The 2023 Environments for Aging Conference + Expo will race into Charlotte, N.C., April 15-18, bringing the senior living design industry to its Charlotte Convention Center for four days of education, networking, and product exhibition.

Plus, our trip to the nation’s auto racing hub will include a pit stop at the NASCAR Hall of Fame for EFA’s annual networking party.

Find highlights of the event below. You can also find a roundup of new products and services that will be on display in the exhibit hall here.

For more information and to register, visit environmentsforaging.com.


Can’t miss keynotes

The 2023 EFA Conference will be anchored by four general session keynote presentations on Sunday and Monday of the event. All will be held in the Richardson Ballroom.

Sunday, April 16, 9-10 a.m., Welcome Reception and Opening Keynote

Kicking off the 2023 EFA Conference, Vijay Gupta, founder and artistic director at Street Symphony, a community of musicians creating spaces of connection for people in re-entry from homelessness, addiction, and incarceration in Los Angeles, will take the stage.

For more than 20 years, Gupta has performed as an international recitalist, soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician. He is also a co-founder of Skid Row Arts Alliance, a consortium dedicated to creating art for—and with—the largest homeless community in America.

He speaks to the value of music in our lives and mental health, including in his TED Talk, “Music is Medicine, Music is Sanity.”

Sunday, April 16, 12-1:30 p.m., Environments for Aging Magazine Awards Luncheon

Environments for Aging invites all attendees to join us in celebrating the winners of the annual Design Showcase, Remodel/Renovation Competition, and Design Champions awards programs during this special lunch event.

Monday, April 17, 9-10:00 a.m., The Center for Health Design Changemaker Keynote

The Center for Health Design will present its 2023 Changemaker Award to Lorraine Hiatt, Ph.D., environmental gerontologist of ImprovAging Lifestyles and Design.

The annual award honors individuals or organizations making a broad impact on the advancement of senior living design. Hiatt will be honored for her 50 years in the industry, helping to advance the function, look, and experience of environments for aging in each of her 800-plus project endeavors.

Monday, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., General Session Panel

Jennifer Kovacs Silvis, editor-in-chief of EFA magazine, will moderate a panel discussion with industry leaders on pressing issues in senior living and the role design plays in successful operations going forward.

Community tours

The EFA Conference offers attendees the opportunity to tour senior living communities in the host city and view some of the industry’s latest design strategies at work. This year’s conference includes two tours of projects currently under construction.

Tours run from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, and registration is limited. (To register, visit environmentsforaging.com.) Here are some details on the two community tours available.

T01 – Symphony Park Luxury Independent Living Resort

This hard-hat tour will be led by project team members at BB+M Architecture, Bi-Part Development, and Carolina Commercial Contractor. The 320-unit community in Huntersville, N.C., is inspired by elegant beach resorts of the early 20th century and features four buildings surrounding a 55,000-square-foot commons building.

T02- The Village on Morehead

The Village on Morehead, located in Charlotte, N.C., will house 192 independent living units including luxury penthouse suites. The 12-story community is designed to integrate into its historic neighborhood and will feature patio dining along the streetscape as well as a host of amenity spaces. This tour will be led by BB+M Architecture, Bridgewood Property Company, and Choate Construction.

Networking party

It’s a race to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Monday, April 17, for EFA’s networking party, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Attendees can enjoy Southern-themed appetizers, learn about the history of auto racing, and compete for prizes via interactive experiences at the museum.

The event is sponsored by Williams-Sonoma Inc. B2B.

Showtime in the hall

The exhibit hall is the place to see and check out new products and talk with vendors about their offerings for the design of senior living environments. It will be open during three days of the show. Here’s an overview of the expo schedule:

Sunday, April 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Welcome Reception

Join us inside the expo hall for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as you check out booths and connect

with exhibitors. Sponsored by Kwalu.

BONUS: 5:15-5:45 p.m., EFA Project Gallery Preview + Reception

Before the exhibit hall opens, explore project boards from senior living firms in our gallery in the conference area on Level 2.

Monday, April 17, 11:15 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Exhibit hall open

Lunch served 12-1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 18, 9:30 -11 a.m., Exhibit hall open

Breakfast served 9:45-10:30 a.m.

BONUS: 10:15-10:30 a.m., $5,000 Cash Giveaway

Join Environments for Aging at the Food + Beverage area of the expo hall to find out who will win a drawing for the $5,000 cash giveaway, sponsored by Inpro, Pacific Sundance, Shaw Contract, Signature Flooring, and Station Ten.

AIA breakfast

Monday, April 17,  8-8:45 a.m.

During the AIA Design For Aging (DFA) Breakfast and Program, “Retired But Not TIRED,” a panel of experienced senior living architects will reflect on the evolution of senior living over the past four decades, as well as provide their insight on what the future holds. The panel will be moderated by AIA DFA’s Claire Dickey and will include panelists:

For more information or to register for the 2023 EFA Conference + Expo, visit environmentsforaging.com.