Go Deeper at Annual Conference: Six Workshops Designed to Make an Impact

At this year’s Annual Conference, learning goes beyond the standard education sessions.

Returning by popular demand, it will feature in-depth workshops for professionals seeking practical strategies, meaningful discussions, and actionable tools. Whether you’re focused on workforce, operations, communication, or emergency preparedness, these sessions offer the time and space to dig deeper into the issues that matter to you.

Even better, all six workshops offer CEUs, making them a valuable opportunity to invest in both your professional development and your community’s success.

Here’s a closer look at what you can expect:

Making Emergency Preparedness Engaging—and Effective

Preparedness plans are only as strong as the people who carry them out. In Beyond the Binder: Serious Fun for Serious Readiness, participants will explore how gamified training can transform emergency preparedness from a routine requirement into an engaging, team-based experience. Through interactive demonstrations and real-world examples, this session focuses on building readiness that sticks, helping staff retain critical knowledge and respond with confidence when it matters most.

Turning Everyday Innovation into Lasting Change

Innovation is happening across aging services every day, but without a clear structure, it can be difficult to sustain. Designing the Future of Aging Services: The Power of an Innovations Lab takes a closer look at how communities can take those ideas further, creating a more intentional approach to testing, implementing, and scaling improvements. It’s a practical conversation about how to turn creativity into measurable, lasting impact.

Making AI Work for You

Artificial intelligence continues to generate buzz, but many professionals are still figuring out how to use it effectively. In AI for Senior Care Professionals: Productivity Without the Overwhelm, attendees will get hands-on experience with tools and techniques that can simplify everyday tasks, support decision-making, and enhance productivity, without adding complexity or stress.

Communicating with Confidence in a Changing Media Landscape

Whether you’re speaking to the media, your staff, or your broader community, strong communication skills are essential. The Spokesperson Workshop: How to Deliver Messages in Today’s Media Landscape offers practical guidance on crafting messages that resonate and delivering them with clarity and confidence. With opportunities for real-time feedback and practice, this session helps participants feel more prepared for both planned and unexpected communication moments.

Connecting Policy to Practice

Advocacy plays a critical role in shaping the future of aging services and your voice matters. The 2026 Government Affairs Workshop: Advocacy Insights & Shaping Our Policy Future Together brings attendees into the conversation, offering updates on key legislative and regulatory developments while creating space for dialogue around the challenges and opportunities providers are facing. It’s a chance to both learn and influence what comes next.

Preparing for Crisis Situations with Confidence

In high-pressure moments, preparation and self-awareness are key. Your Role in Their Crisis (Part I) & Active Shooter: Are You Ready? (Part II) focuses on both—helping participants better understand how to respond to crisis situations, support others, and navigate their own reactions under stress. Through guided discussion and simulation, this workshop emphasizes practical skills that can make a real difference in critical situations.

Make the Most of Your Conference Experience

Each of these workshops is designed to provide a deeper level of learning, offering not just insight, but application. They’re an opportunity to step away from day-to-day responsibilities, think strategically, and return with ideas and approaches that can strengthen your community.

Be sure to explore the full conference schedule here, and don’t miss the early bird registration deadline—March 24. Your next great idea or solution could begin right here.