After more than a year of meticulous planning and collaboration, Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) successfully hosted its Annual Aging Conference in person for the first time since 2019. Held on March 28, 2025, at the Harris Conference Center in Charlotte, NC, the event brought together nearly 300 attendees, including aging professionals, educators, students and community members, all united under the timely theme: Tackling Aging. The conference was designed to educate attendees on a range of aging-related topics, foster meaningful networking and partnerships and inspire innovative solutions to address gaps in services for older adults.
The day kicked off with an energizing plenary session from Brad Allen, Executive Director of NC Senior Games and NFL referee. His motivational talk struck a chord with attendees, with one remarking that Brad was “excellent, informative” and praised his ability to stay “on task with everyday living examples” while delivering humor and inspiration. Afterwards, breakout sessions that included topics ranging from transportation and nutrition to intergenerational programming and elder abuse were available to attendees looking to broaden their knowledge on a vast array of subjects.
Feedback from the conference was overwhelmingly positive. One participant shared, “This was an amazing day,” and a first-time attendee noted, “I wish I had not waited so long to attend. It really was a great conference, and I appreciated being able to connect with so many people from different counties in North Carolina.”
The success of the 2025 conference reaffirmed the importance of in-person engagement and highlighted the growing demand for continued education and collaboration in the field of aging. As Centralina AAA looks ahead, there is strong enthusiasm to expand the conference even further, with many attendees requesting additional breakout sessions and learning opportunities.
This year’s event not only strengthened the network of aging professionals across the region but also advanced Centralina’s mission to support older adults through connection, innovation, and service. Plans are already underway to make next year’s conference even more impactful.
To connect with Centralina AAA, visit centralinaaging.org or email aging@centralina.org.
