Patient-Centered Care

LeadingAge 2025: Preparing To Meet Changing Demands in Senior Care

The annual meeting wrapped up in Boston, but the lessons on shifting priorities in an evolving tech landscape have lasting impact.

Teta Alim

Teta Alim is the managing editor of HealthTech. Teta previously worked as a digital journalist in Washington, D.C.

Technology spending among those 50 and older is expected to grow to more than $120 billion by 2030, according to AARP. However, 59% of older adults feel that current technology is not designed with any consideration for them.

During the 2025 LeadingAge Annual Meeting in Boston, industry leaders shared their perspectives on change in the sector and how to prepare communities for the needs of older adults today and in the future.

In the exhibit hall, CDW Healthcare Strategist Liz Cramer noted that the age tech space has grown remarkably. “The biggest observation I have is the amount of new age tech companies coming into the space,” she said.

Click the banner to learn how tech eases operational challenges and improves resident experiences.

CDW Healthcare Strategist David Anderson said that he has found discussions around artificial intelligence to be more rooted in reality.

“I think people are really having more in-depth conversations about their AI strategy,” he said. “People are becoming more deliberate about their thought process of how they’re implementing it, how they want to use it, and where it’s going.”

They both shared their predictions for healthcare IT priorities in the industry next year:

What are some healthcare IT priorities in the senior care sector for 2026? @CDWCorp Healthcare Strategist Liz Cramer shares her picks from @LeadingAge in Boston: pic.twitter.com/ztxAj5gROh

— HealthTech Magazine (@HealthTechMag) November 5, 2025

What's the outlook for 2026 IT priorities in the senior care space? 🔮 @CDWCorp Healthcare Strategist David Anderson shares his take from @LeadingAge in Boston: pic.twitter.com/nA41HzoNiM

— HealthTech Magazine (@HealthTechMag) November 5, 2025

During an education session, RiverWoods Group CIO David Lafferty highlighted the need for senior care organizations to improving their networking infrastructure so that their housing can support the myriad smart home devices many residents now own. Supporting just 10 devices is no longer enough (Lafferty himself professed to having 52 devices). His organization upgraded its network to support over 100 devices.

Mary Ann Morse Healthcare President and CEO Lisa Kubiak spoke of the importance of recruiting a workforce that is comfortable with technology, especially as AI tools proliferate in the space. “It’s really about how can we bring people into our field that have a strong technology background,” she said.

Lafferty’s team members use Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT to support their work, he said, and he’s found that “AI really is effective day to day to help people do their jobs better.”

But even with all of the focus on tech, the people — from residents and their loved ones to caregivers and C-suite leaders —are central to delivering necessary care to older adults.

The opening keynote address from renowned Chef José Andrés — who called in from Jamaica while helping with the hurricane response — included a message of hope and inclusion for attendees.

“I am a guy who believes in longer tables, not higher walls,” he said, adding that embracing diversity is a strength. He also said he draws inspiration and courage from the incredible humanitarian work he’s witnessed across the globe. “You only need a little candle to light up an entire room of darkness,” he said.

Keep this page bookmarked for our coverage of the 2025 LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo. Follow us on X at @HealthTechMag and join the conversation at #LeadingAge25.