About
Our Mission
The Mobility Matters Conference is dedicated to advancing mobility as a core element of functional recovery and quality of life for older adults. We connect interdisciplinary leaders to share evidence-based, and novel strategies that strengthen real-world mobility practices across post-acute care, with an emphasis on Skilled Nursing Facilities.
What We Mean by 'Mobility'
“Mobility” refers to structured, intentional opportunities for movement that complement formal therapy sessions. This includes brief mobility bouts built into activities of daily living, activities led by nursing or aide staff, and patient– or family–driven practices that foster participation and independence.Mobility is also increasingly enabled by technology, such as wearables, environmental prompts, in-room exercise tools, smart devices, and dashboards that help teams monitor progress and strengthen daily movement practices. The goal is to embed mobility into everyday care in ways that are sustainable, team-based, and person-centered, improving function, participation, and recovery for older adults.
Who We Are
The Mobility Matters Conference is led by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, researchers, and leaders advancing mobility and functional recovery for older adults in skilled nursing and post-acute care. The planning group brings deep expertise in geriatric rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility operations, health services, and implementation science, workforce development, and system level improvement.
Grounded in the aims of our NIH-supported initiative, we are committed to developing evidence-based mobility strategies that translate into practical, sustainable changes in everyday care. We have convened participants with broad experience and diverse perspectives; individuals positioned to influence practice, inform policy, and accelerate innovations that meaningfully improve cost-effective mobility and quality of life of older adults.
Conference Goals
This conference aims to:
- Advance the emerging evidence base on supplemental mobility through research, innovation, and practice
- Address the practical challenges related to staffing, workflow, reimbursement, regulatory constraints, reputational risk, and other factors that shape mobility in skilled nursing and post-acute care
- Elevate frontline and leadership perspectives, including clinicians, administrators, patients, caregivers, and policy partners
- Build an effective robust cross-disciplinary network committed to improving mobility, functional recovery, and quality of life for older adults.
- Develop actionable recommendations that support practical application, quality improvement, and system-level change in SNFs, with insights that may extend to other post-acute settings.
- Influence and advance policy initiatives that remove barriers to mobility, promote equitable access to rehabilitation care, and support the adoption of evidence-informed mobility practices across skilled nursing and post-acute care settings
Our Long-Term Vision
To build and scale a sustained community of practice that strengthens mobility across the continuum of care, and elevates its role in maintaining and optimizing functional ability, independence and quality of life for older adults. Insights from each convening will shape future collaboration, expand partnerships, and advance innovation that improves mobility, participation, and functional outcomes for older adults.