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n4a Members, Leaders in Aging Gather Online for n4a’s Annual Conference and Tradeshow

Last week, more than 1,000 Aging Network leaders and innovators from around the country attended n4a's 46th Annual Conference and Tradeshow. During the Conference, aging professionals and experts led a variety of insightful sessions and shared knowledge about innovative approaches the Aging Network has used in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and can use in the future, hot topics and current issues in aging, replicable programs and more.

The Conference kicked off on Monday, July 19 with Reset and Resilience—Looking at the Future of Aging Services, a General Session presentation, focused on how all sectors need to change and evolve based on the COVID-19 experience to address the challenges and opportunities of the future of aging services.
 
Tuesday's General Session, A View from the Administration: Federal Leadership on Aging and Disability Priorities, featured officials from the Biden Administration, including ACL's top leader, and officials from HUD and CMS. Attendees learned about federal efforts to expand access to home and community-based services, boost the paid caregiving workforce and support family caregivers, promote healthy aging—and make it possible for older adults to age well and live where they most want to be. Also during Tuesday's General Session, n4a CEO Sandy Markwood announced the winners of n4a's 2021 Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards, including the top three Innovations winners, who received cash awards. 
 
On Wednesday morning, the Conference began with Moving Upstream: Building More Equitable, Age-Friendly Systems for Healtha General Session, which explored how AAAs, public health agencies, and health care payers and providers are working together to address health disparities and inequality to build not only better systems and communities, but also brighter futures for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers. Following the panel discussion, the winner and runners-up of The John A. Hartford Foundation 2021 Business Innovation Award were recognized.
 
To wrap things up on Wednesday afternoon, the Closing General Session, The Science of Staying Connected: A Continued Call to Action, featured Dr. Julianne Holt-Lundstad, a leading researcher in the field of social connection, who shared the latest state of the science, highlighting important new studies on social connection and intersections with diversity and equity, technology and the evidence base behind social engagement programming. Also on Wednesday, n4a's Excellence in Leadership Award was presented to Joan Hatem Roy, CEO of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley and the President's Award was presented to former AAA Director Barbara Gordon.
 
Throughout the Conference, attendees enjoyed access to more than 100 sessions on a wide range of topics pertinent to aging professionals. Registrants can now access the on-demand session recordings through the n4a virtual conference platform. The conference platform will be accessible through November 30.
 
And save the date for next year's Conference, which will be held July 10-13, 2022, in Austin, TX! The Call for Sessions will open this fall.

Contributors

Contributors

USAging Fact: Learn about your peers’ work—and how it can fit into your agency’s goals! The AIA Awards recognizes successful and innovative programs that USAging members have developed to serve older adults. Get inspiration from our 2023 winners!