Focus Areas

 

2025 Conference Focus Areas

 

Advancing Advocacy and Elder Justice
AAAs are mandated by the Older Americans Act to advocate for older adults and are on the frontlines of elder justice. Attendees will have the opportunity to get up to speed on timely federal policy issues, expand their skills and learn from their peers about new approaches to federal, state and local advocacy. Sessions will also highlight best practices, new innovations and replicable programs and initiatives to prevent, detect and address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

 

Aging Well in Community: Housing, Transportation and More 
Learn about innovative and effective strategies for promoting community living and addressing the evolving needs of older adults, caregivers and people with disabilities through housing, transportation, and other core aging programs and services, including the Older Americans Act. Sessions will provide practical and insightful guidance on designing, implementing and evaluating programs at the local level that can create more accessible and livable communities for all. 

 

Aligning Health and Social Care: Health Care Contracting and Systems Integration

AAAs are at the nexus of health and social care through programs and services, health care contracting and data exchange with their partners. Sessions will focus on success stories, models and programs to screen, assess and address health-related social needs through Medicaid, Medicare and other health care opportunities, and key issues related to health and social care data exchange and systems integration. 

 

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, including Native populations, sessions will shine a light on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging issues for an aging population and will highlight new and innovative programs and proven strategies that the AAAs and Title VI Native American Aging Programs can replicate.

 

Promoting Healthy Aging and Social Connection 

Sessions will showcase the latest programs and services in the areas of wellness, social connection, nutrition, physical activity, evidence-based health promotion, medication management, mental and behavioral health, and more. Aging Network leaders and renowned national experts will discuss proven, highly effective programs designed to improve health and quality-of-life outcomes for older adults, caregivers and/or people with disabilities.

 

Running Your Agency: Strategies to Strengthen Leadership, Systems and People 

Learn about cutting-edge practices that the Aging Network can utilize to strengthen leadership and operations; build capacity; and foster diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Finance, grants management, leadership development, training programs, workforce and volunteer development and management, 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 policies and research on supporting and training caregivers, including caregivers from diverse communities and kinship family caregivers.