2026 Institute & Expo

This interactive workshop will help participants strengthen their understanding and implementation of Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) to meet and exceed regulatory requirements while advancing organizational performance.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
• Explain the key components and regulatory requirements of nursing home QAPI.
• Discuss leadership’s role in fostering a culture of QAPI and supporting an effective quality management system.
• Apply practical strategies to drive improvement across all levels of care.
• Create or strengthen a QAPI Plan that aligns with organizational goals and compliance standards.
• Identify QAPI citations, requirements, and practical strategies for effective QAPI/quality committee structure, agendas, meetings, and documentation.
• Examine and apply strategies for selecting, creating, monitoring, and sustaining meaningful PIPs.
• Apply QAPI processes and tools to real-world case studies to improve systems and resident outcomes.
• Integrate QAPI principles into daily operations to build and sustain a culture of continuous learning, improvement, and excellence.

Ransomware and data breaches have pushed healthcare into a new era of “always-on” crisis management, with researchers tracking 211 ransomware attacks on healthcare companies in just the first half of 2025—a slight increase over 2024 and part of a broader trend of growing cybercriminal extortion targeting hospitals, clinics, and long-term care providers. Massive incidents such as the Change Healthcare breach, impacting roughly 190 million people and disrupting claims processing nationwide, and the CommonSpirit Health ransomware attack, which led to an estimated $160 million in response and recovery costs, have demonstrated that cyber incidents are no longer just IT problems but full-scale emergency preparedness events underscoring the urgent need to integrate cyber events into all-hazards emergency planning.

Against this backdrop, this intensive is designed to help healthcare organizations move beyond check-the-box compliance and build true operational resilience.

This full-day intensive weaves together real-world case studies, regulatory expectations, legal and insurance perspectives, and a hands-on simulation exercise. Participants will:

• Understand how major cyber incidents disrupt care, finances, and operations.
• Connect cyber threats directly to CMS emergency preparedness requirements.
• Strengthen governance, communication, and decision-making structures for cyber events.
• Complete a simulation exercise that meets emergency preparedness drill requirements.

AGENDA
Lessons from the 2025 City of St. Paul Cyberattack
Representatives from the City of St. Paul will walk through the July 2025 cyberattack that forced the city to declare a state of emergency, shut down key systems, and request support from the Minnesota National Guard. Attendees will hear how the incident was detected, how leaders coordinated with state and federal partners, what worked (and what didn’t) in communications, and the long road of recovery and data-exposure concerns. Discussion will focus on parallels to healthcare operations and what long-term and post-acute providers can apply immediately.

Emergency Preparedness 101 – With a Cyber Lens
Review the core elements of emergency preparedness requirements for healthcare entities, highlighting where cyber risk fits into the all-hazards framework. Topics include hazard vulnerability analysis for cyber events, incident command integration, redundant communication planning, business continuity for EHR and billing downtime, and training and exercise strategies that support survey readiness when a cyber incident becomes your “emergency event.”

Revitalizing Cyber Resilience Through a Simulated Cyber Incident
Use a simulated cyber incident to explore legal, regulatory, and insurance implications in real time. Participants will walk through decision points around ransom negotiations, regulatory notifications, HIPAA breach analysis, contractual obligations with vendors, and how to work with carriers and incident-response teams. The focus is on practical steps organizations can take now to reduce risk, shorten downtime, and protect residents and staff.

Capstone Tabletop: Cyber Incident Emergency Preparedness Exercise
The intensive culminates in a facilitated tabletop exercise built around a realistic cyberattack scenario (for example, ransomware impacting EHR, pharmacy, payroll, or building systems). You will:

• Practice activating an emergency operations plan for a cyber event.
• Simulate activating a facility response team to manage the cyber event.
• Identify gaps in downtime procedures, vendor coordination, and recovery planning.

Participants will leave with exercise materials and an after-action/improvement plan template that can be adapted for their organizations and used to help satisfy emergency preparedness training and testing requirements.

By the end of the day, attendees will have a clearer picture of the current threat landscape, concrete strategies to harden their organizations against cyber disruption, and a regulatory-ready exercise they can bring back to their own emergency preparedness programs.

Nurses and nursing leaders are increasingly finding themselves at the intersection of health department survey findings and licensing board oversight. This interactive workshop provides practical guidance on how to navigate that intersection with confidence.

Participants will explore how survey citations, complaint investigations, or substantiated maltreatment findings can lead to reports to the Minnesota Board of Nursing (MBN) and what happens next. Using real examples, we’ll clarify the reporting and review process, when to involve legal counsel, and how to respond effectively to Board inquiries.

Ideal for nurse leaders, compliance officers, and administrators, this workshop builds confidence in managing licensure issues, supporting staff, and fostering a culture of accountability and integrity.
Identify when Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) survey findings, complaints, or maltreatment determinations trigger reporting to the MBN under Minn. Stat. §§148.261–148.263.
Participants will be able to:
· Distinguish MDH licensing authority (Minn. Stat. §§144A and 144G) from the MBN’s disciplinary and corrective action authority.
· Explain who is required to report nurses and in what circumstances following survey or complaint findings.
· Outline the stages of the MBN’s complaint review process, including the Review Panel, Corrective Action, and Stipulation and Consent Order pathways.
· Develop strategies for preparing written responses aligned with practice standards and documentation evidence to Board inquiries.
· Describe the purpose and process of the Review Panel Conference and how to prepare effective supporting materials.
· Apply lessons from case examples to improve internal quality systems, documentation practices, and staff education to prevent future reportable events.
· Develop protocols that support nurses undergoing review while maintaining regulatory compliance, protecting residents, and upholding nurses’ rights—including the option for a contested case hearing.

Join visionary strategist Bob Kramer for a provocative look at the forces disrupting aging services—and the bold leadership needed to turn crisis into opportunity.

The future of aging services is being redefined —and today’s leaders have a vital role to play. In this dynamic workshop, Bob Kramer will challenge you to think boldly about the future of senior living, healthcare, and community. Together, we’ll explore the disruptors transforming the field—shifts in demand, cost pressures, changing consumer expectations, and cultural attitudes toward aging—and uncover new opportunities in life plan communities, home- and community-based services, and integrated care models.

We’ll also dive into the five essential CEO skills that define successful leadership in this era of change: personal depth, operational savvy, industry awareness, government smarts, and megatrend acumen. Through engaging discussion and peer dialogue, you’ll translate insight into action—clarifying priorities, sparking innovation, and strengthening your capacity to lead confidently through disruption.

Leave equipped with the vision, strategies, and relationships to shape a future where aging well is the new expectation.

Part One: Seizing the Opportunities in a Time of Uncertainty
• Identify the disruptors reshaping aging services and assess their implications for your leadership and organizational strategy.
• Evaluate innovative business and care models that create new value in housing, healthcare, and community engagement.
• Apply bold, future-focused leadership approaches to reframe aging as opportunity and accelerate meaningful transformation.

Part Two: The Five Critical CEO Skills for the Future of Aging Services
• Assess and strengthen leadership capabilities across the five critical CEO skill areas to support both personal growth and leadership development in others.
• Anticipate and respond to emerging trends, workforce challenges, and policy shifts shaping the future of aging services.
• Apply actionable strategies to build agile, inclusive, and future-ready teams that can lead organizational transformation and continuity.

The Leadership and Governance Intensive is supported by the Ronald Patterson Governance Fund of the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation.

Effective board governance and the relationship between the Board of Directors and the CEO are crucial pillars that underpin the success and stability of any organization. A poorly functioning board or a strained relationship between the board and management often signals underlying problems and contributes to organizational struggles. Conversely, a well-functioning board and a strong, collaborative relationship between the board and the CEO typically reflect a robust and thriving organization.
In this interactive session, we will delve into these critical aspects of board governance by drawing on real-world examples from ABHM, as shared by its CEO. We will showcase practical, actionable best practices for board governance that are both achievable and impactful. Through a variety of case studies, we will illustrate the effective implementation of these best practices and highlight the potential risks and consequences of neglecting them. Participants will gain valuable insights into how optimal board dynamics can be fostered and the significant role they play in organizational health.
The session will also include ample opportunities for audience participation, encouraging the sharing of diverse experiences and perspectives. By engaging with real-life scenarios and examples from various sectors, attendees will better understand the nuances of board governance and leave with concrete strategies for improving their own board's performance and relationships

• Understand how boards impact the organization’s ability to achieve strategic and financial goals.
• Explore best practices for board governance.
• Learn from case studies how things can go right and wrong and the implications of both.

• Describe core elements of clinically pertinent communication and documentation.
• Review contributing factors for significant resident safety events involving failures in communication and care coordination.
• Illustrate tools and strategies that facilitate clinically pertinent communication and documentation.

• Identify the benefits of intergenerational programming on residents, team members, and community engagement.
• Develop creative and sustainable intergenerational programs (with or without on-site childcare) by leveraging partnerships and resident-driven interests.
• Apply practical strategies to overcome barriers and adapt programs for long-term success.

• Review regulatory obligations regarding drug diversion prevention and reporting so participants can develop strategies to mitigate risks associated with drug diversion.
• Identify best practices aimed at preventing and detecting drug diversion.
• Understand when to contact outside agencies and law enforcement and manage relationships with those outside agencies.

• Understand the background studies process for employees in aging services and best practices for maintaining compliance.
• Identify key regulatory requirements and recent updates impacting background studies in assisted living and customized care settings.

• Explore common challenges in background study compliance and strategies to address them effectively in day-to-day operations.

• Identify the most common engineering citations for AL and ALDC licensed communities.
• Discuss how to navigate door locks in assisted living and best practices for moving snow or using space heaters in colder months.
• Outline when engineering needs to review construction plans.

• Differentiate between full outsourcing, co-management, and hybrid IT service models, and evaluate their advantages and risks for aging services providers.
• Identify key criteria for selecting and managing technology partners, including service level agreements, performance metrics, and shared accountability.
• Develop strategies to maintain operational continuity, data integrity, and organizational control while leveraging external IT expertise.

• Describe Minnesota’s unique Performance-Based Incentive Payment Program (PIPP) and how it supports measurable quality improvement and innovation.
• Explore real-world PIPP project examples from project leads and identify common success factors across projects.
• Apply proven strategies and lessons learned from successful PIPP initiatives to design, implement, and sustain quality improvement projects within your own organization.

“I know what it’s like to work in the unseen. At eight years old, I set a bold dream to play football at Stanford, but it took 10 years of quiet, relentless work to get there. I grew up without a father, in poverty, carrying the weight of feeling like I didn’t belong. But I discovered that true greatness is built in the hidden moments—when no one is clapping, watching, or even noticing. That’s why I honor you. In long-term care, you are the quiet heroes who bring hope, dignity, and purpose into the lives of others every single day. Your unseen sacrifices matter. Your compassion shapes futures. The world may not always see it, but your work leaves a legacy of hope, healing, and humanity. The applause will fade, but the character and impact you build in this sacred work will last forever.”
Damon Dunn

Participants will:
• Explain how personal dedication contributes to residents’ sense of purpose and enhances professional meaning for caregivers.
• Describe the ways consistent caregiving behaviors can lead to breakthroughs in residents’ wellbeing.
• Identify how daily acts of care strengthen personal resilience and support long-term effectiveness in caregiving roles.
• Discuss how caregiver presence and authentic connection promote hope and dignity for residents.
• Recognize how service to others fosters personal leadership growth and inspires those within the care environment.

• Define resident experience and how to integrate residents' interests into their daily living.
• Explore innovative strategies on how a team outlook can enhance resident quality of life in a community setting.
• Identify various approaches in utilizing the resident experience as a marketing tool, to increase outside interest and exposure to your community.

• Understand the basic fundamentals of Entrepreneurial Operating Systems.
• Identify areas of operational weakness by identifying issues and barriers to operational success.
• Analyze data effectively to help their company achieve operational and financial success.

• Describe the purpose and impact of gathering and sharing residents’ life stories.
• Identify lessons from the “Wisdom on Wheels” journey that can improve marketing, resident quality of life, and staff retention and satisfaction.
• Apply strategies to strengthen community culture by making story capture an expected and valued practice within senior living communities.

• Assess current IT infrastructure maturity and identify areas for modernization in alignment with clinical and operational needs.
• Apply best practices for designing scalable and resilient infrastructure to support future growth and innovation.
• Integrate data governance, performance monitoring, and interoperability considerations into infrastructure planning and management.

• Identify the top challenges facing culinary leaders in aging service settings.
• Discuss strategies to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly health and safety surveys and audits.
• Share best practices, tools, and tips that help your culinary program promote resident engagement and assure customer satisfaction.

• Identify the top challenges facing nurse leaders in aging services including workforce and case complexity.
• Discuss strategies and solutions to overcome challenges and embrace opportunities to provide quality resident care.
• Share best practices, tools, and tips that could be applied in aging services settings.

• Identify the top challenges facing long-term care finance departments and discuss how you are addressing them in your organization.
• Discuss what you expect to be the most positive aspect of your financial outlook for 2026 and what represents the biggest obstacle to a successful fiscal year.
• Share best practices, tools, and tips that help your organization operate successfully.

• Identify current challenges and opportunities facing human resource professionals in aging services settings.
• Share effective approaches and strategies that support employee recruitment, retention, and overall workplace culture.
• Discuss practical ideas and peer-tested solutions to strengthen HR practices and promote shared-learning.

• Identify the top challenges facing independent living settings in aging services.
• Share best practices, tools, and tips that could be applied in independent living senior housing.
• Discuss strategies and solutions to overcome challenges and embrace opportunities for attaining strong occupancy.

• Describe how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies can be investigated and implemented to enhance operational efficiency and decision-making in senior living organizations.
• Evaluate innovative staffing solutions—including the use of technology platforms and process redesigns—that improve workforce stability, scheduling effectiveness, and employee engagement.
• Collaborate with peers to analyze and apply lessons learned from current operational challenges to develop actionable strategies that strengthen organizational performance and leadership practices.

• Explore current trends driving move-in decisions and learn how to adapt your outreach and messaging.
• Trade creative ideas for community events, tours, and digital engagement that spark genuine connections.
• Compare notes on handling common hurdles like waitlists, competition, and changing consumer expectations.

• Learn what needs to be discussed with residents at the time of admission regarding the CADI and Elderly Waiver programs.
• Understand how customized living setting limits may impact reimbursement from the CADI program.
• Identify best practices for educating residents on how and when to apply for CADI and Elderly Waiver, the application process, spenddown obligations, and housing support.

• Identify the bevy of accessibility issues experienced by many older adults.
• Understand the benefits of accessible technology and programming to successfully reach a diverse population of older adults.
• Understand how older adults can engage with the Well Connected programs as participants or volunteers from the comfort of home.

• Review and understand the Baldrige framework for performance excellence.
• Gain insights into how healthcare organizations are using the Baldrige framework to improve systems and results.
• Practice by reflecting on a Baldrige framework question, assessing your organization, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

• Review the new rules outlined in Chapter 6400 that impact Nursing Home Administrators and Assisted Living Directors.
• Discuss the process and requirements for obtaining dual licenses through BELTSS and other health licensing boards.
• Identify the responsibilities, standards of practice, and steps to become a licensee for those not currently licensed.

• Understand the inspection process, types, and priorities for Minnesota OSHA in the healthcare sector.

• Identify inspection trends including the most frequently cited standards and best practices to avoid citations and penalties.
• Discuss the significance and requirements for respiratory protection program requirements as they relate to the healthcare sector.

• Explain the key provisions of Minnesota’s Paid Leave law.
• Identify how this law interacts with existing employer policies, FMLA, and other leave benefits, and determine what updates are required to ensure compliance.
• Explore organizational strategies to align policies and practices with the new law.

• Describe the current progress and early outcomes of Minnesota’s five Connected Communities pilot sites.
• Analyze lessons learned from cross-sector collaborations that support community aging infrastructure.
• Apply key strategies from the pilot experience to participants’ own communities, even without grant funding.

• Describe the education and competency expectations outlined in Minnesota statutes and federal long-term care regulations.
• Recognize the link between staff education programs and survey readiness, quality improvement, and resident safety outcomes.
• Integrate education into daily operations to reinforce professional standards, teamwork, and resident-centered care.

• Identify key and most common components of an effective tenant application process.
• Recognize what is and isn’t permitted under federal, state, and local fair housing and discrimination laws — including HUD guidelines and city-specific renter protections.
• Discuss specific contract requirements for long-term care providers.

• Identify key cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities specific to aging services providers and strategies to mitigate them through proactive risk management.
• Apply best practices for building a culture of cybersecurity awareness, resilience, and accountability across all levels of the organization.
• Examine how artificial intelligence is influencing cybersecurity—both as a tool for enhancing defense and as a potential source of new risks.

• Identify the key responsibilities of board members in the strategic planning process within aging services organizations.
• Understand the external forces reshaping the sector and how boards can help organizations respond.
• Learn strategies to foster strong board-executive collaboration that drives mission-aligned innovation and long-term success.

• Recognize the impact of cultural values and traditions on health care perceptions and decision-making among elders and individuals with disabilities.
• Identify strategies for providing culturally grounded, person-centered care that respects clients’ languages, traditions, and lived experiences.
• Develop skills to navigate cross-cultural communication challenges and build trust with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds in elder and disability health care settings.

• Define the CMS 5-Star quality measures for skilled nursing facilities and understand their impact on outcomes.
• Outline effective strategies that enhance care and lead to improved quality measures.
• Understand the quality processes that drive better outcomes and improved 5-Star ratings.

• Understand the differences among various documents that can help inform who the medical decision-maker is.
• Discuss these tools in the context of honoring patient choices and complying with legal requirements.
• Explore ways to manage disputes when disagreements arise regarding the course of care.

• Review the types of kitchen surveys for assisted living and adult day services, what to expect during survey, and how to prepare.
• Discuss recent assisted living licensure survey trends related to food code and how to avoid getting cited.
• Review the Minnesota Food Code and a new Food Code Toolkit that will help you maintain compliance.

• Identify the top 10 K-tags being cited in life safety surveys to help you remain in compliance.
• Learn about current activities and initiatives within the State Fire Marshal’s inspection team.
• Explore other timely topics related to the Life Safety Code.

• Identify current survey trends in assisted living and home care settings.
• Explain what variance requests are, when it is appropriate to request one, and how they can support compliance.
• Apply knowledge of licensing laws, rules, and available resources to prevent citations and maintain regulatory compliance.

• Explain the Minnesota Board of Nursing’s complaint and investigation process, including stages from report intake through final resolution.
• Identify common situations and statutory triggers that result in a nurse being reported to the Board under Minn. Stat. §§148.261–148.263.
• Apply best practices for responding to Board inquiries professionally and maintaining documentation that supports compliance and accountability.

• Create a culture that attracts candidates who value belonging and appreciation.
• Identify how gratitude influences workplace culture, engagement, and retention.
• Demonstrate practical ways to apply the “Know the Person” approach to build trust, strengthen relationships, and support individuals.

• Learn and apply protocols and ethical strategies for de-escalation to reduce resistance during client encounters.
• Recognize how your internal mood state can interfere with effective de-escalation.
• Develop skills to use your “mental health stethoscope” to assess the “6 Flavors” of a human being.

• Explore current and emerging information technology priorities impacting aging services organizations, including innovation, data, and infrastructure needs.
• Gain insights from IT leaders on effective strategies to align technology investments with organizational goals and long-term sustainability.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation that strengthen the role of IT in enhancing quality, efficiency, and resident experience.

• Understand the impact of recent MDS 3.0 changes on reimbursement, care planning, and interdisciplinary team processes.
• Learn from PDPM implementation strategies across more than 20 states and apply relevant insights to Minnesota's Medicaid landscape.
• Optimize PDPM compliance and reimbursement by aligning accurate documentation with quality improvement efforts and leveraging technology to improve outcomes.

• Examine the expanding role of AI in senior living and its potential impact.
• Understand discoverable data and how data governance supports your goals.
• Identify actionable steps for applying AI responsibly and with accountability.

• Identify five evidence-based methods to enhance knowledge retention and improve training effectiveness.
• Define competence in the context of professional learning and explore techniques to support and increase it.
• Recognize the critical role supervisors and leaders play in reinforcing learning and driving real-world application.

• Understand how the political landscape of the 2026 Legislature will shape policy priorities over the upcoming legislative session and beyond.

• Identify emerging public policies that will likely be considered in the 2026 Legislative Session.

• Explain potential policy and regulatory issues to be addressed through the work of various state agencies.

• Understand when and how to report suspected maltreatment in assisted living.
• Identify key components of a thorough investigation.
• Explore root cause analysis techniques to identify underlying problems and prevent recurrence.

• Identify types of reports received and how they compare to previous year’s reports.
• Understand issues and themes that may inform how to prevent issues in your setting.
• Review how the OHFC Rapid Response team responds to maltreatment reports.

• Understand which fire safety requirements apply to independent living, assisted living, and adult day services.
• Learn specific requirements for fire alarm systems, locking arrangements, and other building features.
• Clarify the roles of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal and local fire code officials in interpreting and applying applicable codes.

• Learn about common Immediate Jeopardy findings.
• Compare and contrast Immediate Jeopardy Removal Plans.
• Identify effective strategies for writing plans of correction.

• Describe effective nursing leadership traits.
• Discuss essentials for achieving leadership effectiveness.
• Identify where you are in your personal nursing leadership journey.

• Explore historical examples of how various religious groups have responded to previous technological advances and how that might guide the future.
• Understand how the creation of an AI generated chat bot of a deceased loved one might both support their grief process and possibly extend it into unhealthy modes of care.
• Evaluate some of the challenges, concerns, and ethical considerations involved when ministers or others create chat bots of living spiritual figures.

• Identify strategies to move from written emergency plans to real-world application and team readiness.
• Describe how to effectively conduct drills that go beyond checking a box and actually test staff readiness.
• Apply creative and compliant approaches to emergency preparedness training, drills, and scenario-based learning.

• Identify the core elements of a scalable internal communications strategy, even without a formal communications role.
• Develop a practical message cascade plan to use for team updates, changes, and recognition efforts.
• Equip frontline and mid-level managers with ready-to-use tools that make communication part of their daily leadership practice.

• Review common concerns from residents of senior communities related to food and dining services.
• Explore strategies for engaging residents and responding to feedback.
• Discuss best practices for planning meals and snacks in senior living.

• Explain the epidemiology, transmission routes, and clinical relevance of Clostridioides difficile, carbapenem-resistant organisms (CRO/CRE), Candida auris, and multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria in long-term care environments.
• Identify current CDC and state public-health guidance for detection, prevention, and containment of multidrug-resistant organisms in nursing homes and assisted living communities.
• Apply practical infection-prevention, environmental cleaning, and antibiotic-stewardship strategies to reduce the spread and impact of these pathogens through interdisciplinary teamwork and quality-improvement systems.

• Discover practical ideas and initiatives implemented by two member organizations who have received LeadingAge Minnesota’s Excellence in Practice Awards.
• Identify best practices in onboarding and orientation programs that create a more engaged workforce, reduce turnover, and foster a homelike environment for residents as implemented by Samaritan Bethany.
• Describe how organization-wide de-escalation training enhances staff safety, emotional well-being, and resident care as implemented by Cassia.

• Understand how Safe Lift practices enhance mechanical lift safety by addressing human factors and system design.
• Learn implementation strategies and tools to successfully adopt Safe Lift practices at the site level.
• Gain insights from providers in the field and leave with take-home strategies to increase safety, reduce falls, and build staff confidence.

• Identify what can be done prior to admission to minimize risk of non-payment.
• Understand what is a reasonable expectation for aging Accounts Receivable.
• Take away advice from current and former Administrators that can be implemented in your communities.

• Learn approaches for assessing your team and understanding their strengths and opportunities for alignment.
• Understand how to set SMART goals that align with your mission and vision.
• Receive tools to identify key performance indicators, improve time management, and move big rocks to get results.

• Identify common tasks within senior living departments that are well-suited for GenAI support.
• Examine ethical considerations and common risks related to AI-generated outputs in real-world settings.
• Develop a department-specific GenAI standard operating procedure that includes use guidelines, review processes, and team resources.

• Understand the assisted living physical environment regulatory process when submitting for an assisted living license or construction project.
• Analyze the 2018 NFPA Life Safety Code and 2018 FGI barriers that would prevent obtaining a new license.
• Review design and construction lessons learned through a case study discussion.

• Define anticipatory grief and describe its emotional, relational, and spiritual impact across care settings, distinguishing it from other forms of grief.
• Demonstrate how storytelling fosters connection, meaning-making, and emotional regulation for individuals and families experiencing anticipatory grief.
• Apply reflective prompts and legacy-centered questions to initiate meaningful, healing conversations before loss or major life transitions.

• Describe the foundational principles of Minnesota’s Case Mix System and its impact on facility-level payment.
• Identify strategies for optimizing reimbursement captured through accurate documentation, coding, and assessment practices.
• Summarize expanded components of the CMS Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) and Quality Reporting System (QRP) relevant to skilled nursing facilities to avoid Medicare penalties.

• Identify how best to partner with the Office of Ombudsman and opportunities for staff training.

• Understand the value, requirements, and best practices for effective communication with residents and their families.

• Describe strategies to build and sustain meaningful Resident and Family Councils and support groups that foster engagement and collaboration.

• Describe how a variety of emerging technologies—including hygiene, monitoring, dietary, and engagement tools—can be integrated into care processes to improve resident safety and wellbeing.
• Identify effective implementation strategies and change management approaches that support successful adoption of new technologies.
• Apply lessons learned and best practices from a provider’s experience to guide your own organization’s efforts to enhance safety, efficiency, and resident-centered care through technology.

• Explore the organizational and community benefits of recruiting and integrating New Americans into the long-term care workforce, drawing from real-world examples of successful provider initiatives.
• Understand how to apply practical strategies and membership resources, such as the Employer Guide: How to Recruit, Retain, and Advance New Americans in Long-Term Care, Employer Collaborative, the Multilingual Video Series for New Americans in MN, and other resources, to strengthen recruitment and retention practices within participants’ organizations.
• Evaluate proven approaches to engage New American communities, identifying key lessons and actionable steps to replicate or adapt these models for local workforce needs.

• Explain the justification and heightened significance of overseeing MDS accuracy.
• Illustrate the changes to the regulatory guidance on MDS accuracy.
• Evaluate three methods to ensure documentation meets the MDS assessment requirements

• Introduce Radical Acceptance as a skill—distinct from resignation or fatalism—that builds empowerment and resilience and reduces suffering in circumstances beyond our control.
• Explore how Radical Acceptance can transform our approach to processing, healing from, and navigating difficult or painful experiences in the past, present, or future.
• Engage in a pragmatic Radical Acceptance practice to develop or deepen competence and confidence in this challenging but transformative skill.

• Recognize the physical environment and fire safety requirements included in Minnesota’s assisted living licensure law, including the 2018 Life Safety Code and the 2018 FGI.
• Distinguish how different portions of an assisted living facility or campus will be surveyed after an addition, alteration, or new building is added to the license.
• Understand the assisted living physical environment regulatory process when submitting for an ALFDC license or construction project.

• Identify high-burden HR tasks causing dissatisfaction and turnover and learn how AI can flag early warning signs of caregiver attrition to improve retention.
• Evaluate the impact of automating tasks like onboarding, OIG checks, credential tracking, and care plan updates to reduce admin load and support care teams.
• Develop a practical, non-technical plan to pilot AI and use real-time SMS scheduling to fill last-minute shift gaps and scale within existing HR systems.

• Describe the 2026 rate setting process for nursing homes and implementation of the PDPM transition, operating rate caps, and minimum wage rate add-on.
• Discuss the auditing process and issues that come up regularly in the setting of care center payment rates.

• Provide an update on the work of the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board.

Life is complicated. Change doesn’t have to be. It’s a myth that people hate change. What we resist isn’t change itself, but the chaos and uncertainty that often comes with it. And in senior living, where loss, stress, and tough transitions are daily realities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or stuck. But you don’t need a title, another to-do list, or superhuman strength to be an effective change maker. In this energizing and practical keynote packed with actionable takeaways, licensed neuropsychotherapist and author Britt Frank demystifies the change process and equips audiences at all levels with simple, science-backed strategies to break through burnout, manage stress, and create momentum. Whether you're leading a team, supporting residents, or navigating emotionally complex situations, this session will leave you empowered to act without overhauling your life.

Participants will understand:
• Why motivation isn’t required to take meaningful action.
• A brain-based framework to calm chaos and build momentum.
• Simple, effective tools for navigating high-pressure moments.
• How to defuse conflict without playing therapist.

• Understand the steps in the nursing home licensure renewal process.
• Review requirements for skilled nursing bed layaway.
• Discuss the current process and challenges from licensing renewals and changes of ownership.

• Identify available peer support resources and referral options within the Minnesota Nurse Peer Support Network.
• Apply confidentiality principles that protect nurses seeking assistance through peer support programs.
• Recognize the importance of fostering psychological safety in nursing practice environments that encourage openness, mutual support, and help-seeking without fear of judgment.

• Explain the key causes of Minnesota’s nursing shortage and why it is projected to worsen through 2035.
• Describe the standard business practices and processes involved in hiring international nurses.
• Outline the legal visa pathways and timelines for employing international nurses in Minnesota.