Conference Agenda: Senior Helpers Conference 2025

Grad School
8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Life Profile
8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Registration Open
11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Franchise Advisory Council Meeting - Closed Session
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Franchise Advisory Council Meeting - Open Session
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Join us for an informative session where the Owners Advisory Council (OAC) will share key updates and initiatives from each of its active committees. This presentation offers a valuable opportunity to learn how franchisee-driven input is shaping the future of Senior Helpers through collaborative efforts in areas such as operations, marketing, training, technology, and more.

Hear directly from fellow owners serving on the council, gain insight into the progress being made, and discover how these initiatives are designed to support business growth, innovation, and long-term success across the network.

City of Champions Welcome Reception with Sponsors
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Join us for an exciting evening of connection and collaboration at our Vendor Expo, proudly themed City of Champions! This event brings together valued vendors, franchisees, and team members for a dynamic networking experience.

Explore a variety of vendors offering innovative products and essential services designed to support and enhance your business operations. Whether you're looking for tools to streamline your processes or new solutions to grow your business, you’ll find valuable partners ready to help.

Enjoy great conversation, dinner, and cocktails while building relationships and discovering new opportunities in a relaxed, celebratory atmosphere. Let’s come together as champions of senior care and success!

Hospitality Desk Open
7:30 am - 5:00 pm

Breakfast with Sponsors
7:30 am - 9:00 am

General Session: State of the Company
9:00 am - 10:30 am

Break
10:30 am - 11:00 am

General Session: Keynote Speaker Dr. Khai Nguyen
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Its Time for Age-Friendly Care: Past, Present, and Future – Dr Khai Nguyen

Dr. Khai Nguyen brings his deep passion for the intersection of health policy and medicine to this compelling session. As a clinical leader at CHAP, he plays a vital role in shaping emerging educational content and guiding partners toward excellence in care. In this presentation, Dr. Nguyen will explore the origins and evolution of Age-Friendly Care, its current influence on home-based care, and the promise it holds for the future. Discover how this innovative approach is transforming the client’s experience and why it matters now more than ever.

State-by-State Networking Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Breakout Sessions
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm

Panelists
- Cassandra Nwosu, Director of Training
- Joel Henning, Senior Helpers Appleton, WI

Join us for an insightful panel discussion tackling one of the biggest challenges in home care—retaining top caregiver talent. From innovative incentive programs and onboarding strategies to culture-building techniques. Attendees will walk away with practical strategies to boost caregiver satisfaction, reduce turnover, and build a loyal, high-performing care team. Come prepared with questions and get ready to be inspired!

Managing a sales team isn’t about micromanaging or staying hands-off and hoping for the best — it’s about leading with purpose, setting clear expectations, and building a culture that performs. Join Margueritte Mertz, Senior Sales Advisor, and Sarah McKittrick, Training Manager, for a hand-on, interactive session packed with practical tools and simple systems you can use right away. Whether you’re building your dream team or fine-tuning the one you have, you’ll leave with real strategies to coach confidently, drive accountability, and lead like you mean it — no micromanaging or guesswork required.

Age-Friendly Care is reshaping how we support older adults and validating Senior Helpers as a respected part of the healthcare continuum. In this interactive session, you’ll hear from national leaders Dr. Khai Nguyen, Dr. Alan Abrams, and Dr. Alice Bonner as they dive deeper into the real-world impact of this approach. You’ll also have the chance to ask questions, share perspectives, and explore how Age-Friendly Care can lead to better client experiences, stronger caregiver engagement, and more meaningful relationships with families and referral sources.

Break
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm

Speed Connect
2:45 pm - 4:25 pm

Experience Speed Connect—a Revolutionary Three 30-minute opportunities to engage in focused, high-impact discussions with specialists across a range of essential business topics.

From Operations, Sales, and HR to Legal, Virtual Assistants, Caregiver Retention, Assessments, Care Planning, Financials, and more—this fast-paced format is designed to deliver expert insights and actionable advice to help you take your business to the next level.

Maximize your time. Make powerful connections. Walk away inspired and ready to implement.

Friday Evening On Own

Hospitality Desk Open
7:30 am - 5:00 pm

Breakfast
7:30 am - 9:00 am

General Session: Keynote Speaker Jim Craig
9:00 am - 10:15 am

Jim Craig is best known as the goalie for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey “Miracle” Team, a moment Sports Illustrated named the greatest sports moment of the 20th century.

Beyond the rink, Jim has built a 40+ year career in business and sales, leading major growth initiatives at companies like Valassis Inserts and Hat Trick Group. His achievements include growing sales from $300K to $50 million, earning numerous awards such as Sales Hall of Fame, Team Player of the Year, and special recognition from Disney.

He is also the author of two business books—Gold Medal Strategies and We Win—and has been named one of the top five team-building speakers in the U.S.

Jim serves on the board of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, is a recipient of the 2023 Olympus Within Leadership Award, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Mercy College.

Breakout Sessions
10:30 am - 11:15 am

In today’s competitive personal care landscape, you don’t have time to spare on ineffective technology solutions and operations that slow things down. You need implementable tools, tips, tricks, and strategies that can help your agency grow. Join WellSky in this session to discover how your agency can:

Leverage WellSky to reduce open shifts and improve caregiver productivity

Improve operational efficiencies and drive growth within your business

This session will cover real-world best practices and actionable insights that you'll be able to implement at your organization.

Is your team thinking about launching a Senior Helpers program? Having difficulty deciding which program will meet your office's goals, your clients' needs and benefit referral partners ? Has it been difficult to get programs launched successfully in the past?

Launching a new initiative can feel overwhelming—but the Program and Services Overview & Implementation Guide is now available. This resource offers a straightforward, step-by-step process to plan and implement programs effectively. With guided questions and team discussion prompts, it helps you move from ideas to action—making it easier to launch meaningful programs with confidence.

As client needs become more complex and expectations from referral sources continue to grow, nurses are becoming an increasingly valuable part of successful home care teams. Whether you already have a nurse, are considering adding one, or aren’t sure if it’s the right fit, this session will help you understand the full value a nurse can bring to your Senior Helpers office. From managing medical conditions and enhancing care quality to building trust with families and referral sources, we’ll share practical ways nurses can strengthen your team and support business growth.

Join Margueritte Mertz, Senior Sales Advisor, and step into the follow-up revolution. No more vague endings. No more “I’ll be in touch.” It’s time to lead every conversation with purpose and clarity. In this high-energy, real-world session, you’ll break old habits and pick up practical tools to confidently lock in the next step — whether that’s a scheduled visit, a warm referral, or a strong follow-up plan. This isn’t just about closing — it’s about building sales momentum that lasts.

Big things are coming in 2026—and it starts here. Join us for an exclusive preview of Senior Helpers’ bold new National Brand Awareness Marketing Plan, designed to catapult our brand to new heights and drive measurable impact for every franchise owner. We’ll take you behind the scenes of the strategy, share the insights that shaped our direction, and show you how we’re taking Senior Helpers to the next level. Be part of the conversation, ask your questions, and walk away ready to harness the power of what’s next.

Pathways to Finding Grants & RFPs for Franchisees in the Homecare Industry is designed to equip business owners with practical tools and strategies to identify funding opportunities. This session will cover how to locate relevant grants and government RFPs, navigate application processes, and align proposals with funder priorities. Attendees will gain actionable insights to strengthen their financial position and support business growth. Ideal for franchisees seeking to expand services, invest in training, or enhance community impact.

Morning Break
11:15 am - 11:30 am

Breakout Sessions
11:30 am - 12:15 pm

As the landscape of dementia care evolves, so must the strategies we use to train caregivers. This session introduces the newly updated in-person training for the Senior Gems program -shifting the focus to immersive, hands-on skill development that you can present in your Center of Excellence. Our training builds confidence, empathy, and adaptability—key components of quality dementia care. Join us to experience the program’s new approach and discover ways to integrate this training into your caregiver education program as well as include it as outreach for referral partners and community members.

Lunch
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm

New Franchisee Lunch with OAC Members
12:15 pm - 1:30pm

Fireside Chat with Mari Baxter Standing Out and Scaling Up
Growth Stories from Outstanding Franchise Owners
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Join Mari Baxter for an insightful fireside chat with a panel of exceptional franchise owners who have developed creative, effective strategies to grow their businesses and stand out in their communities. Each panelist brings a unique approach to differentiation, whether through innovative marketing, community partnerships, niche services, or operational excellence. This dynamic conversation will uncover real-world tactics, lessons learned, and inspiring stories you can take back to your own business.

Awards Cocktail Party
6:00 pm - 7:00pm

A Roaring Celebration of Success - Awards Dinner
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Join Mari Baxter and Peter Ross for a Revolutionary Awards Dinner as we honor the outstanding achievements of our franchisees. Step back into the glamour and excitement of the Roaring ’20s for an unforgettable evening filled with celebration, inspiration, and well-deserved recognition.

Put on your best vintage flair and raise a glass to the champions driving excellence across the Senior Helpers network—then hit the dance floor as we keep the celebration going with music and dancing afterwards.