellness employees and how to educate all staff members on the value and importance of wellness. Explore strategies for training and the benefits of a multilevel training system for new employees as well as support mechanisms to ensure the success of the wellness program.

You’ll be able to:

  • Train a new wellness employee successfully and provide continuous support, regardless of the size of an organization.
  • Educate other team members and staff successfully regarding wellness programs to ensure a cohesive approach to helping residents age in place.
  • Implement strategies and support systems for new employees through a multilevel training approach to ensure all wellness employees are set up for success.

Faculty: Brittany Austin, BS, MBA, National Wellness Director, and Morgan Monroe, BS, MS, Wellness Coordinator, RehabCare PLUS.
CEUs

The 12-minute solution: Four fast-paced presentations

Technology-enabled engagement: Now more than ever
Faculty: Susan Tournie, Vice President, iN2L

SITT: Test. Train. Track.
Faculty: Carmen Fox, NuStep Product Marketing Manager

Understanding the aspirational wellness goals of everyone in your community
Faculty: Melissa Weston, Vice President – Global Commercial Excellence and Chris Lee Senior Marketing Manager

Score a 10 on resident engagement
Faculty: Sara Kyle, Principal Consultant, LE3 Solutions and Deb Citrin, Vice President of Marketing, Eversound

STOTT PILATES® Armchair Pilates® PlusLaureen DuBeau

The STOTT PILATES® biomechanical principles address a variety of postural and functional concerns and can be used as the basis for any movement or exercise program. Individuals with limited mobility can discover the benefit and simple application of these principles to exercise variations done in a seated position. Starting with the importance of breath, learn movements that span the entire body and look at individual areas and the connection to the whole. A Flex-Band exerciser is incorporated to develop greater focus and awareness, while increasing muscle tone and joint range of motion.

You’ll be able to:

  • Articulate how the STOTT PILATES biomechanical principles affect activation and performance of the whole body. Discuss movement essence and exercise goals for a specialized population.
  • Recall how STOTT PILATES exercise variations can benefit individuals with restricted mobility and how to modify for this clientele.
  • Explain how the Flex-Band exerciser can assist movement performance and create peripheral and core resistance.

Faculty: Laureen DuBeau, BFA, Master Instructor Trainer, Merrithew™.
CEUs

Introducing high-intensity training to older adultsMatthew Barresi, Richard Cormack & Brittany Wisinski

A growing body of research supports the health benefits of high-intensity fitness training for people of all ages, including older adults. Review current research supporting the benefits for older adults and learn how to safely and effectively implement a high-intensity exercise program for older clients with various abilities. Find out how to provide safe modifications for all participants. Explore the use of RPE (ratings of perceived exertion) and specific cueing to help participants achieve appropriate intensity levels. Also, learn about different types of high-intensity training that are appropriate for older adults.

You’ll be able to:

  • Explain the current research that shows positive benefits for older adults participating in high-intensity exercise programs.
  • Recall how to lead a high-intensity exercise class/program specifically designed for older adults.
  • Identify necessary modifications to keep participants of various fitness levels and abilities safe during high-intensity exercise classes.

Faculty: Matthew Barresi, BA, MS, Director of Fitness and Wellness, Richard Cormack, NASM, Personal Training Coordinator, and Brittany Wisinski, BS, MS, Fitness and Aquatics Instructor, Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge.
CEUs

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Exercise for brain healthJackie Russell & David Zid

Experience how exercise can rewire the brain, promote wellness, and may positively impact the progression of neurologic age-related changes. Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to create new circuits, may drive positive functional and cognitive changes in people with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and age-related memory and cognitive loss. Exercise enhances this neuroplastic response. Learn about the importance of structured sessions of high-intensity aerobic training followed by goal-based task-specific exercise using quality repetition. Discover in this interactive session the recipe for success to create a group exercise program for older adults using aerobic exercise, eccentric strength training, balance, focused functional mobility practice, with memory/cognitive and dual tasking challenges.

You’ll be able to:

  • Discuss the importance of regular aerobic exercise to the preservation of brain health, memory and cognition and neurologic diseases.
  • Describe how exercise may enhance the process of neuroplasticity and the brain’s ability to develop new circuits.
  • Identify components of a successful recipe for an exercise program to preserve brain wellness across the aging continuum.

Faculty: Jackie Russell, RN, BSN, CNOR, Cofounder and Program Development Coordinator, and David Zid, BA, ACE, APG, Cofounder and Director of Movement Disorder Wellness, OhioHealth Delay the Disease™.
CEUs

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1:15 p.m.–2:00 p.m.

IDEA EXCHANGE AND/OR EXCLUSIVE EXHIBITOR CONSULTATIONS

Join your colleagues for idea-sharing sessions on how you have pivoted to address our new reality in “Idea Rooms,” a great way to take advantage of the one-to-one exchanges that are a primary benefit of a conference. Enter the room featuring the topic that interests you and share your own knowledge and experiences at the same time you learn from peers. Meet new people in an informal setting, relay your experiences and come away with lots of ideas to implement in the weeks to come. Topics to be determined.

You can also use this time for a free one-on-one consultation with your chosen exhibitors. Bring your blueprint or floor plan, product requirements and purchasing needs to discuss with these experts.

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