The Boardroom Abroad: Strategic Home Care Conferences for 2026

In the fragmented landscape of Home Care and Hospice, "staying busy" is the enemy of "building value." For the lower-middle market owner, the difference between a standard 4x EBITDA exit and a premium 7x Strategic Exit often comes down to visibility.

Who knows you? More importantly, do the Private Equity aggregators and strategic acquirers know your name before your teaser hits their desk?

Attending the right industry summits is not about collecting lanyards or earning CEUs; it is a tactical exercise in market positioning. These venues are where regulatory headwinds are analyzed, where "tech-enabled" multiples are defined, and where the next generation of M&A deals are quietly brokered over coffee.

The Valuation Impact of "Being in the Room"

Why should an agency owner leave their daily operations to travel to Scottsdale or Dana Point? Because the home care sector is undergoing rapid consolidation.

• The Buyer Pool: The most aggressive buyers—Private Equity platforms—attend these events to scout for "add-on" acquisitions.

• Tech Enablement: Valuations are increasingly driven by technology. Agencies that have integrated AI and remote monitoring trade at higher multiples than traditional labor-only models.

To position your agency for a premium exit, you must understand the language of the buyer.

Note: For specialized advice on valuing home health, hospice, and non-medical home care agencies, we recommend consulting our dedicated division, Home Care Business Broker.

The 2026 Strategic Conference Radar

We have curated the following events based on their relevance to Deal Structure and high-level networking. These are the venues where the future of care delivery is being architected.

1. Home Care 100 – Winter & Summer Sessions

• Dates & Locations:

  • Jan 25-28, 2026 • Scottsdale, AZ

  • May 31-June 3, 2026 • Dana Point, CA

• The Strategic Lens: This is the Davos of the industry. It is invite-only and executive-focused.

• Why Go: If you are nearing a sale, this is where you find the "Smart Money." The networking here is peer-to-peer with the C-Suites of the largest national providers. Being present signals that you are a serious enterprise, not just a local operator.

2. Home Care Innovation Forum (HCIF)

• Dates: May 17-19, 2026 • Palm Springs, CA

• The Strategic Lens: The intersection of High-Touch and High-Tech.

• Why Go: Buyers are currently paying premiums for "efficiency." HCIF focuses on AI, automation, and virtual care models that expand margins. Implementing these technologies before you go to market can significantly boost your Valuation.

• For insights on how technology impacts agency valuation, visit Home Care Business Broker.

3. ViVE 2026

• Dates: Feb 22-25, 2026 • Los Angeles, CA

• The Strategic Lens: Digital Health convergence.

• Why Go: While broader than just home care, ViVE is where the payer-provider convergence happens. If your exit strategy involves selling to a health system or a payer (insurance company), this is the arena where those relationships are forged.

4. 17th Annual Medicaid Innovations Forum

• Dates: February 3-5, 2026 • St. Petersburg, FL

• The Strategic Lens: Regulatory risk mitigation.

• Why Go: For agencies heavily reliant on Medicaid waivers, "legislative risk" is a major due diligence hurdle. Understanding the future of Value-Based Care and LTSS (Long-Term Services and Supports) allows you to structure your contracts in a way that comforts buyers.

5. Home and Community Care Conference

• Dates: March 26-27, 2026 • Hybrid (In-Person + Virtual)

• The Strategic Lens: Operational resilience and workforce stability.

• Why Go: The #1 deal killer in home care M&A is caregiver turnover. This conference focuses on staffing solutions. Proving you have a stabilized workforce in a volatile labor market is a massive value driver.

Bonus: Niche & Equipment Focus

Sometimes, the value is in the assets or the specific service lines.

Medtrade 2026

• Dates: October 2026 • Dallas, TX

• Focus: HME (Home Medical Equipment) and DME.

• Strategy: If you are looking to diversify revenue streams before a sale, adding a DME component can increase your "share of wallet" per patient, making your agency a more attractive "platform" purchase.

Together We Care 2026

• Dates: March 23-25, 2026 • Toronto, Canada

• Focus: Long-term care and regulatory alignment.

• Strategy: Essential for cross-border operators or those looking to understand the North American regulatory standard for caregiver support.

The Chairman’s Directive

Do not view these conferences as educational expenses; view them as business development investments. Walk the floor with the mindset of a seller looking for a partner, not a manager looking for a vendor.

Ask yourself: "Which of these companies is aggregating agencies like mine?" and "What technology are they using that I need to adopt to fit their integration model?"

If you own a home care agency or hospice and want to understand how these industry trends impact the specific value of your holding, Contact Us for a confidential review.

2. FAQ / Strategic Recap

How do I prepare my agency for sale while attending these events? Use these events to "secret shop" your competitors and potential buyers. Listen to what the large acquirers are saying on stage about their growth strategies. Are they looking for Medicaid census? Private pay? Clinical capability? Align your business model to fit their "Buy Box."

Is it better to sell to a local competitor or a national platform? Usually, national platforms (often backed by Private Equity) pay higher EBITDA Multiples because they have a lower cost of capital and are buying "synergies." Local competitors often try to buy at "asset value," which is significantly lower.

Does SeaRidge specialize in Home Care? Yes. We recognize that Home Care is a unique asset class driven by caregiver retention and reimbursement cycles. Our sub-brand, Home Care Business Broker, is dedicated exclusively to navigating exits in the senior care space.