Friday, January 31, 2025
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Industry Voices

FeaturesIndustry Voices

The SHB Interview: Dr. Bill Thomas, Innovation Officer, Lifespark

by Jeff Shaw

Thought leader tries to move care of our seniors forward through various foundations and workplaces. By Jeff Shaw If you’re not familiar with Dr. Bill Thomas, you simply must not be paying attention. Whether it’s his TED Talks, movies, charitable foundations or his work with companies such as AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) and Holiday Retirement, Thomas has made quite a name for himself in the seniors housing industry. Thomas currently serves as innovation officer at Lifespark, a Minneapolis-based “whole person senior services company.” He …

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FinanceIndustry Voices

Lender Q&A: All About the Operator

by Jeff Shaw

As lenders look for safe, secure deals in a turbulent environment, strong partnerships are a larger consideration than geography, age or care type. By Jeff Shaw In times of trouble, we look to the people we trust. That’s certainly the approach of many lenders in the seniors housing space. As the recovery from COVID-19 continues, and occupancy rates remain well below pre-pandemic levels, financing has become dangerous terrain. So when looking for who should get favorable rates and terms, lenders are looking to the operators and markets they know can …

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Industry Voices

Question of the Month: Consumer Preferences

by Jeff Shaw

Compare and contrast consumer preferences today versus 10 years ago. What’s changed? Opportunities for innovation By Mitch Brown Principal Senior Housing Consulting For well over a decade, our industry has wrestled with the relevance of independent living within the seniors housing continuum. Leading-edge baby boomers who are just now entering the market are clearly looking for something different than traditional congregate living. They want choice, value, engagement and the ability to live a healthy, connected and relevant “Third Age.”  They are also concerned about the longevity of their financial resources …

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Industry VoicesLegal Issues

New Jersey Tightens Workplace Vaccine Requirements for Healthcare, High-Risk Congregate Settings

by Jeff Shaw

By Heather Boshak, partner, Fox Rothschild LLP In January 2022, New Jersey announced new, stricter COVID-19 regulations that will require employees in healthcare facilities to be vaccinated and boosted and will effectively eliminate the testing option. Also covered under the new rules are workers in a range of congregate settings, such as prisons and group homes. As the number of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations declined, we have seen states, cities and private employers easing vaccination and coronavirus mitigation requirements. The exceptions to that trend are the healthcare field, including …

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Industry Voices

The Key to Survival is Cooperation

by Jeff Shaw

With increased costs at all levels, the seniors housing industry must work as a whole to maintain affordability for residents. By David Tague The COVID pandemic has changed life for all of us in some very unique and impactful ways. For the senior living market, the pandemic has materially impacted construction from both a price and design standpoint. This forces designers, developers, owners, operators and contractors to work in lock-step to continually innovate and find new solutions to bring quality and affordable product online for seniors across the United States. …

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Industry Voices

Emerging Trends That Will Shape the Industry

by Jeff Shaw

Seniors housing is always evolving, but which changes are here to stay? By Ashley Wilkens As the world grapples with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the United States continues to outnumber every other country around the globe in COVID-related deaths, seniors housing owners and operators are working diligently to get ahead of the disruptions and challenges that have plagued the industry over the past two years. While no one has a crystal ball for what 2022 will hold for the seniors housing industry or the ongoing pandemic, there are some …

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Industry VoicesLegal Issues

The SHB Interview: Mark Parkinson, President and CEO, AHCA/NCAL

by Jeff Shaw

Former Kansas governor transitioned 11 years ago from politician to leading one of the largest healthcare associations in the industry, and he’s never looked back. By Jeff Shaw Mark Parkinson’s wide-ranging career in both the private and public sectors, including a stint as an owner and operator of long-term care facilities in Kansas and Missouri, makes him uniquely qualified for his current role. After earning a law degree and starting his own firm, Parkinson entered politics in his home state of Kansas, serving in the State House from 1991 to …

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Industry VoicesLegal Issues

Question of the Month: How is inflation impacting your business?

by Jeff Shaw

Consider offshoring some staff By Sarah Thomas CEO MezTal With inflation and staff shortages impacting us all, it’s difficult to find qualified talent to fill our open positions at a rate we can afford to sustain.  The average salary increase in the U.S. this year for people who switched jobs was 12.2 percent. This means open positions are not only hard to fill but come with a much bigger salary expectation.  Looking at offshoring or near-shoring options is a reality many have sought since inflation is high. Seek optimization By …

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DevelopmentFeaturesIndustry Voices

Intergenerational Communities: The Latest Trend for Happier, Healthier Living

by Jeff Shaw

By Denis Koval, CEO, Kapella Group The number of Americans age 65 and older will more than double over the next 40 years and is projected to reach 80 million in 2040, according to the College of Health Sciences at University of Michigan-Flint. With this increase in older adults comes a greater need for community and security. There are over 13 million young adults in America today and the vast majority are eager to not only engage in community, but make an impact. Intergenerational communities are on the rise with young adults and …

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Industry VoicesOperationsTechnology

The Importance of Cleaner Indoor Air in Seniors Housing

by Jeff Shaw

Improved circulation and purification methods can help prevent viral spread. By Jie Zhao, Delos Labs We now know that SARS-Cov-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is primarily spread through the air. There are three main modes of transmission: direct exposure to exhaled droplets and particles in the air; inhalation of fine respiratory droplets and aerosol particles; and touching surfaces where those particles have attached to and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. While larger respiratory droplets quickly fall onto surfaces, smaller aerosolized particles containing SARS-CoV-2 can remain suspended in …

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