Are you passionate about healthy aging, supporting older adults, or advancing geriatric care? The 2026 Aging Well Conference is your opportunity to learn, connect, and grow with an incredible interprofessional community dedicated to improving the lives of older adults.

The 2026 Aging Well Conference is focused on promoting healthy aging for older adults. As our population ages, it is essential for health professionals to meet the evolving needs of this demographic.

May 14-15, 2026
In Person at Appalachian State University Boone Campus, Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences.

This year’s conference brings together healthcare professionals, caregivers, community members, researchers, social service providers, and aging adults for two days of dynamic learning and collaboration.

Whether you support aging adults in a clinical setting, community program, or within your own family, you’ll walk away with practical, person‑centered tools you can use immediately. Aging Well is more than a conference, it’s a community movement. Past attendees describe it as “one of the greatest conferences I have ever attended” and praise the collaborative, uplifting atmosphere.

Come be part of meaningful conversations, innovative learning, and a mission rooted in improving the health and well‑being of older adults across our region.

What's New for 2026

• New breakout topics (LGBTQ+ aging, women’s intimacy/sexual wellness, wearable sensors, behavioral health & loneliness, planning for longevity)
• Even more interprofessional speakers
• Pre-recorded sessions for additional CEU access
• Expanded sponsorships and exhibitor hall
  

In Partnership with:

Appalachian State University, Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina and Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC), a program of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and part of the NC AHEC System and The UNC Center for Aging and Health, Carolina Geriatric Education Center.

On May 15–16, nearly 200 healthcare professionals, advocates, and caregivers gathered at Appalachian State University for the 2025 Aging Well Conference—a two-day event dedicated to improving the quality of care for older adults. Now in its second year, this interprofessional and collaborative conference was hosted by Northwest AHEC and the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness.

This year’s event featured expert-led sessions covering a wide range of critical topics, including healthy aging strategies, cognitive health, dementia care, medication optimization, mobility and fall prevention, and patient-centered decision-making. Breakout workshops allowed for deeper discussion and hands-on learning, while also fostering networking across disciplines.

An interprofessional lineup of speakers created a dynamic learning environment where attendees could share insights, discuss real-world challenges, and explore innovative approaches to aging care. The timing of the conference aligned perfectly with Older Americans Month, making it all the more meaningful as we celebrated and empowered the older adults in our communities.

We’re grateful to everyone who joined us to learn, connect, and grow. The feedback we received was incredibly encouraging:

“This is one of the greatest conferences I have ever attended and I can’t wait to attend next year!”

“After attending last year, I knew I needed to bring my friends. My friends came with me this year and it has been so great. We can’t wait to come again next year!”

Mark your calendars—Aging Well 2026 is already in the works! Stay tuned for details as we continue to grow this powerful event focused on healthy aging and collaborative care.

Healthy aging — and finding ways to age well — is the focus of the first Appalachian State University Aging Well Conference, to be held May 16 and 17 at the Levine Hall of Health Sciences in Boone. The event is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.