Respite for All’s 7th Annual Training Conference
Build Something Beautiful for Our Friends Living with Dementia
Dates: March 1-3, 2026
Location: Asbury United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL
Registration Opens November 15
We’re building something extraordinary—and we want you to be part of it! The Respite for All 2026 Whirlwind Conference is where leaders and volunteers gather to exchange ideas, lay strong foundations for respite programs, and explore new building blocks for joyful dementia engagement. The 2026 theme celebrates renovation and growth—how we can strengthen what’s working in our communities with fresh ideas, innovative activities, and shared experiences.
Taking place from March 1-3, 2026, at Asbury United Methodist Church and hosted by Anchor Community Respite, this conference builds on RFA’s impactful mission to inspire, develop, and mentor volunteer respite programs nationwide.
As the name “Whirlwind” suggests, attendees can expect a dynamic 72-hour program fostering innovative strategies, networking and support systems in dementia care. Our keynote presenters and experienced expert directors will deliver an action-packed agenda that will inspire you to keep building joy, one block at a time.
Registration for the conference opens on November 1.
Highlights You Won’t Want to Miss:
The Lego Lady: Creativity, Connection & Cognitive Play
Horticulture and Respite: Cutivating Joy through Nature
Technology and Respite: Don’t Be Scared
Impactful Storytelling for Your Community
Award-Winning Word Games for PLWD
Candlelight Service: Celebrating Community & Replication
Pause. Play. Renew. A Creative Respite Experience for Your Heart & Hands Using LEGO® Serious Play®
Presented by Loretta Woodward Veney
Loretta Woodward Veney is an inspirational speaker and certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator who offers a wealth of information, encouragement, and humor to her audiences. Loretta is the author of Being My Mom’s Mom, Refreshment for the Caregiver’s Spirit, and Colors Flowing from My Mind. In 2006 after her beloved mother Doris was diagnosed with dementia, Loretta began learning everything she could about the disease, becoming a fierce advocate for her mom in the process.
Loretta and her mom have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The NY Times, and a PBS special. Loretta’s engagement with her mom using LEGO bricks and her facilitation of LEGO Serious Play workshops for those with dementia and their caregivers resulted in them being chosen as one of Robin Roberts Thriver Thursday recipients, which previewed on Good Morning America in November 2021. In September 2023, Loretta received a Maude Award, given to individuals and companies using innovative methods for engaging with those with dementia. Though her mom passed in January 2022, the legacy they created continues through Loretta’s work throughout the United States and Europe.
poemRENOVATION: No Rules, Just Create!
Presented by Kelly de la Rocha
Words have the power to spark memory, creativity, and connection. In this interactive session, writer and founder Kelly de la Rocha will introduce poemRENOVATION, an award-winning word challenge that invites participants to use scrambled literature snippets to create poems or phrases. This innovative program is used in both elder care and education, helping people of all ages rediscover the joy and power of language. Learn more about the workshop.
A poet, journalist, and the founder of poemRENOVATION, Kelly first turned to poetry as a teenager, navigating the emotional landscape of her parents’ divorce. Decades later, during the isolation of the pandemic, she found fresh meaning in those early poems by rearranging their words—a healing exercise that became the spark for poemRENOVATION. Today, Kelly is passionate about inspiring others to engage with language in new ways. Her poetry and feature stories have appeared in more than 50 publications across the U.S. and internationally. Originally from New York’s Capital Region, she now lives with her family in Farmington, Connecticut.
Changing the Narrative of Aging
Presented by Jack York
Jack York is founder of TaleGate, a media company that focuses on bringing to life the stories of older adults, and we were fortunate to work with him and his team in the production of the Respite for All documentary, A Place of Belonging. Jack has been involved with senior living for over 25 years and is a pioneer in the field of technology and aging. His work has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal, NPR, and dozens of senior living publications.
After getting his start working at a tech company in Silicon Valley, Jack launched iN2L in 1999 as an engagement tool to connect senior living residents, especially residents living with dementia, to the outside world. Now part of the LifeLoop family, iN2L grew to be a national leader in the space, with their technology deployed in over 5000 senior living communities. Jack started TaleGate in 2022 as a company dedicated to changing the narrative of aging through telling stories of older adults. Over the last few years, Jack has driven over 250,000 miles, visited hundreds of communities and interviewed thousands of residents and caregivers.
Why Attend?
You’ll leave this conference with actionalble tools, fresh energy and insights from award-winning programs — equipping you to enhance quality of life for those living with dementia while building long-term sustainability for your own respite program. Perfect for:
- Respite Directors
- Respite Volunteers
- Respite Community Planners
- Adult Day Staff
Conference Details
📍 Host Church: Asbury United Methodist, Birmingham, AL
📅 Dates: March 1–3, 2026
🏨 Hotel: Hampton Inn on 280 (Group Rate Available)
💲 Registration: $350 per person | $300 per person for groups of 6+
Registration Opens November 15
