Slowly but surely, the performance of seniors housing assets is improving. While rent growth in 2022 in the sector represented a period of catch-up after the pandemic stymied the ability of operators to raise lease rates, continuing rent increases in 2023 began contributing to more meaningful net operating income recovery, according to Walker & Dunlop’s recently released Senior Housing Outlook report. Now, seniors housing owners are positioned for a sustained period of significant revenue expansion amid improving occupancy and a shortfall of new inventory, reports the Bethesda, Maryland-based commercial real …
Sarah Daniels
De-Risking Elevator Emergencies: Why Senior Living Facilities Need Modern Elevator Communication Solutions
Any property owner knows the headaches that arise when an elevator malfunctions. In senior living facilities, such problems have the potential to escalate into a crisis very quickly. Emergency communications in senior care facilities are vitally important, not only to protect the health and safety of residents and visitors but also to minimize disruptions to staffing resources. If there is an emergency, that call has to go somewhere. In senior living facilities, that destination is often the nursing station. “We consistently hear about nursing shortages, with staff being pulled in …
New Technology, Electronic Health Records Solve Problems in Post-Acute Care
Changing Medicare requirements for risk-based programs are putting new pressure on seniors housing operators and skilled nursing facilities that provide post-acute care (PAC) to people recently released from hospitals. Standards for the quality of care are becoming stricter just as innovations in record keeping, data analysis, voice recognition technology and smart room sensors are maturing. These new technologies — including many powered by artificial intelligence (AI) — combined with electronic health records (EHRs) can help operators adapt to the enormous changes coming to the seniors housing business. “We really put …
Webinar: Safer Senior Living — Next-Gen Emergency Response Solutions
The Sept. 26 webinar “Safer Senior Living — Next-Gen Emergency Response Solutions,” sponsored by Kings III Emergency Communications, covered many aspects of managing risk within seniors housing communities. This brief discussion highlighted new emergency communication technology, the challenges of traditional phone lines due to the 10-72A1 order from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as well as best practices for code compliance. The panelists also broke down the benefits of cellular technology over voice over internet protocol (VoIP) systems, services for high-risk areas, two-way communication services and video monitoring in elevators. …
Webinar: Creating Value in Seniors Housing — The Economics of Dealmaking in This Cycle
The Sept. 5 webinar “Creating Value in Seniors Housing — The Economics of Dealmaking in This Cycle,” sponsored by CBRE, brought together industry leaders to discuss the current trends shaping the seniors housing market, including occupancy rates, strategic investments and the evolving landscape of assisted living, memory care and independent living communities. This discussion covered innovative technologies, economic factors influencing cap rates, considerations about the future of care and analysis of increasingly sophisticated operations strategies. Expert panelists shared their experiences and projections for the sector, including the increasing demand for seniors housing …
Webinar: Meet Seniors Housing’s Contrarians — A Handful of Investors Go Big in a Challenging Environment
The June 27 webinar “Meet Seniors Housing’s Contrarians — A Handful of Investors Go Big in a Challenging Environment” covered the difficulties and opportunities in seniors housing, including the impact of rising interest rates, the rise of regional operators and best practices for meeting regulatory requirements. The panel of industry experts also shared insights on managing troubled assets and adapting to post-pandemic challenges in the healthcare real estate industry. Despite concerns about affordability and rising insurance costs, there were signs of growth and opportunity in the sector. Speakers emphasized the …
Webinar: Resident-Focused Renovation — A Seniors Housing Success Story
The June 4 webinar Resident-Focused Renovation — A Seniors Housing Success Story explored a case study in renovation and elaborated on what this project reveals about key trends in seniors housing renovations. The discussion also covered best practices for renovating a senior living community with minimal disruption to residents as well as maximum energy and cost savings for owners and operators. Occupied renovation in the senior living space can be challenging, but all three panelists assert that keeping residents in place while upgrading technology can be a viable, cost-efficient option …
Evolution of Customer Needs, User Behavior Drive Future of Electronic Health Records
Consumer expectations of technology are evolving due to a generational shift. Today’s senior living and long-term care residents and their family members are becoming increasingly tech-savvy. Their adeptness with digital solutions continues to grow with new technology. Residents and their families’ use of these tools is expanding rapidly to include staying updated on health and activities, tracking medication, managing important documentation and overseeing finances. Electronic health records (EHRs) can assist in centralizing this information and can conform to the latest customer needs. Residents and their loved ones expect easy access …
Seniors housing acquisition and development is a costly business these days. Inflation has increased the price of construction materials, and wage pressures are driving up personnel costs. And after nearly two years of interest rate hikes to slow inflation, debt service on short-term construction and bridge loans is straining borrowers’ budgets and potentially threatening their ability to qualify for take-out financing when their properties reach stabilization. That is, if they can even source a long-term mortgage from increasingly risk-averse regional banks distracted by today’s market volatility, says Jason …
The Dec. 7 webinar “What Will 2024 Hold for Seniors Housing Investment & Acquisition Activity?” covered where the industry stands now and how experts are preparing to succeed in 2024. Webinar panelists listed factors like interest rates, wages, insurance costs, inflation, margin compression, resident move-ins and bank short sales as market indicators for the health of seniors housing. Learn their outlook and forecasts for what the industry may face in the new year. The speakers covered transaction activity, cap rate trends, capital availability and pricing, as well as the …