OVERVIEW
The 2024 #ActivitiesStrong Virtual Summit—this year with the theme of “Dementia Disco!”—is the largest and most successful virtual event for activity and life enrichment professionals in senior living. Dementia Disco is for “dementia nerds” and anyone who loves working with, and advocating for, individuals living with dementia. We want to celebrate you and your incredible work!
As we continue to acknowledge, educate, and empower activity and life enrichment professionals, participants will learn about the state of resident engagement, explore best practices, and understand the long-lasting changes that will impact how we build person-centered experiences for older adults.
This event is hosted and managed by the #ActivitiesStrong initiative, led by Linked Senior in partnership with Activity Connection, The National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) and the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals (NCCAP). Participants who attend the live event can earn up to 6 NAB, NCCAP, NCCDP and/or NCTRC CEU credits.
SUMMIT OBJECTIVES
- Identify best practices for innovative program planning, improved resident engagement, and professional growth.
- Understand how ageism and ableism intersect and their importance in the effort to improve inclusivity in all aspects of senior living
- Describe the benefits of fostering more inclusive environments for individuals living with dementia.
SESSION 1: 11:00AM – 12:00PM
Enriching Quality of Life through Non-pharmacological Practices
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Learn how to move from entertainment to engagement when it comes to connecting with residents.
- Outline current guidance and regulatory compliance when it comes to activity programming.
- Identify best practices for innovative program planning, improved resident engagement, and professional growth.
Alisa Tagg
Linda Redhead
Carrie Fairchild
Moderator,
Community Marketing Specialist Activity Connection
SESSION 2: 12:00 – 1:00PM
C-Level Leadership Enables the Purpose of Resident Engagement
Resident engagement is more than activities–and the need for senior living leaders to bring resident-driven experiences into organizations is more important than ever. Participants will learn how senior living operators view resident engagement as a business force and how they are adapting to shifting customer expectations, staffing challenges, and economic uncertainties. Drawing from decades of experience developing, managing, and optimizing communities for resident experience excellence, the presenters will share perspectives from their own organizations and discuss what they see as the future of resident engagement in senior living.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Explain past and present challenges and trends regarding resident engagement from a C-level perspective.
- Learn about true innovators that are shaping the resident experience of tomorrow and building successful businesses?
- Understand the C-Level viewpoint on resident engagement ROI including quality of life, market competitiveness and occupancy.
James Lee
CEO and Co-Founder, Bella Groves
Dina Semones
CEO, English Meadows Senior Living Communities
Chris Cheek
CEO of SentryCare
BREAK 1: 1:00 – 1:30PM
SESSION 3: 1:30 – 2:30PM
Breaking Barriers: Personal Narratives of Thriving with Dementia
Join us for a transformative journey into Living Well with Dementia, led by those who know it best – individuals living with dementia. In this groundbreaking presentation, we shatter stereotypes and embrace resilience, offering empowering insights that transcend the tragedy narrative. Discover a path of hope, understanding, and empowerment as we redefine what it means to live fully with dementia.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify common stereotypes associated with dementia.
- Describe specific strategies employed by persons living with dementia to maintain a sense of well-being.
- Participants will actively cultivate empathy and understanding for individuals living with dementia through interactive discussions, fostering a supportive and empowering community.
Brenda Roberts
Executive Director, National Council of Dementia Minds
SESSION 4: 2:30 – 3:30PM
Embracing Inclusion In Dementia Care
In this session, we will explore why people in senior living are often segregated based on their diagnoses, and if there is a better way. Join us as we examine the benefits of fostering more inclusive environments for individuals living with dementia. Leading experts in memory care will discuss the benefits, as well as challenges, of fostering more inclusive environments and look at best practices from those who have already embraced new models of inclusion.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Outline the benefits of creating more inclusive environments for people living with dementia.
- Learn about what some providers have done to change their environments to desegregate traditional memory care units and unlock the doors.
- Understand why thought leaders believe this new philosophy is a better approach to dementia care.
Jen Wilson
VP of Well-Being, Carol Woods Retirement Community
Kirsten Jacobs
Senior Director, Shared Learning Initiatives, LeadingAge
Donielle Weatherholz-Palme
Director of Resident Services at Shenandoah Valley Westminster Canterbury
Moira Welsh
Moderator,
Author of Happily Ever Older: Revolutionary Approaches to Long-Term Care
BREAK 2: 3:30 – 4:00PM
SESSION 5: 4:00 – 5:00PM
Hear From Resident Engagement Champions
This session will focus on and celebrate real life stories from leaders in the resident engagement field. The presenters will share their experience, including inspiring stories of success. They will also describe challenges they faced in creating meaningful and purposeful opportunities for residents, especially those living with cognitive change. Learn about tried and true strategies they have implemented and walk away with actionable advice on how to implement these strategies successfully.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Understand core resident engagement challenges.
- Learn how to create a resident engagement action plan and celebrate success.
- Discover four to six tried and true resident engagement strategies.
Angie McAllister
Spark Performance League Commissioner, LifeSpark
Caroline Edasis
Assistant Vice President, Resident Engagement, Mather
Alicia Fenstermacher
Vice President,
Purposeful Living, Presbyterian Senior Living
Charles de Vilmorin
Moderator,
Co-Founder and CEO, Linked Senior
SESSION 6: 5:00 – 6:00PM
Examining Ageism and Ableism within the Context of Inclusion in Aging Services
The presence of ageism and ableism are common in the field of senior living, just as they are in all of society. This session explores why it’s important to identify these two “isms” in aging services settings, how they impact residents of all ages, and why the concept of inclusion is important to dismantling these biases.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Understand ageism, ageism and the concept of inclusion.
- Learn how ageism and ableism impact senior living residents and staff.
- Understand what resources and tools are available to help to reduce ageism and ableism.
Marvell Adams Jr
Founder, CEO, and Longevity & Inclusion Strategist, W Lawson Company
Theresa Williams
Reality Poet and Resident at Coler Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center
Meg LaPorte
Moderator,
Co-Founder, Art Against Ageism
Post-Conference Mixer and Happy Hour
6:00 – 6:45PM
Hosted by Bryan Rife
Bryan Rife
Director of Quality Assurance, NCCAP
