Call for Sessions
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The USAging Annual Conference and Tradeshow is the largest and most prestigious gathering of local aging leaders and professionals in the United States. More than 1,000 Aging Network professionals, as well as nationally renowned decision makers and experts, participate in the Conference because they know that the issues and programs they—and the communities they serve—care about most will be showcased.
The latest trends in home and community-based services, social engagement, health care contracting and integrated care, workforce and volunteerism, and AAA operational practices, among dozens of other topics, are presented by seasoned practitioners eager to share their cutting-edge insights and programs via highly creative and interactive workshop formats.
Why do attendees return year after year? Responses to post-Conference surveys overwhelmingly show that participants leave the event feeling they have been given exciting new information, tools and contacts they can leverage as soon as they return to their agencies. Even more, attendees have said they value the personal connections with their peers they can only make at the annual USAging Conference and Tradeshow.
The USAging 49th Annual Conference and Tradeshow will be held July 8–11, 2024, in Tampa, FL. We hope that you will not only attend, but also contribute your depth of knowledge and expertise by leading a Workshop or Fast-Track. Our sessions are organized under major topic categories as listed below. Please review these categories and evaluate where your innovative program or approach fits within the following topic areas:
Submission Deadline
Status Notification
Submission Requirements
- Key Contact Information
- Presenter/Panelist Contact Information
- 2-3 Sentence Bio for Each Presenter
- Digital Photo (Headshot) for Each Presenter
- Session Title (12 word maximum)
- Session Description (125 word maximum)
- Evaluation Criteria: Outcomes/Impact, Innovation, Replicability, Interactive/Engaging Quality (125 word maximum in each criteria section)
All submissions must be transmitted online through the Call for Sessions page. If you need an accommodation, please contact usaging@conferencesolutionsinc.com.
Evaluation
When preparing your submission, please keep in mind that your presentation will be evaluated on the following:
- Outcomes/Impact (30%): How have older adults, people with disabilities and/or caregivers benefitted from your program/service and/or how has your program/service improved the operations of your agency? For research-oriented sessions, what did your results show in terms of impact on individuals, programs/services or agency operations?
- Innovation (25%): What makes your program/service/research unique or innovative?
- Replicability/ Applicability (25%): What elements of your program/service can readily be utilized by another Area Agency on Aging or Title VI Native American Aging Program? For research-oriented sessions, how can AAAs or Title VI programs apply your learnings in their work?
- Audience Interaction/Engagement (20%): How will your session effectively engage the audience? How will participants actively be involved?
Lead Presenter Responsibilities
- Provide complete information for up to three proposed presenters per Workshop and up to two per Fast-Track Session, including brief bios and head shots. Be sure to collect those bios and head shots before starting your submission!
- Review presenters’ responsibilities with each presenter prior to submission.
- Hold the Conference dates of July 8-11, 2024 until notified of your proposal status.
- Communicate the accept/decline status of the session proposal to all additional presenters.
- If selected, contact each presenter to re-confirm their participation and to register for the Conference.
- Register and pay for the Conference.
- If applicable, pay extra audiovisual and/or internet costs in advance.
- Presenters must upload their PowerPoint presentations before the Conference. The portal will open the week of June 3, 2024, and will close on June 14, 2024.
Presenter Responsibilities
- If selected, register for the Conference and pay the registration fee.
- Review audiovisual equipment information.
- All presenters should make their hotel reservations at one of the Conference host hotels as soon as possible to receive the USAging discounted rates. The deadline to make room reservations is June 7, 2024; however, the room block typically sells out before the deadline and the discounts may not be offered if sold out. Learn more about making reservations here.
Presentation Guidelines
All session rooms will be provided an LCD projector, screen, a PC laptop, one podium microphone and one head table microphone. Each laptop will be loaded with Microsoft Office products and any presentations submitted in advance of the Friday, June 14, 2024 deadline. Presenters are only required to bring their presentation on a compatible USB drive if they did not upload their presentation before the deadline. Wireless internet access is provided in the session rooms. Fast-Track Sessions are intended to be highly interactive, so we recommend very limited, if any, use of slides in such sessions.
2024 Session Format Types
Fast-Track Session – 30 minutes
Presenter(s) provide opening remarks or a very brief presentation of a concept, idea, program or strategy (max. 10 minutes) to prompt an informal and collaborative conversation among session participants. Max. of 2 presenters.
Workshop – 60 minutes
Presenter(s) share information, resources and success stories, engage in an interactive dialogue, invite questions and facilitate idea exchange with audience members. Max. of 3 presenters.
Corporate Fast-Track – 30 minutes
Presenter(s) from for-profit entities, or those selling products and services, share information, resources, and success stories, engage in an interactive dialogue, invite questions and facilitate idea exchange with audience members. Max. of 2 presenters. See Gold Sponsorships for associated costs.
2024 Conference Focus Areas
Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness Through Engagement
Creating opportunities to promote the social engagement of older adults, caregivers and people with disabilities is a vital part of the services offered by the Aging Network. These sessions will share research on the benefits from social engagement and the negative health outcomes from social isolation and loneliness; innovative social engagement programs; creative ways to engage older adults and others with and without technology; and much more.
Advancing Our Advocacy
Learn about the latest advocacy approaches, innovations, trends and opportunities to effectively communicate policy issues. From individual advocacy to advancing federal aging policy, AAAs are mandated by the Older Americans Act to advocate for older adults. Attendees will have the opportunity to get up to speed on timely federal policy issues, as well as expand their skills and learn from their peers about new approaches to state and local advocacy.
Best Practices in Healthy Aging
The latest programs and services being implemented to improve health outcomes for older adults in the areas of wellness, nutrition, physical activity, evidence-based health promotion, prescription drug programs, medication management, mental and behavioral health, and more will be showcased in presentations by Aging Network leaders and renowned national experts. Sessions will feature proven, highly effective programs with a focus on outcome-based interventions with older adults.
Building Livable and Dementia-Friendly Communities
Sessions will showcase innovative and effective strategies to design and promote age and dementia-friendly communities, including issues such as community planning, transportation, economic security and community partnerships. Speakers will provide practical and insightful guidance on developing, implementing and evaluating these initiatives at the local level.
Cutting-Edge OAA and Aging Programs
Learn how the Aging Network is enhancing core Older Americans Act programs and other aging services in exciting new ways to address the needs of older adults. Sessions will address the evolving needs of consumers and innovative approaches to meet those needs.
Data, Information Exchange and Interoperability
Learn about new social care data standards, key issues related to health care and social care data exchange, and pathways to interoperability. These sessions will highlight success stories and the impact of these data issues on your Older Americans Act services, health care contracts and data sharing with your downstream providers.
Elder Justice
Sessions will highlight best practices, new innovations and replicable programs to prevent, detect and address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, as well as broader elder justice initiatives from around the country.
Enhancing Independent Living Through Transportation Innovations
Transportation sessions will showcase mobility innovations, developments in the field and funding opportunities, focusing specifically on transportation options that increase accessibility for older adults and people with disabilities.
Health Care Contracting and Integrated Care
Sessions will focus on existing and emerging models and programs to address the social determinants of health and provide home and community-based services and supports through Medicaid, Medicare and other health care opportunities. Sessions will spotlight success stories and challenges for the Aging Network.
Housing and Homelessness
AAAs are forging new ground by expanding housing partnerships, creating new housing programs and advocating for local housing and homelessness policy changes. As the nationwide housing crisis continues to grow, these sessions will highlight how AAAs and Title VI Native American Aging Programs on the frontlines are working to help older adults stay housed through innovative prevention and intervention efforts.
Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations
Recognizing and understanding that cultural and ethnic diversity are critical to developing and providing programs and services that address the specific needs of older adults and caregivers from historically marginalized communities, sessions will shine a light on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging issues for an aging population and will highlight new and innovative programs and approaches the Aging Network can replicate.
Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Systems and People
Learn about cutting-edge business practices that the Aging Network can utilize to strengthen operations, build capacity, and foster diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Finance, grants management, training programs, professional development, fundraising, marketing, program evaluation and new technologies are just a few of the topics that sessions will address.
Supporting Caregivers
Family and other informal caregivers are critical to our nation’s long-term care system, and the Aging Network’s supports and services help them perform their roles better, and for longer, while caring for themselves. Sessions will share best practices, innovations and new research on supporting caregivers, including caregivers from diverse communities and kinship family caregivers.
Title VI Native American Aging Programs: Unique Challenges and Solutions
Title VI Native American Aging Programs support the diverse needs of elders in Indian Country. Sessions will include innovative and proven strategies to help Title VI program directors and staff manage their programs and deliver services in Indian Country. Sessions will also feature examples of successful coordination among AAAs and Title VI programs.
Workforce and Volunteerism
Workforce and volunteer shortages and issues of recruitment, training and retention have far-reaching impact throughout the Aging Network. These sessions will highlight innovative techniques, approaches and programs that AAAs and Title VI programs are using to build their worker and volunteer bases.
