LeadingAge New York Adviser Adviser LeadingAge NewYork Spring 2019 final | Page 20

Plenary Session: Challenges and
Opportunities in 2019
Steve Fleming, chair of the LeadingAge Board of Directors, spoke to attendees at the Wednesday plenary
session about the challenges and opportunities facing not-for-profit aging services providers in 2019.
The big question Steve posed centered around what providers must do to survive when faced with the
ever-changing industry landscape and the rapid pace by which they must operate. Numerous statistics were
succinctly presented, with one of the most striking being that individuals over the age of 65 will outnumber
children by 2035. This comes as not-for-profit providers continue to deal with workforce shortages,
insufficient financing and funding, housing concerns, health care changes, new regulatory requirements
and competition from for-profits. As attendees learned, this new demographic reality will drive
unsurpassed change in the industry and bring ever-increasing challenges, but also exciting
opportunities.
Collaboration, Steve contended, is a critical strategy as health systems continue to
consolidate due, in part, to shifts in service delivery and payment methods. Health
care payment and delivery reform brings opportunities as acute care hospitals shift
in meeting this demand. Steve also emphasized that the expanding role of technology,
including artificial intelligence (AI) and other upstarts, brings boundless opportunities;
however, cost and scale remain significant hurdles.
Finally, Steve urged attendees to focus on their boardrooms. The need for “big thinkers” and
strategic partners in boardrooms is paramount as not-for-profits navigate the disruptors and
capitalize on opportunities during times of challenging and precipitous change.
The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow –
and at This Year’s Golf Tournament!
“Escape the office for a fun day in the sun” has been the main marketing message these past few years
for the LeadingAge New York Annual Golf Tournament – and apparently a jinx. This year the stars
aligned with the best weather in three years.
Leading up to the tournament, the weather changed back and forth from a full day of
thunderstorms to scattered showers, but by some miracle, the sun came out and the
weather was clear.
Each year, the golf tournament is held to benefit a special Foundation for Long
Term Care (FLTC) scholarship to promote the development of leadership in aging
services. Nineteen foursomes registered for the 18-hole scramble at bucolic Ballston
Spa Country Club in Ballston Spa, just minutes from the LeadingAge New York Annual
Conference and Exposition in Saratoga Springs.
Prizes were awarded for first- and second-place men’s and mixed teams, men’s and women’s longest
drive, closest to the line and closest to the pin. We also had a 50-50 raffle, and prizes and a cash prize
were given out.
As always, thank you to the sponsors who made the event possible, including:
Aspire Advisors, LLC
Carl Young Consulting
Cool SeniorCare Insurance
Eventus
KDA Architects
LeadingAge New York ProCare
MatrixCare
ProCare LTC
RainbowCare & Consultants
Sodexo
Value First
Looking forward to next year’s event, and hoping for another year of fun in the sun!
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Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Spring 2019