LeadingAge 2015 Meeting Begins in Boston

The four-day annual meeting for LeadingAge, a trade association for providers of senior services with “6,000+ members and partners including not-for-profit organizations representing the entire field of aging services, 39 state partners, hundreds of businesses, consumer groups, foundations and research partners,” starts today, November 1, in Boston  The program offerings are impressive with as many as two dozen choices per educational session and keynote addresses by high profile individuals, such as Monday’s speaker, Dr. Atul Gawande, famed author of a best selling and much discussed book that challenges thinking on end-of-life case, Being Mortal.

I find LeadingAge as an organization to be fascinating, not least of all because of the scope of providers under its umbrella, but also because it has proven itself to be very responsive to changes in the market place.  It was once known as AAHSA or American Association of Homes and Services, but voted to change its name to LeadingAge in 2010. 

More changes are in the works, as long-time and much respected Larry Minnix is retiring as the head honcho of LeadingAge.  Nonprofit Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) were once a major (perhaps even the most dominate) part of the membership, but as the senior care and services market is changing that is less and less true, especially with trends in favor of mergers and acquisitions, including not infrequent  transitions to for-profit operations.  Interestingly, during this year’s meeting, LeadingAge is announcing a new for name for CCRCs.  Stay tuned!

This organization clearly understands the need for change to stay attractive to consumers.  At the same time, name changes can also complicate understanding by consumers of the choices available to them — and can complicate state efforts to evaluate and, where appropriate, regulate different models of senior and adult housing and care services.