Virginia Assisted Living Annual Spring Conference 

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

VALA Board of Trustees Breakfast

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

Attendee Registration / Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

General Session: Andre Boykin, CAPITAL iDEA

 “The Five C's of Winning Posture”

Successful leaders are able to attract others to their ideas, their goals, and their objectives. They have that indefinable something that causes the people they lead and others to take notice of who they are and align with what they are up to accomplishing. Winning Posture, therefore, is about self-transformation that allows you to "show up"  as a leader to other people. It is having the mindset, the belief, and values that put you in a position to win every time. Winning Posture is the secret sauce that makes other people receptive to your ideas, concepts, and services. You will walk away from this keynote feeling emplowered and equipped to excel in any situation and create winning performance in their communities. Communities will benefit when their leaders, nurses, CNA's and other team members take on developing Winning Posture. All team members will be creating a powerful workforce. Every person will see how they can have power and influence by developing a more powerful view of themselves. 

Objectives: 

1. Discover how to apply the 5 C's of Winning Posture to create a powerful presence as a leader
2. Distinguish how Winning Posture impacts performance
3. Understand how to apply the principles of Winning Posture to acheive the goals and objectives of the community

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Assisted Living Trade Show / Beverage Break

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

General Session: Peter Corless, OnShift

“Winning the Millennial Market: How to Attact & Engage Millennials in Senior Care”

They prefer smatphones over deodorant, live with their parents, and insist on eating organic foods. Who are these people? They're the Millennials! The Millennial generation is the largest generation in US history and will be the key to your organization's future success. In a talent market challenged by caregiver shortages and high turnover, providers must get things right with the Millennial population. That means evolving recruiting, engagement, and retention strategies to find and develp talent. Learn from HR experts on how to strengthen communications, implement consisten feedback practices and focus on employee scheduling preferences to stop talent from leaving your organization. 

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the mindset and preferences of Millennials and how these relate to your organization's operations
2. Uncover modern recruiting practices to attract Millennials to senior care
3. Discover how to spiff up your organization's culture and implement engagement strategies to keeep your top talent.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Assisted Living Trade Show / Buffet Luncheon

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

General Session: Cindy Casady

"Providing Extraordinary Customer Service"

The senior living industry is extremely competitive. New companies are dotting the landscape with the ultimate innovations in floor plans, dining menus, and creative activities. However, research shows that it is how you make your customer feel makes all the difference.

In this fun and upbeat program Cindy will share with audiences the finer points on how to make their community decidedly different.

• How to take your resident’s experience to the next level
• How to build authentic relationships with residents and their families
• The difference between service thinking and operational thinking
• How to create a culture of excellence 

3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

General Session: Melora Jackson

“Effective Evidenced Based Programming and Communication Techniques for People with Dementia”

Review evidence based approaches to care provision of persons with dementia

• Content -  Person-centered care –non-pharmalogical interventions e.g. habilitation, Best Friends approach, Eden Alternative,  Montessori, expressive arts  & pet therapies,  nutrition and exercise utilization,  sensory stimulation techniques,  culturally appropriate activities and interventions, etc.

Describe tools for effective communication with persons with dementia

• Content – effect of dementia on communication, environmental adaptations, verbal and non-verbal techniques, etc.

Explain practical considerations for dementia programming

• Content – special populations (PTSD, IDD), cultural adaptations, provider sensitivity training, resources and tools.

5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Come Experience the Virtual Dementia Tour®!

Multiple experience tours will be given during this timeframe. Register onsite for this experience.

The Tour gives us a glimpse of what it is like to have dementia and how to alter our own behavior to help persons with dementia live a better quality of life.  This session will explain how dementia’s impact on the brain results in specific behaviors and will offer ways to use learning from the VDT simulation to improve person-centered care for those living with neurocognitive disorders. 

Through a variety of simulations, the virtual dementia tour attempts to promote a greater understanding of some of the challenges experienced by individuals with a dementing illness. To experience the Virtual Dementia Tour, you will register onsite for a specific time. Come find out what you may have taken for granted. 

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Attendee Registration / Continental Breakfast

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

General Session: Jan McInnis, Comedian/Speaker

"Finding the Funny in Change"

Whether it's going green or the myriad of new rules that govern the industry, we are constantly reacting to a new playing field. From reform to the new industry rules and regulations that are being developed, professionals are routeinly having to reassess and reevaluate their practices. 

And all of this change causes fear, tension and miscommunications!

This is Jan's most popular keynote, because she combines her hilarious comedy with PRACTICAL tips on dealing with change through using humor. Jan will show you how to:

• diffuse tension instantly,
• kick off tough conversations, and facilitate communications.

...all by using humor that you, yourself can do. And she'll also give you the latest research between laughter adn health - yes they're actually studying this stuff! Customized for your event and industry this keynote will have attendees walk away laughing AND learning as they discover the steps they can take to conquer, and even embrace.

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Concurrent Sessions:

Melora Jackson, Virtual Dementia Tour
Panel Discussion on “Window Into Their World”
Join the discussion on what people experienced in going through the Virtual Dementia Tour and the important role it plays in staff training and public awareness campaigns. 

Tom Parrish, Telgian Corporation
"Self-performing Inspections and tests in accordance with NFPA 72 The National Fire and Signaling Code"
This presentation includes an overview of the test and inspection requirements required by NFPA 72, The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, 2013 edition. This program reviews the recently added definitions of qualified personnel and how these requirements can be filled. The program explains the roles of the person conducting, inspecting, testing, programming and servicing of the fire alarm system, including requirements for the documentation and record keeping of fire alarm tests and inspection activities. 

Faith Dyer, RD, LD
"Dietary Challenges of Working and Caring for Residents" 
This session will share best practices from many assisted living communities by providing information on assessment of residents and by providing education supports for direct care and dietary staff. Any pertinent regulatory updates impacting dietary requirements will also be shared with session attendees.

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Assisted Living Leadership Luncheon

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Concurrent Session (Repeated)

2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

General Session: Christopher Ridenhour, Naionally Acclaimed Speaker/Healthcare Management Professional/Certified Staff Whisperer

"Advanced Empathy 4 the Tired, Grizzled, Bitter, & Everyone Headed in that Direction!"

This energetic  session serves as the antidote to "burn out" and is designed to rejuvenate professionals considering trading in their credentials for an airline ticket and butterfly net. The American Psychological Association's 2007 "Stress in America" poll found that nearly one out of five people report experiencing high levels of negative stress 15 or more days per month. How to we create business environments that feed and energize us? How can we reacquaint ourselves with that young, enthusiastic, optimistic, and energetic health care professional we used to be? It's time to recapture the passion and motivation that led us into the helping profession. Jaded, cynical, disgruntled participants are especially welcomed to attend!

3:15 - until

Safe travels home!