Senior Living Providers Celebrate 20 Years of Innovation and Compassion

-- Thought-leaders, Decision-makers and Advocates gather for 2010 ALFA Annual Conference & Expo --

PHOENIX, May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 2,000 senior living professionals gather this week in Phoenix, Ariz. for the Assisted Living Federation of America's (ALFA) 2010 Annual Conference & Expo, a celebration of the association's 20th anniversary.    

Considered among the largest, most important events in senior living, the conference offers educational sessions, valuable networking opportunities and collaboration aimed at advancing quality care and services for seniors and their families.  Attendees will honor the people and companies at the forefront of advocating choice, dignity, independence and quality of life for American seniors.  Additionally, representatives from more than 244 supplier companies working with senior living providers will showcase their newest products and services at the Expo.

"For 20 years, ALFA and its members have blazed trails to benefit quality of life for seniors and their families," said Richard Grimes, president and CEO of the Assisted Living Federation of America.  "While we reflect on the past, our attention is on today and the future.  The 2010 ALFA Conference & Expo allows us to highlight the good work being done and share the innovative best practices resulting from it."

ALFA Best of the Best Awards

This year ALFA honors 33 senior living programs after receiving a record number of nominations from member companies.  More than half of the winning best practices support improvements in resident services.  Many of the winning programs leverage technology or training to further personalize each senior living resident's experience.  Some innovations focus on dining services or wellness, while others seek to reduce costs for families or grant special wishes of residents.  Learn more about Best of the Best winners by reading the May/June 2010 issue of Assisted Living Executive magazine online at www.alfa.org.

ALFA Hero Awards

Six individuals were selected as ALFA Heroes from more than 900 nominations exemplifying those who serve seniors as a career. ALFA will honor the winners at a luncheon and highlight their commitment in specially prepared videos.  See the winners and videos by visiting www.alfa.org.

"ALFA Heroes represent the thousands of people who choose to serve seniors every day. It is a true calling that requires compassion, dedication and hope.  Thank you to the 2010 ALFA Heroes, to all those nominated and to every person engaged in providing quality of life for seniors and their families," said Grimes.

Public Policy

ALFA presents its first Horace D'Angelo, Jr. Memorial Awards to honor the Caretel Inns founder's legacy as a tireless advocate of seniors and underscore the importance of grassroots advocacy on behalf of senior living and the seniors and families served.  This year ALFA awards the work of the California Assisted Living Association and the Georgia ALFA. Both ALFA affiliates spearheaded legislation in their state legislatures that defends the rights of seniors to choose to remain in their assisted living communities as they become less mobile.  The legislation passed in California and is pending in Georgia.  

ALFA also honors Georgia State Representative Chuck Martin with the 2010 ALFA Statesman Award.  Representative Martin introduced the bill pending in the Georgia legislature offering frailer seniors more choice in where they can live and receive personal care.  

"As new laws and regulations are considered at all levels of government, ALFA and its state chapters and affiliates continue to support proposals embracing choice, dignity, independence and quality.  Thank you to all our policymakers willing to fight for seniors' rights," said Grimes.  

More to Come

ALFA will provide daily updates during the conference using its ALFA 2.0 social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and ALFA Exchange, a new private social networking site exclusively for senior living executives.  Visit www.alfa.org for details on each of these social media sites.  Twitter users are encouraged to hashtag  #ALFAConf in their tweets about the conference.

About The Assisted Living Federation of America

The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) is the largest national association exclusively dedicated to professionally managed assisted living communities and the seniors and families they serve.  For 20 years, ALFA has worked to educate policymakers and consumers by advocating for informed choice, quality care, and accessibility for all Americans.  ALFA's member-driven programs promote business and operational excellence through education, research, publications, professional networking and online tools designed to foster collaboration and innovation in the field of senior living.  Visit ALFA's Web site at www.alfa.org.

SOURCE Assisted Living Federation of America