2023 Senior Living Symposium

March 23, 2023

Click here to view event details 

8:30 – 9:00 am

Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 am

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Speakers: Elissa Sherman (LeadingAge Massachusetts) and Keith Robertson (Ziegler)

9:00 am – 10:30 am

The 2023 State of Senior Living & Senior Living Capital Markets

This opening session aims to provide a macro overview of the state of the not-for-profit senior living & care sector. Topics covered will include workforce trends, sector growth, diversification of services, peer best practices and innovative technology solutions among others. Time will also be spent discussing the economic backdrop and current capital lending environment. This session will provide needed education and research for leadership teams as they think about their future strategic direction.

Objectives:

  1. To learn about the key operating and financing trends in the not-for-profit senior living sector
  2. To highlight the key trends, disruptors and catalysts impacting senior services
  3. To understand how national and regional trends are impacting Massachusetts providers and how they can plan accordingly

Speakers: Dan Hermann, Keith Robertson, Lisa McCracken (Ziegler)

10:30 – 10:45 am

BREAK

10:45  – 11:45 am

Learning from the Hospital Perspective

Hospitals in Massachusetts are facing many of the same challenges as aging services providers, including critical staffing shortages and navigating rising costs. We also know that hospitals are highly dependent on post-acute care providers for the timely discharge of patients in need of such care. In this session, we will hear from the President and CEO of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association about the greatest challenges and opportunities facing Massachusetts acute care providers, and how the sector is working to meet them. The session will also explore the need for hospitals and aging services providers to work in closer collaboration to address some of the biggest issues facing the healthcare system and ensure that patients have access to the care they need.

Objectives:

  1. Understand the greatest pressures faced by Massachusetts hospitals
  2. Learn about initiatives that hospitals are undertaking to ease workforce shortages, support professionals, and help to prevent workplace violence
  3. Identify opportunities for aging services providers to collaborate with hospitals in their communities

Speaker: Steve Walsh (Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association)

11:45 am – 12:45 pm

NETWORKING LUNCH

 12:45 – 1:45 pm

DE&I and Workplace Culture

It is clear that a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) is a key element of success for any organization, particularly as it relates to the work environment. The sector has struggled mightily with recruitment and retention and this session aims to share cutting-edge research from the sector and insights into how to successfully foster a culture that embraces DE&I. 

Objectives:

  1. To share industry-specific research on the connection between DE&I and workplace culture.
  2. To identify best practices that providers can adopt to advance their DE&I culture.
  3. To share specific initiatives at the national level, led by LeadingAge to recruit leadership talent into our sector through the establishment of innovative programs and relationships
  4. To recognize the need for an ongoing, dynamic commitment to DE&I over the life of the organization.

Speaker: Robyn Stone (LeadingAge LTSS Center at UMass Boston)

1:45 – 2:00 pm BREAK
 2:00 – 3:00 pm

A Shrinking Workforce: Confronting the Demographic Challenges Impacting the Massachusetts Economy 

Faced with extreme challenges in recruiting staff to fill open positions, employers often ask what happened to all of the workers?  A new report from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation (MTF), a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy organization, presents clear and concerning data demonstrating that an aging and declining population has reduced the size of the state’s workforce, putting the Massachusetts economy in jeopardy.  This session will share data from the MTF report, what the trends mean for aging services providers and the Massachusetts economy overall and what strategies are needed to manage and prepare for the future. 

Objectives:

  1. Understand the demographics behind our shrinking workforce
  2. Consider possible economic outcomes tied to a shrinking workforce 
  3. Assess how state fiscal and policy decisions are being affected and can influence these trends

Speaker: Doug Howgate (Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation)

3:00 – 3:15 pm BREAK
3:15 – 4:30 pm

Closing Panel -- Strategy & Growth

Insights From Chief Executives of Proactive Multi-Site Providers This CEO panel will hear from some of the leaders of the region’s leading not-for-profit senior living organizations. Three system CEOs will participate in a facilitated discussion on how their organizations are responding to the latest trends and influencers impacting senior living and healthcare. 

Objectives:

  1. To review specific growth trends seen across the past year among multi-site providers. 
  2. To gain insight from system CEOs as to the key items that today’s providers should focus on.
  3. For attendees to take away innovation and growth strategies to implement in their respective organizations.

Facilitator: Keith Robertson (Ziegler)

Panelists: Angela Bovill (Ascentria Care Alliance), Chris Sintros (Deaconess Abundant Life Communities), Amy Schectman (2Life Communities)

4:30 pm

Wrap-Up & Closing Remarks
Speakers: Keith Robertson (Ziegler), Elissa Sherman (LeadingAge Massachusetts)

4:30 pm

Networking Reception