It’s time to embrace the positive changes we’ve made in operations during this crisis. By Liz Jensen, Clinical Director, Direct Supply “If we had the right regulations in place before all of this happened, why did long-term care need waivers to take better care of people?” This question, in various forms, has been asked frequently in the past few months. For those who work within or receive services from the aging services sector in the United States, the hurdles involved in delivering care to older adults is not news. However, if there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered, it …
Industry Voices
Landscape architecture is now a key part of space-planning, not just pandemic reaction. By Linda Gates, Co-Founder and Casey Case, President, Gates+Associates Long-term care residents and staff accounted for outsized shares of COVID-19 infections and deaths, according to USA Today. Facility design can’t solve a virus problem, but the dire numbers have drawn the attention of designers to explore options to minimize negative impacts and support operations. One area gaining renewed attention is the use of outdoor spaces, both because COVID is less easily transmitted outside and the long-known health …
Legal protections are complicated in the world of COVID-19. By Matt Keenan and Jenn Hatcher, Shook, Hardy & Bacon The owners and operators of long-term care facilities know better than almost everyone does how the destructive evil known as COVID-19 has changed lives in every shape, manner and form. It has also dramatically altered the most basic standards that have governed the long-term care (LTC) industry for years. And yet, today there remains enormous uncertainty about where the science and medicine will take us. With so much ambiguity at play, …
Developers should help increase safe, welcoming options for seniors. By Charlie Adams and Aileen Montour For members of the LGBTQ community, access to safe, affordable and inclusive housing is a necessity. Research has shown that LGBTQ-identifying individuals report lower incomes, increased food insecurity, higher unemployment and increased vulnerability to homelessness. Many cities across the country have implemented initiatives over the years to combat discrimination and promote inclusivity — everything from opening LGBTQ community centers to hosting pride parades. But as “the Stonewall Generation” grows older, more can and should be …
Lawyer finds her passion for seniors housing with a publicly traded operator. By Jeff Shaw Katie Potter did not take the traditional route into the seniors housing industry. A lawyer by trade, Potter assisted Five Star Senior Living Inc. (NASDAQ: FVE) with a few transactions. Impressed with her work, Bruce Mackey, then the CEO of the Newton, Massachusetts-based operator, brought her in to replace the outgoing general counsel in 2012. Potter quickly found herself intrigued by every part of the business, not just the legal aspects. She became heavily involved …
What is the biggest misconception about seniors housing and what can our industry do about it? Confusion about types of care By James Balda President and CEO Argentum Among the general public, there has always been confusion on how long-term care breaks down regarding service models, funding and regulations, and this has become especially problematic during COVID-19. During this crisis, we have leaned in on educating lawmakers and media on the many distinctions between skilled nursing and senior living. These groups are directly addressing the general public, so it’s essential they …
Industry leader Brenda Bacon, CEO of Brandywine Living and former Argentum Board Chair, offers expert insight into the industry-wide response to the COVID-19 health crisis and how senior living can apply those lessons going forward. Listen to Episode One of the Seniors Housing Business series Executive Insights to learn how Bacon and her team are protecting and promoting resident health, acting as educators and advocating for assisted living industry as a whole. Executive Insights is an exclusive interview series in which Seniors Housing Business interviews top thought leaders in assisted living. See …
A four-phase strategy to build an internal brand promise while creating opportunities to bolster staff dedication. By Mike Ulm, Pathway to Living When I started out in this industry years ago, my perception of seniors housing was steeped in some widely held misconceptions. In fact, the first time I stepped into a nursing home I was filled with angst, scared both to and of death. But that changed quickly when I formed a very special connection with an 88-year-old resident who not only shared a love for baseball but had actually grown …
How those working in seniors housing are rising to the occasion during COVID-19 By Joe Fairley, Laser Facility Management, and John Getha, NSRE Today’s facility professionals in seniors housing literally find themselves in the middle of a pandemic with their facilities identified as the single biggest hot-spot category of business in the United States. Recent COVID-19 figures indicate that 15 percent of all cases and 38 percent of all deaths reported are related to long-term care facilities, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Over 6,000 of the nation’s 22,000 care …
Pandemic creates numerous legal issues for seniors housing operators. (Editor’s note: This column was written by law specialists at Hanson Bridgett. Because of the wide variety of challenges, the law firm asked each subject matter expert to write about his or her area of expertise.) The COVID-19 pandemic has struck our industry hard, requiring us to reexamine all our practices. There are myriad long-term implications that will change seniors housing. Safety Protocols: Senior living offers a spectrum of services — independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and CCRCs. …