Enhancing wellness: How community engagement and volunteerism strengthen programmingStephanie Martin & Shelby Johnston
This session will demonstrate how community engagement and resident contributions can expand and enhance wellness opportunities. GEF Seniors Housing houses over 4,000 low- to moderate-income older adults in Calgary, Alberta. Since mid-2023, its volunteer program has seen an 800% increase in volunteers and an approximate 750% rise in volunteer hours. Partnerships with community and corporate groups have grown similarly. Explore real-world examples that demonstrate how collaborations between volunteers and community groups can transform wellness delivery.
You’ll be able to:
Analyze current wellness programming to identify areas that could be enhanced by community partnerships, volunteers or intergenerational connections.
Develop a practical action plan for building community partnerships that support the seven dimensions of wellness, using real examples and frameworks shared in the session.
Implement strategies for integrating community engagement into wellness delivery, including ways to involve volunteers, community groups, corporate teams and intergenerational partners to complement staff roles and strengthen impact.
Faculty: Stephanie Martin, BKin, Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager, and Shelby Johnston, BKin, Life Enrichment Manager, GEF Seniors Housing. CEUs
Speaking the language of dementiaCara Skrypchuk
People living with dementia often know what they want to say but can’t access the words. Traditional communication that relies on questions, explanations or reasoning unintentionally creates stress, frustration and withdrawal. Practice brain-based dementia communication strategies, learning how to reduce pressure and preserve dignity. Guided activities will demonstrate what word-finding loss feels like and introduce practical skills you can use immediately in care interactions. This session’s experiential learning approach helps professionals feel the problem, helping to prompt changes in communication patterns.
You’ll be able to:
Demonstrate dementia-appropriate communication techniques, such as replacing common questions with supportive statements and “tell me” prompts that reduce pressure and frustration during daily interactions.
Utilize gestures and visual cues paired with simple, calm language to improve comprehension, support choice-making and preserve dignity for people living with dementia.
Identify language patterns that increase stress, such as reasoning, correcting and rushing; and develop an action plan to cultivate communication practices that promote connection, confidence and emotional safety.
Faculty: Cara Skrypchuk, BS, Vice President of Memory Care Center of Excellence, Trilogy Health Services CEUs
Fueling longevity: Nutrition strategies supporting healthy aging across the continuumCarrie Mendes
As adults age, their nutrient needs shift in ways that directly influence energy, mobility, cognition and overall vitality. Yet many wellness programs struggle to translate nutrition science into practical, engaging strategies for older adults. This interactive workshop blends longevity science, real-world nutrition coaching and practical lifestyle tools proven to be effective in senior living communities. Learn how to support healthy aging through targeted nutrition strategies, simple meal-planning frameworks and evidence-informed habits. Engage in nonfood, hands-on activities that can be implemented in wellness programming.
You’ll be able to:
Explain the role of nutrition in longevity pathways, including inflammation reduction, mitochondrial support and muscle preservation.
Identify key nutrient shifts that occur with aging, such as those involving protein, fiber, antioxidants, omega-3s, B vitamins and hydration.
Use three interactive tools—longevity quiz, label-sleuth activity and daily habits tracker—that you can take back to your own communities.
Faculty: Carrie Mendes, MS, Director of Fitness and Wellness, Army Residence Community. CEUs
Beyond “social”: Engaging event programming for Active Aging Week and beyondCourtney Russell
Are you looking for fresh, exciting and engaging event and program ideas for your residents and community? This interactive session will feature knowledge sharing and the improvisational game “Yes, And” to help explore ways to turn any social event into a multifaceted program that supports wellness. Discuss innovative programs and events to create memorable, unique experiences for residents during ICAA’s annual Active Aging Week and all year long.
You’ll be able to:
Utilize the “Yes, And” method to expand upon programming concepts and goals to create multilayered events and programs for residents and the greater community.
Implement a variety of proven events and program ideas in your community.
Implement new tools to enrich event programming to produce high-quality resident events to support resident wellness and satisfaction.
Faculty: Courtney Russell, MSEd, Lifestyle and Marketing Director, LiveWell Group. CEUs
Groove to improve: Energizing movement for balance and brain healthRuben Pereyra Thickstun
Learn to incorporate energetic music-based movements with functional exercises to enhance balance and boost cognitive function for older adults. This session focuses on creating mentally stimulating classes by engaging short-term and working memory through rhythmic patterns that integrate functional movements mimicking everyday activities. Practice techniques that can be easily incorporated into existing programs, promoting coordination, strength and memory retention through this innovative approach that combines physical activity with cognitive exercises, delivering a holistic experience for both body and mind.
You’ll be able to:
Demonstrate a variety of functional movements that enhance balance and cognitive function, integrating them with music-based activities for a dynamic class environment.
Develop inclusive and engaging fitness routines that apply rhythmic patterns and functional exercises, making them accessible to individuals of all ages and ability levels.
Modify and adapt exercises to meet participants’ diverse needs, ensuring safety and comfort while promoting coordination and cognitive engagement.
Faculty: Ruben Pereyra Thickstun, BS, Active Aging Specialist and Senior Fitness Supervisor, Functionally Evolved. CEUs
Cheer camp: Dance aerobics with pom-pomsJeanne Missey Osgood
Want to spruce up your line dance or low-impact aerobics classes? Add pom-poms, John Philip Sousa or other military march music, inspirational chants and high school memories. Participants will be sure to have fun while strengthening coordination, balance, cardio, muscular endurance and brain fitness. Best of all, memories of high school football or basketball games can add enthusiasm and enjoyment. Learn how to progress from simple, low-impact dance skills and short chants, to more complex moves with longer chants.
You’ll be able to:
Demonstrate how adding pom-poms and military march music to a low-impact fitness class can enhance creativity and enjoyment.
Implement upper-body pom-pom movements that can add elevated cardio even when modified for seated participants.
Help older adults enhance their memory skills by creating and memorizing simple chants that are both inspirational and fun.
The core of healthy communities: Auditing and benchmarkingIrving Stackpole
Rigorous wellness auditing and benchmarking are essential infrastructure for high-performing senior living communities. Data shows how wellness directly drives occupancy, length of stay, revenue, workforce leverage, competitive positioning and asset value. Examine data from multiple studies and more than 120 communities to see how structured audits reveal gaps between mission and operations and how benchmarking converts findings into competitive intelligence, to justify budget decisions and document the role of wellness in resident move-in, retention, satisfaction and loyalty.
You’ll be able to:
Identify three key data points that drive resident satisfaction and loyalty.
Describe five steps to effectively implement mission-critical auditing and community benchmarking.
List specific monitoring metrics to assure effective adherence to and success of these programs.
Faculty: Irving Stackpole, MEd, President, Stackpole & Associates, Inc. CEUs
Building better engagement and connections through Lego Serious PlayDeborah Allen
Learn to use Lego® Serious Play® to deepen engagement, spark creativity and strengthen connection in active-aging environments. Practice a hands-on technique that engages cognitive, motor and reflective skills, and learn how to use structured play to surface ideas, memories and perspectives. Leave with practical strategies to address common challenges such as low participation, limited verbal engagement, staff burnout, and difficulty fostering meaningful connection among older adults or teams.
You’ll be able to:
Facilitate a structured Lego Serious Play activity that encourages inclusive participation and deeper dialogue among older adults or staff teams.
Apply model-building and guided storytelling techniques, design purposeful prompts and facilitate reflective dialogue.
Integrate techniques inspired by Serious Play into meetings, activities and wellness initiatives without misrepresenting the methodology.
Faculty: Deborah Allen, MSW, Executive Director, PennCares Support Services; and certified Lego Serious Play Facilitator. CEUs
Protein and robust aging: Fact vs. fictionMaggie Moon
Protein’s essential role in healthy aging is well-known, but myths, marketing and misinformation have made it one of the most misunderstood nutrients for older adults. This session will examine hot topics in protein and explain the underlying—or misinterpretation of—nutrition science. Explore the latest research into how much protein older adults actually need and which sources deliver the greatest benefit. Leave with ready-to-use talking points, menu ideas and program concepts that can be adapted for a variety of settings.
You’ll be able to:
Identify current evidence-based protein recommendations for adults over 65 and distinguish them from common myths perpetuated by popular media and marketing sources.
Describe the relationship between dietary protein, muscle preservation and cognitive health outcomes, including the role of protein timing and distribution across meals.
Name at least three practical strategies for increasing protein quality and quantity in older-adult populations across a variety of community and care settings.
Faculty: Maggie Moon, MS, RD, Author, The MIND Diet: A Scientific Approach to Enhancing Brain Function. CEUs
The fundamental importance of healthy competition across the continuumHaley Kinne-Norris
Incorporating childlike competition is important for all ages, especially older adults. This interactive session will highlight the importance and excitement behind friendly competition. Learn how to turn simple activities like bingo games into competitive events, and explore ways to curate a variety of friendly competitions for your residents. Discuss ways to give routine activities a new and exciting spin.
You’ll be able to:
Develop competitive programs for residents at all levels in the senior living care continuum.
Modify your activity calendars to incorporate a new sense of competition.
Rekindle your childlike spirit to reimagine your calendars and activities.
Faculty: Haley Kinne-Norris, MS, Corporate Director of Life Enrichment and Wellness, Liberty Senior Living. CEUs
Sex, the forgotten ADL: Integrating sexual health into senior livingSara Turnbull & Molly Smith
Sexual health remains one of the least addressed areas of wellness in senior living. Yet intimacy and sexuality are essential to the quality of life across the lifespan. This session reframes sexual health as a multidimensional wellness issue spanning physical, emotional, cognitive, social and environmental domains. Leave with practical tools to normalize conversations, align interdisciplinary support, incorporate sexual health into existing wellness initiatives and develop policies that uphold dignity, autonomy and person-centered care.
You’ll be able to:
Identify sexual health as a meaningful area of wellness and explain why it is often overlooked within senior-living wellness programming and culture.
Describe age-related physiological changes, STI trends among older adults, and practical safe-sex considerations relevant to assisted living and independent living populations from a wellness education perspective.
Apply wellness-focused strategies to support intimacy, comfort, privacy and resident autonomy by integrating sexual health conversations, environmental considerations and interdisciplinary collaboration into community wellness initiatives.
Faculty: Sara Turnbull, PT, DPT, Director of Clinical Strategies, and Molly Smith, OTR/L, Clinical Operations Manager, HealthPRO Heritage. CEUs
Resistance training and brain health: Is there an optimal dose?Pat VanGalen
Emerging research continues to suggest resistance training may play a role in supporting brain health and cognitive function. This presentation will highlight current research on resistance training and cognitive health and explore the practical implications of “optimal dosing”—intensity, volume, mode—in prevention, preemption and rehab exercise programming, and within the entire physical activity arena. Tweak your current programming to provide a bigger bang, sharpening cognitive function, mitigating cognitive decline, and extending and enriching functional independence and quality of life in aging adults.
You’ll be able to:
Define brain health in the context of aging and explain how age-related cognitive changes can impact activities of daily living, safety, independence and quality of life.
Describe current evidence into the relationship between resistance training and cognitive function in older adults, including key findings related to training mode, intensity and volume.
Apply science-backed resistance training principles to program design to support both physical performance and cognitive function in aging adults.
Faculty: Pat VanGalen, MS, Owner, Active & Agile … Maximizing Mobility Through the Ages. CEUs
Beats, breath, belonging: Drumming and mindfulness to support whole-person wellnessEmily Johnson
Mindfulness is often taught through stillness, yet many older adults find movement and rhythm enhance focus and emotional regulation. This interactive session will demonstrate how drumming can serve as a powerful, embodied mindfulness practice, supporting emotional well-being, cognitive engagement and social connection. Engage in guided drumming and reflective pauses to explore how simple rhythmic patterns paired with breath and intention can reduce stress, elevate mood and create meaningful group connection.
You’ll be able to:
Discuss how rhythm supports mindfulness, focus, and emotional regulation.
Implement practical strategies to incorporate rhythm-based mindfulness into new or existing programs, supporting emotional health while enhancing engagement and enjoyment.
Apply drumming and mindful rhythm techniques to support group cohesion and well-being.
Faculty: Emily Johnson, BHK, Founder, StrongerU Senior Fitness Inc. CEUs
Glutes are the new core: Fall resilience after 50Ann Gilbert
Glutes are the real MVP of longevity. This session will reframe glute training as necessary for the essential movements for balance, gait, power and even fall prevention. Learn how to safely train the powerful glutes in older adults and gain understanding about why this training matters more than ever.
You’ll be able to:
Shift glute training from physique training to functional training.
Integrate glute training into balance and fall prevention programming.
Safely train power and reactionary time in older adults.
Faculty: Ann Gilbert, BS, Owner and Master Trainer, Fit-Her Health & Fitness for Women. CEUs
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9:25 a.m.–10:35 a.m.
GENERAL SESSION
The future of aging: Redefining what it means to live longerColin Milner, Marc Middleton & Tamara Smith
We are entering a defining moment in the evolution of aging. The first wave of Boomers is turning 80, a milestone that brings with it both new needs and new expectations. These expectations are shaped by decades of cultural change, a desire for longer healthspans, and a fundamentally different view of what later life can be. Far from simply a demographic shift, the moment represents a reset of the aging experience itself. This two-part general session explores what that reset means—from the systems we’ve built, to the lives people now expect to live within them.
Faculty: Colin Milner, Founder and CEO, International Council on Active Aging; Marc Middleton, television journalist, author, publisher, filmmaker, and Founder and CEO, Growing Bolder; and Tamara Smith, DrPH, BS, National Vice President, Humana Center for Human Flourishing through Health Advancement. CEUs
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10:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m.
Cultures of belonging in aging servicesBelinda Degboe & Todd Andrews
As aging services organizations become increasingly diverse, many leaders are discovering traditional DEI initiatives alone cannot create inclusive, connected and person-centered communities. This session draws from Asbury’s Belonging initiatives to explore a practical framework that integrates psychological safety, cultural responsiveness and meaningful engagement into everyday operations. Explore how intentional shifts in language, policies and daily interactions can strengthen workforce culture, improve retention and deepen engagement. Leave with adaptable tools and insights to apply in your community.
You’ll be able to:
List and analyze core components of a belonging-centered culture model in aging services and discuss its impact on resident and associate well-being.
Develop and demonstrate practical strategies for integrating belonging into daily practices that strengthen engagement, workforce culture, and community connection.
Modify existing approaches to inclusion by applying a holistic belonging lens that supports diverse identities, abilities, experiences and backgrounds.
Faculty: Belinda Degboe, MHA, Director of Well-Being; and Todd Andrews, BS, Chief Operating Officer, Asbury Communities. CEUs
Bridging the gap: Translating dementia diagnoses into meaningful next stepsCarrie Chiusano
Gain practical and real-world insights that promote a proactive approach to post-diagnosis care. By shifting the focus from “what’s lost” to “what’s next,” providers can help individuals and families reframe dementia not as an endpoint, but as a journey that can hold meaning, connection and purpose. Explore how thinking differently about dementia care can enhance outcomes and restore a sense of hope, identity and possibility for those living with dementia and the people who love and care for them.
You’ll be able to:
Identify challenges faced by individuals and families immediately following a dementia diagnosis and describe strategies to provide compassionate, proactive support during this critical period.
Develop a structured, person-centered roadmap that integrates medical, legal and community resources to promote autonomy and quality of life for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.
Apply principles of a growth mindset to dementia care by reframing the diagnosis as an opportunity for meaningful engagement, collaboration and hope.
Faculty: Carrie Chiusano, BA, Executive Director, Dementia Care Center of Excellence, Presbyterian SeniorCare Network. CEUs
Beyond the dining room: Pop-up experiences that elevate wellnessBrian Brooks & Rebecca McCullough
Dining is a powerful yet underutilized tool for promoting whole-person wellness and social connection in senior living communities. Pop-up restaurant experiences built around themed, immersive, limited-time dining events can transform routine meals into high-impact wellness and engagement opportunities. These experiences support socialization, cognitive stimulation, emotional well-being and sense of purpose while enhancing community culture and resident satisfaction. Explore ways to reframe dining as an experiential wellness platform to foster connection, joy and lifelong learning.
You’ll be able to:
Explain how immersive dining experiences support social, emotional and cognitive wellness in older adults.
Launch a repeatable, pop-up restaurant program inside your community based on concepts that align with clear wellness objectives.
Design cross-department collaborations that integrate dining, life enrichment and wellness programming and measure the impact of the initiatives on resident participation and satisfaction.
Faculty: Brian Brooks, AAS, Vice President of Business Strategy, and Rebecca McCullough, MS, RDN, Vice President of Senior Living, NEXDINE Hospitality. CEUs
From app to ally: Leveraging technology to improve customer experienceRikki Goldenberg & Katie Kensinger
Technology is becoming essential in senior living communities, but it must move beyond an app to become a trusted ally. Learn how to create and implement simple, relevant and easy-to-use technology programs that improve daily life for residents, families and staff. Explore how staff support and personal connection help overcome barriers to adoption, and discuss how to measure what matters to understand impact. Receive practical ideas for using technology to increase satisfaction and support better experiences across the community.
You’ll be able to:
Evaluate existing technology through a purpose-driven lens in order to simplify workflows, clarify value, and better align programs with daily community life.
Activate the human layer, leveraging staff roles, onboarding moments and resident ambassadors to build confidence in tech tools and programs.
Measure meaningful outcomes and track satisfaction, engagement, adoption and revenue impact to improve customer experience.
Faculty: Rikki Goldenberg, MEd, Director of Catalyst, and Katie Kensinger, BS, Director of Marketing and Brand Management, Juniper Communities. CEUs
Mindset, purpose and communityKelly Stranburg & Marc Middleton
Mindset is emerging as a powerful determinant of healthy aging, influencing physical, cognitive and emotional well-being. Research demonstrates that positive age beliefs and a strong sense of purpose may extend life expectancy, improve mobility and strengthen recovery, resilience and cognitive function. Senior living communities are uniquely positioned to cultivate these benefits through environment, programming and relationships. Explore how challenging ageist assumptions and embracing a growth-oriented perspective can lead to measurable improvements in participation, capability and quality of life.
You’ll be able to:
Analyze how mindset, purpose and age beliefs influence cognitive, physical and emotional well-being in older adults.
Evaluate programming approaches in senior living to identify how staff assumptions and internalized ageism impact resident participation, capability and outcomes.
Design strengths-based engagement and wellness strategies that leverage purpose, community belonging and growth-oriented mindsets to enhance quality of life within senior living communities.
Faculty: Kelly Stranburg, MEd, Vice President of Healthy Aging and Longevity, Westminster Communities of Florida; and Marc Middleton, Founder and CEO, Growing Bolder. CEUs
Seated, assisted, standing solutionsMindy Mylrea
Teaching multilevel active-aging classes can be tricky. This workshop breaks down safe, practical exercises for seated participants, those needing balance support and fully independent movers. Learn appropriate progressions and regressions for each level and discover practical strategies to integrate all participants seamlessly. Walk away confident in your ability to teach this growing active-aging population.
You’ll be able to:
Create a fitness class for all levels of fitness.
Identify which progressions and regressions to use with active agers.
Incorporate stimulating, sound and science-based exercise techniques and assessments for the active ager.
Faculty: Mindy Mylrea, Owner, One Day to Wellness / The Move Mentors. CEUs
This interactive session defines a true longevity workout and provides a clear, evidence-informed framework for designing effective, longevity-focused exercise programs. Explore the essential movement pillars of longevity: cardiorespiratory training, strength, balance, breathing, and cognitive challenges, with specific, practical recommendations for each. Design your own centenarian decathlon, a customizable, real-world longevity blueprint to apply personally or with clients, residents or members.
Prioritize moves that enhance healthspan and lifespan.
Distinguish between longevity plans and other movement goals.
Faculty: Kymberly Williams-Evans, PhD (ABD), Owner, Active Aging for Boomers; and Roberto Melani, MBA, CPE, CES, Regional Programming Manager, In-Shape Fitness. CEUs
Move better, live stronger with Parkinson’s diseaseJosh Lindblom
Aerobic exercise and strength training can effectively support people living with Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. This session will focus on the ways targeted exercise influences mobility, balance, strength, endurance and overall quality of life. Learn key principles for designing and adapting aerobic and resistance programs to meet varying abilities, disease stages and daily fluctuations. Emphasis will be placed on exercise intensity, progression and safety considerations, including fall prevention and fatigue management.
You’ll be able to:
Demonstrate appropriate exercises focused on large, functional movement patterns.
Develop exercise programs for your community that address neuroplasticity and brain changes.
Modify individual and group exercise classes to better serve people with Parkinson’s disease.
Faculty: Josh Lindblom, DPT, Therapy Director, Washington County Elder Care and Foundation Therapy Specialists. CEUs
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12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
LUNCH & LEARN BLUE
Indulge in a delectable lunch while engaging in enlightening discussions with our esteemed partners in this informative session.
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12:00 p.m.–3:45 p.m.
ICAA EXPOOceans Ballroom
Explore new and innovative offerings at ICAA’s wellness expo. Discover products and services, technologies and equipment to support multidimensional wellness from providers committed to meeting the industry’s needs. Find solutions to help you meet today’s goals and stand out from the crowd. Learn more
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1:20 p.m.–2:20 p.m.
LUNCH & LEARN GREEN
During this informative session, enjoy a delicious lunch while engaging in enlightening discussions with our esteemed partners.
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4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Staying safe online: Security for seniorsKathleen Weissberg
Older adults are often the target of cybercriminals conducting identity theft, credit card fraud and more. This session will describe the most common scams that target this group, including fraud and phishing scams, and explore techniques and tips to help your community avoid them. Learn how to design an educational program about online safety that can be delivered alongside traditional wellness activities. In addition, this session will explore technology adaptations that can facilitate ease of use to ensure comfort, safety and enjoyment in technology use.
You’ll be able to:
Recognize common internet scams that target older adults.
Enumerate internet safety tips and describe how to translate these tips into wellness education programs.
Identify advantages, disadvantages and impact of relying on internet sources for healthcare information, communication and connection.
Faculty: Kathleen Weissberg, OTD, National Director of Education, Select Rehabilitation. CEUs
Implementing the DICE approach (describe, investigate, create, evaluate) to solve behavioral responses at Ascension LivingKelsey Burnham & Helen Kales
Behavioral symptoms in dementia often lead to fragmented care and caregiver burnout. Ascension Living transformed behavioral management by implementing the DICE approach: a method to describe behaviors objectively, investigate underlying triggers, create person-centered interventions and evaluate results. Analyze results from 2026 pilot communities to provide a scalable roadmap for senior living communities. Practice all components of the DICE framework using real-world case studies, and leave with an action plan to transition from trial-and-error to an evidence-based, behavioral response culture.
You’ll be able to:
Demonstrate the DICE methodology by applying the describe, investigate, create and evaluate steps to resident case studies to address behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.
Analyze the “DICE triad”—the person living with dementia, the caregiver and the environment—to identify the multifactorial triggers contributing to behavioral responses.
Develop an interdisciplinary action plan to launch a DICE initiative within your organization, utilizing data-tracking strategies and implementation outcomes demonstrated by Ascension Living.
Faculty: Kelsey Burnham, MS, Program Director, Life Enrichment and Memory Support, Ascension Living; and Helen Kales, MD, Joe P. Tupin Professor and Chair of Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis. CEUs
Building intergenerational wellness: Connecting through space, story and social infrastructureBJ Miller & Kate Abate
This interactive session explores strategies for transforming everyday environments—lounges, dining rooms, outdoor paths, classrooms and multipurpose spaces—into catalysts for connection, purpose and belonging. Real-world case studies demonstrate how adaptable programming can activate underutilized spaces without significant capital investment. Leave with strategies to strengthen multigenerational relationships, foster age-positive culture, and unlock the potential of your community’s environments.
You’ll be able to:
Evaluate physical environments and programs to identify opportunities for both planned and spontaneous multigenerational engagement.
Design low-cost, high-impact initiatives that use storytelling, ritual, shared activity and reciprocal roles to promote connection, purpose and well-being across age groups.
Identify and structure creative partnerships with local schools, nonprofits, arts organizations and civic groups to create programs that value the wisdom of older adults while engaging emerging generations.
Faculty: BJ Miller, MS, Managing Partner, Paradigm Atlantic Management Group; and Kate Abate, MS, President, AdvoKate Longevity Consulting, LLC. CEUs
Recognized to stay: Practical recognition strategies that support staff wellnessAvery Villines
Staffing challenges continue to strain senior living communities, and leaders are seeking realistic ways to support employee wellness, morale and retention without adding cost or complexity. Explore how supervisors and leaders can consistently recognize every employee in meaningful, practical ways that support wellness and encourage staff to stay. Discuss how to design and implement an All-Employee Week, a community-wide celebration created to recognize every role and every shift. Learn how this focused week of appreciation can anchor a culture of recognition year-round.
You’ll be able to:
Identify recognition gaps that impact employee wellness, engagement and retention across all roles and shifts.
Implement low-cost, practical recognition strategies, including an All-Employee Week, that supervisors can integrate into daily operations.
Apply a ready-to-use director toolkit to deliver timely, meaningful appreciation that strengthens staff wellness and retention.
Faculty: Avery Villines, Senior Director of Community Life Services, Brandon Wilde. CEUs
Breathwork for cognitive and emotional resilience in older adultsYury Rockit
Have you experienced a state of “flow,” when everything seems to happen effortlessly in your life? Before this condition can occur in your external environment, it first must happen within your body and brain through the power of your breath. Explore how the quality of breath streams brain-wave patterns that support and encourage more flow.
You’ll be able to:
Describe how breathing patterns affect brain-wave activity, attention and emotional regulation that support performance and presence.
Apply the simple, safe breathing methods to improve focus, nervous system balance, and mental clarity that encourage a state of flow in daily life and work.
Create a practical, breath-based habit to support consistency, resilience and ease in movement, decision-making and life activities.
Faculty: Yury Rockit, BA, Mindfulness and Movement Coach, Rockit Movement; and Founder, Aliveness Ecosystem. CEUs
Strong enough to stumble: Exercise strategies for fall resiliencyJoy Cochran & Jamie Haines
Fall resiliency recognizes that falls are influenced by more than balance or strength. Physical capacity, cognitive load, confidence and the environment all influence what happens before, during and after a loss of balance, yet most exercise programs avoid these realities. This session reframes falls as a skill set that can be trained. Explore key domains of fall resiliency and evidence supporting their inclusion in exercise programming. Experience and practice graded fall-resiliency exposure exercises with adaptable strategies suitable for older adults at all physical ability levels, from seated participants to confident, independent movers.
You’ll be able to:
Recognize that falls are more than a prevention problem and discuss the multiple domains of fall resiliency and the supporting research.
Identify and address common barriers to appropriately challenging participants, including fear, confidence and instructor hesitancy.
Integrate fall resiliency strategies into exercise programs and practice scalable modifications suitable for older adults across multiple settings and ability levels.
Faculty: Joy Cochran, DPT, Owner, JOY Explorations; and Jamie Haines, DScPT, Associate Professor, Physical Therapy Department, Central Michigan University. CEUs
Ageless posture transformation for better balance, mobility, stability and confidenceLeslee Bender
Most people do not realize how their posture dictates functionality and influences their quality of life. Explore how specific posture-related movements can be included in your exercise programming at all ability levels so your students can see and feel results to help them live a confident, resilient life. Learn easy-to-follow techniques that can transform the posture of your students and improve their confidence in performing daily activities.
You’ll be able to:
Recognize postural deviations and implement specific exercises in all programming that will address those deviations.
Provide your students the opportunity to move with greater confidence, enhancing mobility and stability.
Apply posture-improving techniques with a greater understanding of dysfunctional movement patterns that inhibit quality of life.
Faculty: Leslee Bender, BA, Owner, Ageless Training Academy. CEUs
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5:15 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
CLASS OF 2026 PHOTO
Participate in the Class of 2026 photo at the ICAA Conference to preserve the memories of your experiences and connections. We invite all attendees, exhibitors, speakers, volunteers and staff to join us for this not-to-miss moment.
Millions of people across the planet enjoy playing traditional seated bingo, where participants “listen and look” and mark their bingo cards until a winner is declared. Come flip the script in this session with a standing, research-based approach to bingo that addresses and integrates multiple wellness dimensions. Mingle with other attendees as you learn a new, movement-based interactive bingo format. Plus laugh with an award-winning Florida drag queen host and win prizes for a novel “socialize-for-the-win” mindset.
You’ll be able to:
Outline the benefits of a combination sit-to-standing and walking game based on reaction skills, social age training, and memory care.
Implement ideas for using timed skill-tasks based on building group dynamics to improve training on some pillars of the seven dimensions of wellness.
Utilize content and delivery skills for implementing a nontraditional invention of “bingo” based on emphasizing the participants, including suggestions, tips and rules. Also, explore making “bingo cards” to use with tasks (instead of numbers) to encourage healthy competition.
Faculty: Lawrence Biscontini (emcee), MA, Mindful Movement Specialist; and Crystal Vahzz (alter-ego, Matt Holzer), “dancing rocker chick” and Volusia County Entertainer of the Year. CEUs
ZUMBA GOLD® Chair ClassJenna Bostic
The new ZUMBA GOLD® Chair Class is a vibrant, accessible dance fitness session tailored for the older adults, beginners and special populations who benefit from modified movements. Enjoy the uplifting rhythms of Latin and International music, bringing the energy and joy of the original ZUMBA Program right to your seat. This class is perfect for those who love to dance and have fond memories of styles like Jitterbug, Swing, Cha Cha, Hustle and Twist. Participants can celebrate movement in a supportive, fun environment.
You’ll be able to:
Practice a variety of movements adapted from classic Zumba routines, including Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Belly Dance, Flamenco and Tango, all integrated into the chair-based format.
Recall Zumba’s movement modifications for a seated class to support the older adults, beginners and special populations who want to participate in dance fitness.
Motivate individuals with balance or mobility issues to stay active with a fun, supportive dance fitness class that celebrates movement with uplifting rhythms.
Experience solutions to help you stand out from the crowd
Your vision for wellness guides the goals you set today. Visit ICAA’s expo on November 17 and 18 to experience a showcase of wellness-focused products and services to help you meet current goals, explore new directions and stand out from the crowd. Discover the latest innovations from the equipment manufacturers and service/technology providers that can partner with you to promote the outcomes you seek. The ICAA Expo is your opportunity to check out solutions to help you evolve your efforts, whether you are a wellness professional, fitness enthusiast or a passionate advocate for healthy aging, or you manage a senior living wellness center or community, senior center or fitness/wellness center. For information, see “ICAA Expo”
“The ICAA Conference is ideal for professionals and organizations that take a comprehensive approach to serving the older-adult population. It hits on the broad spectrum of interests and needs in this specialized area. You have plenty of options to pick from to acquire knowledge and exchange ideas on fitness, lifestyle, and latest trends.”
Andrew Wiltz Director of Wellness, Canterbury Court
