Assisted living developer and operator seeks to transform the resident experience starting with two projects set to open this year in Texas.
By Matt Valley
Accepting the status quo isn’t an option for Tim Hekker and Lori Alford, founders and owners of Avanti Senior Living based in The Woodlands, Texas. The fledgling development and management firm aims to redefine service and design in the high-end assisted living and memory care space by pushing the envelope.
“We ask ‘Why?’ a lot,” says Alford, Avanti’s chief operating officer. “We have the history and knowledge of this industry, but we’re also pushing ourselves and challenging the status quo by asking ‘Why?’ We also have a saying in our office: ‘Go big or go home.’ ”
Avanti — which means “forward” in Italian — reflects the company’s business philosophy. “Lori and I have a forward-thinking vision for our residents, families and team members that we wanted to see come alive and inspire the industry,” says Hekker, Avanti’s CEO.
Launched in 2013, the company seeks to create a transformative experience for its residents by giving them a multitude of choices, a culture of connectedness and a sense of empowerment, according to Hekker.
An “experience coordinator” will be available at each community to customize personal preferences in regard to meals, activities, when and where they like to dine and how they wish to plan their day. The design and culture of the Avanti communities will be similar to a resort hotel that encompasses style, sophistication and comfort while focusing on the customer experience.
From the start, the company’s vision involved more than just offering the newest amenities. It required the management team to take a hard look at the entire industry and update the standard approach to everything from programs, construction and technology right down to team uniforms.
Above all, Avanti wanted to stand out from the crowd. “We have shopped every competitor in the markets we’re in,” says Alford. “If you were to remove the [company] logos from all the brochures and you shuffled them around, you literally could put the logos on any of the brochures because they all pretty much say the same thing. They all look the same. We don’t want to be classified in that same look. We are striving to be different.”
A prime example of the status quo is the dining program offered at seniors housing communities today, she says. “Everyone has the same dining program. They offer two meats, a starch, a vegetable and a dessert and your ‘always-available’ items. We are totally redoing our dining program to where the residents have choice.”
Paul Donaldson, managing principal of PRDG, a senior housing architectural firm, says Avanti is the firm’s most forward-thinking client. “While they are veterans in the senior living industry, they are not afraid to challenge the traditional mindset on design, services and culture. We know that they are open to new ideas and they bring new thoughts to us that are definitely cutting-edge.”
Impressive résumés
The duo has a combined 50 years of seniors housing experience between them. Hekker has completed $925 million in acquisitions and developed more than $1.8 billion in seniors housing over the past 30 years.
From 1996 to October 2006, he served as chairman and CEO of Hearthstone Assisted Living Inc. During that period, he oversaw the development and operation of 32 assisted living and memory care properties in 10 states.
In 2006, Hekker led a management buyout of Hearthstone Assisted Living that included a name change to Hearthstone Senior Services. Prior to Hearthstone, Hekker served as vice president of operations for Marriott Senior Living Services. Over the course of seven years, the senior living division of Marriott opened more than 90 communities.
Prior to joining Avanti, Alford spent 16 years conducting market research and feasibility studies as well as lobbying for the senior living industry. She previously served as COO of Hearthstone Assisted Living, where she was responsible for overseeing the marketing, sales and operations of a portfolio of 32 communities, with 3,700 beds and 1,700 team members.
“Tim and I are very unique compared to most other senior housing executives,” says Alford. “We both have only done seniors housing. We don’t come from Wall Street or the finance world or multifamily. We both started and have continued our careers in seniors housing.”
Sunbelt strategy
Each Avanti Community will feature 90–150 private suites, ranging from large one-bedroom to two-bedroom floor plans. Standard amenities include an art studio, full-service spa and salon, luxury dining, plus medical and wellness services.
Avanti is currently building projects in select markets in Texas, Louisiana and Florida. The company expects to eventually branch out to other markets nationwide.
Two ground-up communities are currently under construction in north metro Houston: Avanti at Towne Lake in Cypress is on target to open this summer and Avanti at Vision Park in Shenandoah is slated to open this fall. Each of the two communities will span approximately 76,000 square feet and include 90 suites, 50 dedicated to assisted living and the remaining 40 to memory care.
Four other projects, two in Texas and two in Louisiana, are in various stages of development including Avanti at Flower Mound in Flower Mound, Texas; Avanti at Stone Oak in San Antonio; Avanti at Highland in Baton Rouge, La.; and Avanti at Lafayette in Lafayette, La. The company is also conducting feasibility studies on nearly a dozen other projects.
Hekker emphasizes that Avanti is not on a mission to develop and operate the largest number of assisted living and memory care communities. “It is important to us that we be the best in each market.”
The company undertakes a highly disciplined approach to site selection that begins with its own in-house feasibility study, he explains. “It is tedious and time consuming, but since we have the responsibilities of both the owner and the operator, we take this process seriously not only for ourselves and but also for our property investors. Once we are confident in our own findings, we send a third-party group to gather their input.”
Important factors in the feasibility analysis include the health of the local economy, competitive environment, the affluence of a community and other compelling vital signs. For example, Baton Rouge, home of Louisiana State University, is the state capital of Louisiana and the second largest city in the state. The population of the metro area is approximately 820,000.
Discarding stereotypes
The conventional wisdom is that seniors are afraid, averse or simply ignorant of modern technology, but Alford believes that too often society sets boundaries with seniors and underestimates their capabilities.
She recounts a conversation with a senior that left a lasting impression. “When I started having meetings with seniors to pick their brain about what they wanted in a community, I’ll never forget the moment I asked, ‘Would you be interested in a tablet that can keep you connected to your loved ones? Wellness classes such as yoga or a barre class?’ She looked at me and said, ‘Honey, I’m not dumb. I’m just old.’”
Avanti embraces technology in ways many seniors housing communities don’t. Each resident will have a custom tablet, with charging stations strategically placed in common areas for convenient charging. Room access will be via RFID keyless entry so residents don’t need to worry about carrying keys. Surround-sound audio plays in both inside and outside communal areas. Even having Wi-Fi throughout the buildings is a bit of a novelty for seniors housing.
“A lot of communities don’t offer Wi-Fi in the resident rooms, which makes you scratch your head,” says Alford. “We’re working on some sole proprietary customized tablets that the residents will receive to allow them to experience everything from social media to their whole experience within the community.”
New memory care paradigm
Hekker and Alford examined the memory care model across the industry. They discovered that memory care suites are often dramatically different from the rest of assisted living, and usually a step down in quality.
Salize — Avanti’s memory care program, meaning “willow” in Italian — aims to fix that disparity. With 20 to 40 memory care suites per community, Salize will still offer the comfort and amenities of other areas, but with specialized programs in memory care.
Communities are designed with open spaces and short, easy-to-see walkways and an abundance of natural light, so residents do not feel overwhelmed or challenged by hidden corridors. Simulated daytime/nighttime lighting and audio cues help keep residents aware of phases of the day.
In their specialized memory care neighborhood, residents will have their own dining area, theater, salon and other amenities.
Music therapy is also a focus, using both live musical performances and mp3 players with specially crafted playlists for each resident. Team members will connect with family to find out which genres and artists are most meaningful to the residents.
Avanti’s greatest assets
The employees are the heartbeat of Avanti, says Hekker. “Our culture is unique and we inspire and motivate people to think differently and be different. It takes special people to see that vision and live it.”
To make sure employees know they’re appreciated at each community, the team lounge will provide a homey atmosphere featuring beanbags and communal tables, as well as an internal social media board for sharing ideas and suggestions. The lounge will also include charging stations for mobile devices.
Team members are free to join exercise classes and utilize the community’s fitness spaces. Employee discounts are available for other amenities, such as the full-service spa. There are even ongoing educational seminars for both professional and personal improvement.
“We are constantly asking [our team] what can we do better, what can we do different,” says Alford. “Tim and I don’t have all the answers. We believe in a team approach with our group. They get to put their fingerprints on it. Not a lot of people ever get to say they’ve done that in their life.”