Nashville, Tenn. — Today, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) officially opened its 73rd Convention and Expo at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. More than 3,100 attendees have gathered in Nashville for the nearly week-long annual conference.
At the opening general session held today, attendees will hear inspiring messages from industry leaders and classically trained pianist keynote speaker, Jade Simmons. Simmons is a born storyteller and a creator of transformational experiences designed to activate audiences into becoming the biggest, boldest version of themselves.
“We are beyond ecstatic to be here at our 73rd Convention with our incredible members, sponsors, and partners,” said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “This extraordinary event would not be possible without them, and we are so grateful for everything they do for our nation’s seniors. We have so much in store for attendees at this year’s conference, but the most inspiring part is to see our dedicated long term care professionals come together to share their stories and celebrate the work we do for America’s seniors.”
On Tuesday, the Association will honor long term and post-acute care providers who are on the path toward performance excellence through the National Quality Award Program. This year, AHCA/NCAL will recognize more than 200 member centers and communities, including two elite facilities at the Gold level.
The closing general session on Wednesday will present several awards to heroic caregivers, including the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award, the Jan Thayer Pioneer Award, the AHCA/NCAL Awards Program. The closing session will be keynoted by the creator of Humans of New York, photographer and author, Brandon Stanton. Stanton is one of today’s most influential storytellers and will discuss the importance of storytelling and human interaction in our settings.
“As our profession continues to recover from the pandemic, the resources and education that attendees take away from this event is invaluable,” said Phil Fogg, AHCA Board Chair. “The millions of caregivers and residents in our facilities across the country deserve the very best, and this week is all about reinvigorating providers with tools they can bring back to their facilities to further enhance care.”
The 73rd AHCA/NCAL Convention and Expo, which offers more than 100 education sessions and more than 300 exhibitors, runs through Wednesday, October 12.