Virginia’s assisted living communities are facing unprecedented workforce challenges—while state workforce programs, educators, and community stakeholders are seeking new opportunities to support job seekers. The disconnect? Many simply aren’t aware of the career potential within senior living or the support available.

That’s why the Virginia Assisted Living Association (VALA) and Argentum are co-hosting the Senior Housing Advancement and Pathways Event (SHAPE)—a collaborative conversation designed to connect key partners and create solutions.

This one-day discussion offers a powerful opportunity to:

Share your organization’s workforce development efforts
Identify challenges and resource gaps limiting success
Form new partnerships with employers, educators, and agencies
Explore opportunities to collaborate on job fairs, trainings, and retention tools
Gain insight into how others are supporting career pathways into assisted living
Help inform future state strategies to support the senior living workforce pipeline

What to Expect

Open Dialogue: Engage in a candid discussion about the current state of the assisted living workforce.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: Hear from government agencies, educational institutions, and industry leaders.
Strategic Insights: Learn how workforce programs and employers can better align to support job seekers and assisted living communities.
Action Planning: Help shape future initiatives like regional job fairs, webinars, and training programs.

Discussion Focus: Share Experiences and Discuss Opportunities

Each participating entity will share insights across these key themes:

Knowledge of the various career opportunities within assisted living and the various employment supports within government and educational entities
Mitigating the need for greater recruitment, training, and retention of employees
The need for more employer resources to support and enhance employee benefits, while at the same time highlight needs and services
Communicating to community colleges, universities, and technical school about the opportunities and requirements for careers

Who’s Invited?

Confirmed and invited organizations include:

Virginia Assisted Living Association (VALA)
Argentum (VALA’s national affiliate)
Governor of Virginia’s Administration
Virginia Works
Virginia Department of Social Services
Virginia Department of Health Professions
- VA Board of Long-Term Care Administrators
- VA Board of Nursing
Select Members of the Virginia General Assembly
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)
Virginia’s Community Colleges

Following an industry overview from VALA and Argentum, participating entities will present their perspectives, exchange ideas, and identify ways to collaborate more effectively.