RECAP 2024 Virtual Fall Conference, Thursday October 17

2024 Fall Conference Recap

Senior Citizens’ Foundation held their 2024 Virtual Fall Conference on
Thursday October 17, 2024. We had 240 people including speakers attend the
2024 Fall Conference.

The Sponsors for the 2024 Fall Conference were: Aging and Long-Term Care
Support Administration, Hearing Loss Association of Washington, Long-Term Care
Foundation of Washington State, Retired Public Employees Council of Washington
Chapter 2, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging (W4A), and
Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

The Ten Presenters were:

1. Louise Ryan, Regional X Administrator Administration for Community Living – Emergency Planning for Seniors
2. Tim Smolen, SHIBA Program Manager Office of the Insurance
   Commissioner – 2024 Medicare Open Enrollment Coverage changes and
   Options
3. David Mancuso, Director, DSHS Research and Data Analysis Division –
   Washington Age Wave and Senior Demographics
4. Pat Sullivan, Director of Office of Financial Management – The 2025
   Outlook
5. Carolyn Brotherton, Policy Associate, Economic Opportunity Institute –
   Funding the Public Good with Progressive Revenue,
6. Todd Slettvet, MA, Medicaid Program Division and Ellen Wolfhagen, Retire
   Benefits Manager, Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB) – Public
   Employees Benefit Board (PEBB) Update & Health Care Authority Activity
7. Catherine Kinnaman, Home & Community Services, Kathy Morgan, Adult
   Protective Services, Amy Abbot, Residential Care Services, Ernest
   Covington III, Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services, Ben Veghte, WA Cares,
   Mike Anbesse, Residential Care Services (RCS), Eric Mandt, Management
   Services – DSHS Aging & Long-Term Support Administration – Agenda for
   2025, Report from the Directors
8. Cynthia Stewart, LWV League of Women Voters, Update 2024 Election
9. Bryana Cross Bean, Attorney at Law, Your Emergency Legal Documents
10. Leslie Emerick, Hospice Care, Happy 100 th Birthday President Carter

Thank you to all of the participants and Speakers for an excellent Conference. The
goals were to prepare for the 2025 Legislative Session and the Age Wave. It was
also an introduction of the 2025 Health Care Enrollment Plan, preview of the 2025
– 2027 State Budget, reports from the Division Directors who manage the Long-
Term Care Agency, review of emergency legal documents and preparedness for
natural disasters. The Conference closed with recognition of President Carter who
is in Hospice Care and celebrated his 100 th Birthday. He exemplifies the need for
and importance of Hospice which addresses an individual’s end of life physical,
emotional, social, and spiritual needs.