RKL's Senior Living Leadership Forum:
Trends, Insights and Innovation

Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Cork Factory Hotel Ballroom
480 New Holland Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17602

Experience the future of the senior living industry at the RKL Senior Living Leadership Forum! Connect with passionate leaders, discover the latest innovations, and explore new strategies that are making senior care better than ever.

Attendees will learn how to align technology with your organization’s goals, meet rising resident expectations and stay ahead of changing regulations. Expert sessions will cover software evaluation, reimbursement risks, workforce strategies and the latest industry updates to strengthen your operations and compliance. Join the conversation, discover what's shaping the industry's future and connect with fellow like-minded professionals.

Agenda:

8 - 8:50 a.m. – Registration, networking and hot breakfast buffet

8:50 - 9 a.m. – RKL welcome
Stephanie Kessler, RAC-CT, CHP, Partner, Senior Living Services Consulting 

9 - 10 a.m. – Senior Living Industry Updates and Trends
Allyson Hornbaker, CPA, Partner, Audit Services Group
Lindsey Marchant, CPA, Partner, Senior Living Services Consulting

This presentation provides an in-depth update on current trends, regulatory developments and market dynamics impacting the senior living industry. Attendees will gain insights into changing resident demographics, evolving care models, and key financial and operational challenges facing providers today. Earn 1 Specialized Knowledge CPE credit.

Attendees will be able to:

• Gain insights into current industry trends and benchmarks.
• Explore the impact of recent industry trends and the outlook of the senior living industry.
• Identify recent regulatory changes affecting the senior living industry and understand their implications for operational compliance and financial reporting.

10 - 11 a.m. - Increasing Regulatory Compliance Requirements
Stephanie Kessler, RAC-CT, CHP, Partner, Senior Living Services Consulting
Jennifer Parsons, BSN, RN, CPC, Senior Clinical Consultant, Senior Living Services Consulting

This session addresses the increasing complexity of regulatory compliance at the federal and state levels, with a particular focus on expanding health and safety requirements and the growing importance of external audits. Participants will examine the factors driving regulatory changes, understand the critical role of surveys and external audits in verifying compliance and learn strategies for maintaining organizational compliance amid ongoing regulatory developments. Earn 1 Specialized Knowledge CPE credit.

Attendees will be able to:

• Identify key federal and state regulations impacting organizational health and safety requirements.
• Recognize recent trends and developments in health and safety compliance, including the enhanced role and expectations of external audits.
• Develop effective strategies and frameworks to prepare for external audits and ensure ongoing compliance with current and emerging federal and state health and safety regulations.

11 - 11:15 a.m. – Break

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. – From Evaluation to Execution: Aligning Technology Solutions With Organizational Needs
Adam Fegley, Presales Engineer, RKL eSolutions

Software plays a crucial role in accurate reporting, compliance and strategic decision-making in the senior living industry. In this session, we’ll discuss a framework for evaluating financial software solutions and addressing common pain points for senior care organizations. Gain practical insights for aligning technology selection with organizational needs and industry best practices. Earn 1 Specialized Knowledge CPE credit.

Attendees will be able to:

• Identify key financial reporting and operational challenges that can be addressed or mitigated through improved financial software solutions.
• Evaluate financial software options using a structured approach that considers usability, integration, compliance and scalability requirements specific to senior living organizations.
• Develop an actionable checklist of requirements and common pain points to guide the software selection and implementation process, ensuring alignment with both regulatory demands and corporate strategic goals.

12:15 - 1 p.m. – Lunch

1 - 2 p.m. – Adapting To Changing Resident Expectations - Meeting Demand for Higher Quality Services, Amenities and Personalized Care
Yenma Herb, CAPM^®, LSSBB^®, CDMP^®, Systems Innovation Senior Manager, Information Technology 

Senior living organizations are serving a new generation of residents – and families – with expectations that extend beyond traditional models of care. This session explores how shifting demographics are redefining quality and experience, highlighting operational gaps that emerge, and explores how innovation and AI can enable more personalized, human-centered senior living. Participants will leave with practical insights to meet rising expectations. Earn 1 Specialized Knowledge CPE credit.

Attendees will be able to:

• Describe how evolving resident and family expectations are transforming the definition of quality, experience and value in senior living.
• Identify common experience operations gaps that limit personalization, communication and consistency across care and service delivery.
• Evaluate practical ways innovation and artificial intelligence can support resident autonomy, family trust and staff capacity without compromising dignity or care.

2 - 3 p.m. – Mitigating Reimbursement Risks in SNFs: Adapting to Medicare and Medicaid Policy Changes
Jason Hershey, President, Medical Billing, Senior Living Services Consulting
Lacy Albright, Practice Leader, Senior Living Services Consulting

This session examines the reimbursement reduction risks currently facing Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) as a result of ongoing Medicare and Medicaid policy changes. Participants will gain insights into the key regulatory updates driving these changes and practical strategies for monitoring and adapting to these evolving reimbursement models. Earn 1 Specialized Knowledge CPE credit.

Attendees will be able to:

• Summarize recent updates to Medicare's Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) and their impact on skilled nursing facility reimbursement strategies.
• Analyze the influence of the Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program on Medicare revenue streams for SNFs.
• Describe the transition process from the Resource Utilization Group (RUG) model to PDPM under Medicaid and outline actionable steps for compliance and risk mitigation.

3 - 3:15 p.m. – Break

3:15 - 4:15 p.m. – Labor Shortages and Rising Staffing Costs
Julie Lipisko, BSN, RN, Senior Clinical Consultant, Senior Living Services Consulting
Stefanie Deiter-Printz, PHR, SHRM-CP, Workforce Strategies Senior Consultant, RKL Virtual Management Solutions

The senior living industry is experiencing significant labor shortages resulting in challenges for service delivery, patient outcomes and financial sustainability. This session will provide insight into the root causes and impacts of these shortages, and present strategic approaches—including optimization of technology, leveraging third-party training solutions, supporting continuing education and strengthening HR collaboration with the goal to build a more resilient, sustainable workforce. Earn 1 Personnel/HR CPE credit.

Attendees will be able to:

• Understand the root causes and broad impact of senior living labor shortages on service delivery, patience outcomes and institutional finances.
• Recognize the financial pressures brought about by rising staffing costs and the limitations of short-term solutions like wage increases.
• Identify strategic approaches and policy measures that can support workforce development and promote long-term organizational sustainability.

4:15 p.m. – Closing remarks

4:20 - 5:30 p.m. – Happy hour and networking

Questions? Email info@rklcpa.com

CPE INFORMATION

• CPE: Earn up to 6 CPE credits in the fields of Specialized Knowledge (5) and Personnel/Human Resources (1).
• Cancellations: Cancellations are requested by March 25, 2026.
• Refunds: Due to this session being offered free of charge, no refunds will be issued.
• Prerequisites: None | Advanced Preparation: None | Program Level: Basic | Delivery Method: Group-Live 

For information regarding our complaint policy, contact RKL’s People Operations department at 717.394.5666. RKL is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have the final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE Credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website, www.learningmarket.org.

NAB/NCERS INFORMATION - This program has been submitted (pending approval) for Continuing Education for 6.0 total participant hours from NAB/NCERS. Call Stephanie Kessler at 717-885-5724 for further information.