Senior Summit Expo & Professional Conference Connects Older Adults, Caregivers, and Professionals with Resources Across Summit County

SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO— Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro’s Office and the Summit County Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS) partnered with community organizations and service providers to support the 2026 Senior Summit Conference & Expo, a multi-day event focused on education, connection, and resources for older adults throughout Summit County. Hosted by collaborating partners who support older adults, the Senior Summit Community Expo welcomed an estimated 450+ older adults, caregivers, and community members to St. George Fellowship Hall in Fairlawn on May 6. The free expo featured more than 70 exhibitors representing healthcare providers, government agencies, nonprofits, legal services, housing organizations, transportation resources, and senior support programs from across the region. Attendees had access to educational breakout sessions, entertainment, free meals, and direct connections to organizations serving older adults in Summit County. Topics included Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP updates, aging in place, public benefits, fraud prevention, and end-of-life planning. “This event reflects the strength of collaboration across Summit County and shared commitment to supporting older adults and their families,” said County Executive Ilene Shapiro. “The Senior Summit Expo creates an opportunity for residents to connect directly with trusted organizations, learn about available services, and build meaningful community connections.” Between the Summit County Executive’s Office and DJFS, the county had over a dozen staff members volunteering throughout the expo. Multiple Summit County departments and agencies also participated as exhibitors and presenters. The Senior Summit Professional Conference followed on May 8 and event organizers welcomed more than 200 professionals who work with older adults and their families. The conference offered continuing education opportunities for social workers, nurses, counselors, attorneys, and other professionals through expert-led presentations and breakout sessions focused on aging services, dementia care, public assistance, ethics, fraud prevention, and complex care coordination. Assistant Chief of Staff and Director of Communications Greta Johnson participated in the professional conference as facilitator for a session examining scams targeting older adults and strategies to help protect seniors from financial exploitation. County Executive Shapiro’s Office also recognized the leadership and coordination efforts behind the event, including Lisa Mansfield from the County Executive’s Office, Tessa Engelhart from VANTAGE Aging, and Lori Smith from Direction Home who helped organize this year’s Senior Summit programming. “The continued success of the Senior Summit demonstrates the importance of strong community partnerships and accessible resources for older adults,” Shapiro said. “We appreciate the organizations, volunteers, presenters, and staff members who helped make this year’s event successful.” For more information about services and supports available for older adults in Summit County, visit https://co.summitoh.net/departments/Job-Family-Services.html or https://vantageaging.org/ .