Senior Living News Wire

Thanks to the Great Recession’s impact on seniors’ net worth, some expect rental continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) to gain market share in the next few years while others contend the diversity of the baby boomer generation will support the near-term viability of the entry fee model as well. 

“Both will continue to have their places in each individual market,” says Chris Bird, senior vice president of sales at Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE:BKD). While about 80% of the nation’s 1,900 CCRCs are operated by not-for-profit organizations, the remainder are on the for-profit side. Brookdale has around 20 communities that have a Life Care entrance fee model and upwards of 80 campuses that offer a full continuum of care on a rental basis.   

How future demand for entrance fee or rental CCRCs among consumers will be split is “always the big question” investors ask, he says. Currently around 60% of CCRCs charge entrance fees, according to the National Real Estate Investor, while the remaining 40% are rental. 

“As the housing market continues to rebound, entrance fee communities will continue to build occupancy,” Bird predicts. “We’ve noticed younger clientele in their mid-to-late-70s coming onto a couple campuses after recognizing they’d never bought long-term care insurance, and that moving into a [Life Care] entry-fee campus was a much better financial opportunity, based on price, rather than buying a policy at this point.” 

While Life Care contracts can function as an alternative to long-term care insurance, high entrance fees can make it difficult for people to adequately plan their future, says Aaron Conley, president of healthcare real estate development at Greer, S.C.-based Third Act Solutions.

Financial security is a factor, as early boomer households saw their wealth decline 2.8% between 2006 and 2010, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

“The entrance fee model is increasingly harder to make work. Probably a large percentage of the population are going to want to have more control over their assets, and they’re not going to want to just hand over a large sum of cash they may never seen again in their lifetime,” Conley says. “The rental model is a more affordable model to swallow, and going forward I think you’re going to see a proliferation of those types of deals, and very few of the entrance fee model.” 

“In the 30-some years I’ve been in the business, the entrance fee model has been proclaimed ‘dead’ several times,” Ferguson says. “I liken it to that quote from Mark Twain, ‘The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.’” 

Despite a somewhat rocky road for a few entry fee CCRCs that opened around the time of the Great Recession, the model is here to stay, according to him. “To me, it’s kind of a Chevy versus Ford conversation. There’s always going to be a certain group drawn to a certain product.” 

Still, post-recession, many CCRCs have had to adjust their business models to keep up with market trends and ensure their own financial security. In 2010-2011, ABHOW introduced a variety of pricing alternatives and incentives in a sixth-month period that produced about 165 sales, while Erickson Living recently announced a change to its refundable entrance fee structure.

Erickson is switching to a 90% refund option for new residents, although existing residents with 100% refundable contracts will not be impacted. Despite a smaller refund, entrance fees are not expected to decrease. 

“We think the 90% plan, with the extra finances going to the community, will really help build the strength of the communities,” says Adam Kane, senior vice president of of corporate affairs at Erickson. 

Portfolio-wide, Erickson communities are averaging an approximately 95% occupancy rate—above the national average occupancy of 89.1%, according to data from the National Investment Center (NIC) for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry—and it’s a sign that the entry fee model is alive and well, according to Kane.

“Given the circumstances we live in, with volatility in the real estate market, CCRCs have performed relatively better than condos—particularly for people looking for stability,” Kane says. 

Similar to ABHOW, Erickson CCRCs have a fee-for-service entrance fee model. Still, CCRCs where residents essentially ‘buy in’ with an entrance fee typically experience longer lengths of stay and lower resident turnover rates, according to the American Seniors Housing Association’s State of Seniors Housing report.

Independent living residents in an entrance fee model CCRC stay a median 91.9 months—nearly double the median 52.3 month stay for rental CCRC independent living residents. Turnover rates are also better among entry fee CCRC assisted living beds, at 43.6%, compared to 56% for rental CCRC assisted living beds, according to the 2012 report. 

“Clearly, [entrance fee CCRCs] are getting a different customer who’s staying longer,” Kane says. “From a business perspective, I don’t have to fill as many units as frequently as a comparable business model does for rental.” 

However, rental CCRCs are an easier sell these days, according to Susannah Myerson, vice president of research and applied strategies at market research firm ProMatura Group, LLC. She’s also the former director of strategic initiatives at Watermark Retirement Communities, which manages a portfolio of more than 30 mostly rental CCRCs. 

“Rental may become more prevalent. You’re not asking people to give up a lump sum,” she says. “Entrance fees aren’t going away—I just don’t think there’s going to be a huge explosion [of new development or interest].”

A la carte models have an added benefit for the “have it my way” generation: choice. 

“Being able to pick and choose is attractive to people, probably especially to boomers,” says Myerson. “I know people entering independent living now, even in their early 80s, who are saying, ‘We don’t want all the services included. We don’t want 30 meals a a week, we don’t want to eat every single day in the dining room.’ They’re wanting to pick and choose what services they want to use, and that will extend to healthcare as well. In the entrance fee model, you’re locked in.” 

Having multiple options available to consumers is what’s important, providers agree. 

“We’ve never felt that seniors are a homogenous group,” says Mike Lanahan, founder and president of Greystone, which develops and manages entry fee model CCRCs in the not-for-profit sector. 

A strength of the CCRC business, Lanahan says, is that residents can find the option that best fits them and their needs.

“The CCRC is not trying to be the end-all, be-all for any senior out there; it responds to a certain senior demographic, the way rental communities respond to a certain demographic,” Lanahan says. “There’s going to be room for rental models and entry fee models. The important thing is to offer choices to the senior population.” 

Thanks to the Great Recession’s impact on seniors’ net worth, some expect rental continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) to gain market share in the next few years while others contend the diversity of the baby boomer generation will support the near-term viability of the entry fee model as well. 

“Both will continue to have their places in each individual market,” says Chris Bird, senior vice president of sales at Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE:BKD). While about 80% of the nation’s 1,900 CCRCs are operated by not-for-profit organizations, the remainder are on the for-profit side. Brookdale has around 20 communities that have a Life Care entrance fee model and upwards of 80 campuses that offer a full continuum of care on a rental basis.   

How future demand for entrance fee or rental CCRCs among consumers will be split is “always the big question” investors ask, he says. Currently around 60% of CCRCs charge entrance fees, according to the National Real Estate Investor, while the remaining 40% are rental. 

“As the housing market continues to rebound, entrance fee communities will continue to build occupancy,” Bird predicts. “We’ve noticed younger clientele in their mid-to-late-70s coming onto a couple campuses after recognizing they’d never bought long-term care insurance, and that moving into a [Life Care] entry-fee campus was a much better financial opportunity, based on price, rather than buying a policy at this point.” 

While Life Care contracts can function as an alternative to long-term care insurance, high entrance fees can make it difficult for people to adequately plan their future, says Aaron Conley, president of healthcare real estate development at Greer, S.C.-based Third Act Solutions.

Financial security is a factor, as early boomer households saw their wealth decline 2.8% between 2006 and 2010, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

“The entrance fee model is increasingly harder to make work. Probably a large percentage of the population are going to want to have more control over their assets, and they’re not going to want to just hand over a large sum of cash they may never seen again in their lifetime,” Conley says. “The rental model is a more affordable model to swallow, and going forward I think you’re going to see a proliferation of those types of deals, and very few of the entrance fee model.” 

“In the 30-some years I’ve been in the business, the entrance fee model has been proclaimed ‘dead’ several times,” Ferguson says. “I liken it to that quote from Mark Twain, ‘The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.’” 

Despite a somewhat rocky road for a few entry fee CCRCs that opened around the time of the Great Recession, the model is here to stay, according to him. “To me, it’s kind of a Chevy versus Ford conversation. There’s always going to be a certain group drawn to a certain product.” 

Still, post-recession, many CCRCs have had to adjust their business models to keep up with market trends and ensure their own financial security. In 2010-2011, ABHOW introduced a variety of pricing alternatives and incentives in a sixth-month period that produced about 165 sales, while Erickson Living recently announced a change to its refundable entrance fee structure.

Erickson is switching to a 90% refund option for new residents, although existing residents with 100% refundable contracts will not be impacted. Despite a smaller refund, entrance fees are not expected to decrease. 

“We think the 90% plan, with the extra finances going to the community, will really help build the strength of the communities,” says Adam Kane, senior vice president of of corporate affairs at Erickson. 

Portfolio-wide, Erickson communities are averaging an approximately 95% occupancy rate—above the national average occupancy of 89.1%, according to data from the National Investment Center (NIC) for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry—and it’s a sign that the entry fee model is alive and well, according to Kane.

“Given the circumstances we live in, with volatility in the real estate market, CCRCs have performed relatively better than condos—particularly for people looking for stability,” Kane says. 

Similar to ABHOW, Erickson CCRCs have a fee-for-service entrance fee model. Still, CCRCs where residents essentially ‘buy in’ with an entrance fee typically experience longer lengths of stay and lower resident turnover rates, according to the American Seniors Housing Association’s State of Seniors Housing report.

Independent living residents in an entrance fee model CCRC stay a median 91.9 months—nearly double the median 52.3 month stay for rental CCRC independent living residents. Turnover rates are also better among entry fee CCRC assisted living beds, at 43.6%, compared to 56% for rental CCRC assisted living beds, according to the 2012 report. 

“Clearly, [entrance fee CCRCs] are getting a different customer who’s staying longer,” Kane says. “From a business perspective, I don’t have to fill as many units as frequently as a comparable business model does for rental.” 

However, rental CCRCs are an easier sell these days, according to Susannah Myerson, vice president of research and applied strategies at market research firm ProMatura Group, LLC. She’s also the former director of strategic initiatives at Watermark Retirement Communities, which manages a portfolio of more than 30 mostly rental CCRCs. 

“Rental may become more prevalent. You’re not asking people to give up a lump sum,” she says. “Entrance fees aren’t going away—I just don’t think there’s going to be a huge explosion [of new development or interest].”

A la carte models have an added benefit for the “have it my way” generation: choice. 

“Being able to pick and choose is attractive to people, probably especially to boomers,” says Myerson. “I know people entering independent living now, even in their early 80s, who are saying, ‘We don’t want all the services included. We don’t want 30 meals a a week, we don’t want to eat every single day in the dining room.’ They’re wanting to pick and choose what services they want to use, and that will extend to healthcare as well. In the entrance fee model, you’re locked in.” 

Having multiple options available to consumers is what’s important, providers agree. 

“We’ve never felt that seniors are a homogenous group,” says Mike Lanahan, founder and president of Greystone, which develops and manages entry fee model CCRCs in the not-for-profit sector. 

A strength of the CCRC business, Lanahan says, is that residents can find the option that best fits them and their needs.

“The CCRC is not trying to be the end-all, be-all for any senior out there; it responds to a certain senior demographic, the way rental communities respond to a certain demographic,” Lanahan says. “There’s going to be room for rental models and entry fee models. The important thing is to offer choices to the senior population.” 

Construction: Planned

Kisco Senior Living to Build Senior Campus in Utah

Kisco Senior Living plans to build an independent living, assisted living and memory care community in Daybreak in South Jordan. 

Sagewood at Daybreak will break ground late April, the company announced, with the 201-unit community scheduled to open for resident move-in during summer 2014. 

Sagewood will include 100 independent living units offering residents dining facilities as part of their monthly fee, with access to meals and other services such as housekeeping, linen service, transportation, and social and recreational activities. 

The community will also include 78 assisted living units that provide additional supportive care from trained employees to residents who are unable to live independently and require assistance with activities of daily living.

Additionally, the community will include 23 assisted living “plus” units catering to memory care residents. 

Sagewood will be located on a site across the street from Daybreak’s SoDa Row retail district, and next to the Crossing at Daybreak Apartment community. 

Landmark Homes to Develop 55+ Community in Pa. 

Landmark Homes is planning the development of an $8 million living community for adults ages 55 and older in the Susquehanna Valley.

The Crossings at Sweetbriar—located just outside of Lebanon, Pennsylvania—will feature single-family homes in both one- and two-story designs, reflecting the low taxes and cost of living in Lebanon County.

Project construction will be completed in four phases, the company said, with 50 home sites being built during the first phase.

In total, the four phases will build 292 homes with the concept of aging in place, including wider entrances, no-step entries, and all floor plans featuring the owner’s suit and laundry on residence’s the first floor. 

The homes will also feature views of the countryside, ample amenities, and a pedestrian-style neighborhood, the company said. 

The $8 million Landmark estimates for the project does not include engineering and land costs. 

Developers Plan $6 Million Hotel-to-Senior Living Renovation

The owners and developers of a former hotel complex in South Toledo, Ohio, are planning to convert the site into a 138-unit senior living community, according to the Toledo Blade.

Genesis Village is expected to open this summer, with one- and two-bedroom “moderately priced” apartments for active seniors aged 55 and older.

Jim Oedy, a local businessman, and his parter Dr. Nathan Hill bought the site for $3 million in January from a Toledo church, says the article. The two estimate it will cost about $6 million to renovate the former hotel, built in 1968, into senior living accommodations. 

The site was operated as a Quality Hotel until 2004, when the church began operating it as a hotel and conference center. It was originally a Holiday Inn, and then a Ramada Inn. 

Upon completion, the Genesis Retirement LLC complex will have amenities including a pool, whirlpool, sauna, locker rooms, fireside cafe, fireplace lounge, a multimedia center with a theater-size screen, a beauty salon, wellness center, fitness center, atrium for games and activities, two courtyards, a vegetable garden, and a five-acre green-space, according to the Toledo Blade. Residents will be provided with three daily chef-prepared meals.

Oedy has experience building and running three other senior living communities, and believes the project’s resort-style amenities will help attract residents and their families. 

$30 Million Senior Living Community Planned in S.C.

Economic Development leaders in Tega Cay, South Carolina say that despite the recession, the youngest city in York County managed to fare “quite well,” reports local radio WRHI.

While the city’s population has grown over the last several years—now hovering around 8,000—according to Tega Cay’s Planning and Development Director Susan Britt, the epicenter of that growth is in the Stonecrest Development. 

The 130-acre site contains a four-acre shopping center and will soon be home to a $30 million senior living community known as Wellmore. 

The commercial development side did take a hit during the recession, says Britt, but the city still managed to average about 100 new building permits a year.

Wellmore will be comprised of six buildings, two-story independent living apartment-style buildings, says Britt, which will take on a sort of campus-style reflected in the architecture. 

The community will also include a wellness center, a therapeutic pool, as well as gourmet dining amenities. 

Wellmore is expected to break ground this summer.

Construction: In the Process

KTGY-Designed Senior Living Community Breaks Ground in Calif.

Resources for Community Development (RCD) has broken ground on Berrellesa Palms, an affordable senior living community in Contra Costa County, California. 

Designed by KTGY, Berrellesa Palms will incorporate the latest in green building design to improve operations performance of the property, help reduce resident utility bills and promote resident health through non-toxic material choices.

The building will provide 48 affordable one-bedroom apartments to frail seniors 62 years of age and over, with incomes between 20%-30% of the area’s median income. 

Residents will be able to benefit from on-site resident services which will be provided by Jewish Family & Children’s Services, specialists in providing essential social services to undeserved seniors in the East Bay. 

Additionally, Contra Costa County Aging and Adult Services Bureau will provide In Home Supportive Services (IHSS), individual case management and other social services. Educational workshops and social events will also be provided by RCD. 

The community will feature a large meeting/community room, library, computer center, fitness room, laundry facilities, landscaped patio, courtyard garden and raised planting beds for resident gardening. 

With an emphasis on an environmental sustainability, Berrellesa Palms is located near transit, shopping, services, entertainment, recreation, employment opportunities and encourages walk-ability. 

Berrellesa Palms will be located in the City of Martinez, at the corner of Berrellesa and Buckley streets.

Estimated completion date is June 2014. 

Construction: Completed

Erickson Living Opens North Dallas CCRC

Highland Springs, an Erickson Living retirement community in North Dallas, recently opened a continuing care neighborhood. 

The continuing care retirement community (CCRC) features 108 residences, offering assisted living, memory care, post-acute rehabilitation and nursing care services. 

Amenities include common rooms, in-room dining options, screened-in porches and gardens to provide residents with a holistic approach to health and wellness. 

Highland Springs incorporates the integrated health care model developed by Erickson health with full-time physicians, electronic medical records and training for all resident-serving employees. 

REES Associates served as the project architect, with the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company serving as the project’s general contractor. 

New Perspective Opens Wisconsin Senior Living Community

New Perspective Senior Living’s newest project, Lighthouse of Sun Prairie, welcomed its first residents Monday, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. 

Currently the sixth in Wisconsin, the Sun Prairie community is New Perspective’s largest project yet, according to the State Journal, with 144 units and 152 beds to accommodate seniors looking for a range of living arrangements including independent living, assisted living and memory care.

The community will offer 152 apartments including studio, one- and two-bedroom units within 60 independent living units, 48 assisted living units and 44 memory care units. 

The 185,000-square-foot community located in downtown Sun Prairie will feature restaurant-style dining, salon, library, computer room, fitness area, warm water therapy pool, pub, bistro, community rooms, private family dining spaces and a number of outdoor patio spaces.

Construction: Planned

United Properties Proposes $10 Million Senior Co-Housing Project

A proposal for a $10 million senior housing cooperative is generating buzz from the Anoka City Council, ABC Newspapers reports. 

United Properties expressed interest in establishing one of its Applewood Pointe developments on the corner of Second Avenue and Harrison Street in Anoka, Minnesota. 

The senior housing co-op would be available for residents aged 63 and older and would b similar in style to the neighboring condos constructed by Rottlund Builders.

United is coming in to the development to pick up where Rottlund left off, ABC Newspapers reports, as the company folded on the rights to continue housing development on nearby properties in late 2011.

Alex Hall of United Properties presented a plan last Monday for a 51-unit independent living building. 

Although Applewood Pointe does not include any medical or food services, the community will include amenities like common rooms, exercise and game rooms as well as underground parking and a woodworking shop. 

Stonebridge Selected for Minn. Senior Development

Rosemount, Minnesota’s council and city staff have chosen Stonebridge Companies to develop a senior housing project in the area, Rosemount Town Pages reports.  

The city was forced to look for a new developer after Doran Companies informed the council in February that it would not move forward with the project after the results of a market study showed less demand in the area than they wanted, the article says.

Stonebridge has built a number of senior housing projects in the city, including in Lilydale and Shoreview.

The council directed staff to work with Stonebridge, drawing preliminary designs of the project. 

The project should come back in front of the council in the next month or so, says the Rosemount Town Pages.

Construction: In the Process

Former Tenn. Hospital Getting Converted to Senior Apartment Complex

Renovations are currently underway to transform Johnson City’s first community hospital into a multimillion-dollar senior living apartment complex, reports Johnson City Press.

The Lexington Senior Living, a 73-unit independent living complex, will sit along Boone, West Fairview and North Roan streets. 

The community will be operated by The Jennings Group, a senior housing management company based in Alpharetta, Georgia that operates 16 different properties nationwide. 

Renovations to the 153,000-square-foot property have been underway since it was purchased in late 2012. Old hospital rooms have been converted into one-bedroom, two-bedroom and studio apartments. 

The Caring Corp., a licensed service agency, will also operate in The Lexington, providing care to residents. 

Johnson City Memorial Hospital looks to reopen its doors as The Lexington in June. 

Stroud Development Working on Two Senior Care Projects

Stroud Development is currently constructing two assisted living and memory care communities in Texas. 

Orchard Park of Pearland Assisted Living and Memory Care is under construction with 69 assisted living beds and 68 Alzheimer-certified memory care beds. 

Stroud will begin construction in April on another development, Orchard Park of Katy Assisted Living and Memory Care in Katy, Tex. 

Orchard Park of Katy will also serve 137 residents in senior care apartments comprised of 69 assisted living beds and 68 memory care beds. 

The community will sit on a five-acre site within one mile of Katy Mills Mall and Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. 

The community will serve residents in both assisted living and memory care in private apartments and suites, allowing residents access to a variety of services and amenities.

The Stroud Development/McFarlin Group joint venture is currently working on five projects in Texas. The three other projects are in Odessa, Kyle, and Victory Lakes.

Leo Brown Group to Break Ground on $17 Million Senior Living Community

Carmel, Indiana-based Leo Brown Group will break ground in April on a $17 million senior living community on the north side of Indianapolis. 

The 104-unit Traditions at Solana will be located within the new Solana at the Crossing residential community that is currently under construction. 

As a full continuum of care community, residents of Traditions at Solana will be able to age-in-place with multiple senior living options made available to them. 

Independent living garden home units will be available to seniors who wish to maintain full independence, yet have the desire to access to meals and other services such as housekeeping, transportation, as well as social and recreational activities. 

Also included in the community is a 24-hour nursing staff, emergency response system, scheduled transportation to the doctor and shopping events, among other amenities. 

Construction is set to begin in early April, with Leo Brown Group anticipating the first residents will move in during the Fall of 2013. 

Traditions at Solana will be managed by Traditions Management, an affiliate of Leo Brown Group that currently operates 162 senior living units throughout Indiana.

Balfour Senior Living Building $74 Million Community in Denver

Louisville-based Balfour Senior Living is currently building a $74 million senior living community in Denver’s Riverfront Park, the Denver Post reports.

Balfour at Riverfront Park will cater to “upscale seniors” who want to enjoy Denver’s urban setting, according to Balfour CEO Michael Schonbrun, and will be located at 15th and Little Raven streets. 

The community will feature a five-story and a three-story building and will include 205 units split among independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Within the 112 independent living units, 28 will contain affordability requirements mandated under city policy.

Rates for independent living are expected to range from $3,500 to $8,000 per month, with assisted living and memory care apartments in a similar price range, according to Denver Post. 

Balfour at Riverfront Park has an expected completion date for summer of 2014.

People Inc. Developing Affordable Senior Living Community

A new senior living community in Springville, New York is nearly completed, the Springville Journal reports. 

Orchard Senior Living could be ready to open its doors as early as May or by mid-summer at the latest, according to Springville Code Enforcement Officer Michael Kaleta.

The project will include 42 one-bedroom apartments and a single two-bedroom unit. One-bedroom apartments will consist of a kitchen, living/dining room area and a bathroom.

Singe-person dwellings will be available to seniors who meet a $23,150 income limit. Double-occupancy in these units will be available to those meeting a $26,450 combined income limit. 

Orchard Senior Living will be People Inc.’s 18th local housing facility open to seniors ages 62 and older. 

The community will include handicap accessibility, vision and hearing impaired adaptations, community rooms, laundry areas, secure entry and a 24-hour emergency calling service. 

Palm Beach Nursing Home Getting $25 Million ‘Makeover’

Palm Beach’s only public nursing home will undergo $25 million in renovations before it re-opens next month, the Sun Sentinel reports.

The remodeling marks a new chapter in the almost 100-year history of the Edward J. Healey Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, a 120-bed public nursing home in Rivera Beach. 

Averaging 100 residents at any given time, the center gives priority admission to patients of the Palm Beach County Trauma System. Patients at Healey are younger than those found in most nursing homes, with the majority being younger than 64-years-old.

The center serves eligible Palm beach County residents with traumatic injuries, debilitating illnesses and dementia.

Construction: Completed

$5.4 Million Fla. Assisted Living Community Opens Doors

Grand Palms Assisted Living and Memory Care Community, built by local general contractor The Douglas Company, has opened its doors to the aging community of Central Florida.

Located in Orlando, Grand Palms is comprised of 36 units with 45 resident beds.

Totaling 39,000-square-feet, the new facility includes amenities such as a beauty salon, bistro, screened in porches, country kitchens and greenhouses that are sure to appeal to the aging community.

Architectural design for Grand Palms also includes features like high-framed corridors and extensive landscaping to give the facility a spacious and luxurious feeling. 

The $5.4 million project, owned by Grand Palms Assisted Living, LLC, took ten months to complete.

Erickson Completes Renovation of Catonsville, Md. Senior Apartments

Erickson Living recently completed renovations to 55 apartment homes at its Charlestown retirement community in Cantonsville, MD.

The units range from 756- to 1,365-square-feet and comprise the new Edgewood building. 

The Edgewood has 10 different floor plans that are a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. Upgraded features include granite lighting and plumbing fixtures and stainless appliances. 

Many of the apartments feature screened-in porches overlooking a nature trail or courtyard. Refundable entrance deposits for this building start at $217,000 and monthly service packages start at $1,975.

Written by Jason Oliva

Healthcare providers are wrestling to reconcile high re-hospitalization rates with health care reform initiatives, prompting senior care providers to consider ways to reduce hospitalization-inducing falls within their communities.

Falls can be debilitating for seniors, both physically and emotionally, and can result in injuries that require higher levels of care—including hospitalizations or long-term skilled nursing, both at higher costs compared to community-based settings.

From 2001 to 2010, the number of deadly falls among seniors 85 and older skyrocketed, more than doubling from 5,350 to 11,412, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In 2009 alone, CDC reported that emergency departments treated 2.4 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults, more than 662,000 of which required hospitalization.

One way several senior living communities have been able to both improve the quality-of-life among their residents while also cutting costs is by implementing health and wellness programs, specifically ones focused on fall prevention.

The most common programs concentrate on balance classes that educate residents on everything from exercises and gait evaluation, to learning how to get out of a chair or get up off the floor in the event of a fall.

The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Fresno, Calif., implements a balance program called “Vertical” that has been gaining popularity among its residents.

Implemented less than a year ago, Vertical garners a full room of participants each session, where community’s Executive Director Jessica Lopez recalls the need for a second class sign-up sheet to accommodate resident demand.

“Because our residents want to remain as independent as possible, they realized [Vertical] was important to them,” says Lopez. “They realize that their bodies are not what they used to be, so they want to do everything in their power to keep their strengths up.”

Falls not only impact the physical health of residents, but the operations of the senior living community as a whole.

Since The Terraces uses its own staff of nurses and physical therapists to lead its balance class, the costs of implementing the program do not so much rely on monetary value as they do on allocating time.

“Falls require additional care given to residents, which means that for our folks living in residential living, our staff has to go out and respond,” says Lopez. “This takes time, which correlates to money as well.”

Before implementing its “Vertical” class, Terraces reported about 3-4 falls a month among its residents. Now, Lopez says they have yet to see one in the eight months the course has been around.

Erickson Living, provider of senior living communities across the U.S., has seen significant results from its extensive health and wellness system. By incorporating on-campus medical and fitness centers along with rehabilitation services for occupational, physical and speech therapies, Erickson has been able to track factors related to falls.

One of the main aspects Erickson looks at are hip fractures, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Matt Narrett.

“A hip fracture is public enemy #1 among our octogenarians,” says Narrett.

About 95% of hip fractures occur within the context of a fall. The average cost to treat a hip fracture totalled $18,000 in 2005, according to data collected by the CDC, but that figure has risen considerably since then and ranges anywhere between $20,000-$40,000, says Narrett.

Medicare spending reached $555 billion last year, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, and reducing costly patient re-hospitalizations is at the forefront of healthcare reform initiatives.

The direct costs of falls vary across a number of factors, including fees associated with hospital and nursing home care, doctors, rehabilitation, use of medical equipment, prescription drugs, and even changes made to the home to make it more fall-preventative.

Because Medicare assumes many of these costs, seniors are required to spend at least three days in the hospital before receiving Part A benefits of nursing rehabilitation. Erickson, however, has been able to reduce hospitalization rates among its residents through its own health care plan called the Erickson Advantage Plan.

What began as a pilot insurance program in 2005 has since enabled Erickson to decrease its readmission rates by as much as half of Medicare’s plan member rates.

For 1,000 residents, Erickson Advantage sees 300 of its health plan members readmitted to the hospital, says Narrett, well below Medicare’s average rate of 370 members.

“Typically, we have rates of about 10% of our seniors readmitted post-discharge,” says Narrett. “The national average for a population similar to ours is roughly 20%-24%.”

By taking a comprehensive approach to implementing wellness programs, senior living providers have been able to not only reduce costs, but also guarantee the well-being of their residents by promoting physical activity.

“Individuals who are 83 or 84 years old want to find out how to preserve their cognitive function,” says Narrett. “And it takes a thoughtful, integrated approach.”

Written by Jason Oliva

Construction: Planned

Virginia Senior Living Community Adding Services, Expanding

Brandermill Woods, a senior living community in Brandermill, Va., is expanding by adding additional rental units and enhancing its services and amenities, reports the Times Dispatch.

The 65+ continuing care campus currently features rental cottages and apartments attached to a clubhouse along with healthcare facilities for those with more acute care needs. The expansion will add 93 independent living apartments in one- and two-bedroom units to add to the campus’s existing 66 apartments. 

Brandermill Woods will also get a new wellness center with a fitness room, arts and crafts room, library, and indoor pool, and the clubhouse will be expanded as well. 

The existing 60-bed nursing home will be renovated to turn semi-private rooms to private, and remodel shared private rooms and common spaces into a more homelike environment, says the article. The community’s healthcare facility will also add a 22-bed wing for short-term rehabilitation care. 

Construction on the expansion is expected to start this spring and take about two years to complete. 

Miller-Valentine Group to Develop Affordable Senior Housing Community in Indiana

Miller-Valentine Group is planning the development of an affordable senior apartment complex as part of a larger mixed-use development in Bloomington, Ind.

Patterson Pointe Senior Residence will be a 61-home community with one- and two-bedroom garden-style homes featuring amenities such as energy-efficient design and appliances and large walk-in closets. There will also be a community clubhouse with a fitness center, theater rooms, and a business center.

The development is designated for those aged 55 and older and will have income requirements. 

Erickson Living Plans Rhode Island CCRC

An application to build a continuing care retirement community in Providence, Rhode Island by Redwood-ERC New Providence, LLC (an Erickson Living affiliate) has been approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, reports NJ.com.  

While construction on the project must begin by June 4 of this year and be completed within 30 months, according to the terms of the resolution, Erickson said a date had not yet been finalized.

The planned CCRC will have 275 independent living units and up to 85 assisted living and skilled nursing beds. The community will also feature restaurants, health and fitness facilities, and spas, among other amenities, such as a club license for residents and guests of the community. 

There will also be three underground levels of parking with 278 spaces for residents and another 137 above-ground parking spots. 

Sumter Retirement Residence to Develop Fla. Senior Care Community

Vancouver, Wash.-based Sumter Retirement Residence LLC is planning a three-story, 54,128-square-foot assisted living and memory care community in Wildwood, Fla., reports The Daily Commercial. 

Site plans for the 103-unit property have been approved by city commissioners, and the development will be located close to a three acre site where Sumter Retirement Residence plans to build 24 independent retirement cottages.

The assisted living and memory care development would include three daily meals, housekeeping, laundry services, and private bus transportation. Residents will be able to obtain access to medication administration assistance, bathing, grooming, dressing, and assistance with other activities of daily living. 

The planned Oxford Retirement Cottages for independent seniors will consist of six four-plexes featuring two-bedroom units with full kitchens, storage space, and a single car garage. Residents of the cottages will have the option of including meal service, housekeeping, and laundry services as part of their monthly rental package. 

Lutheran SeniorLife Collaboration Plans Senior Living Community

Lutheran SeniorLife and Heritage Valley Health System are planning to build a senior living community on a former hospital site after C.J. Betters Enterprises donated the land for the development, reports the Ellwood City Ledger. 

The project is for a Greenhouse-model nursing care development that will be an extension of LIFE Beaver County.

Construction is expected to begin this spring on the four houses that will comprise the community and be completed by about January of 2013. Each house will be 7,000 square feet and house 10 residents in private bedrooms with private bathrooms, and will have a shared living room and dining room. 

Construction: In the Process

Life Care Opening $16 Million Rehab Center in Tenneesee

Life Care Centers of America is opening a $16 million rehabilitation center next month in Ooltewah, Tenn., reports the Times Free Press.

The 120-bed Life Care Center of Ooltewah is located adjacent to a shuttered 153-bed former nursing home that Life Care closed in 2009 after it was cited by the state health inspectors for numerous problems. 

The new rehab center has a high-tech rehabilitation gym, library, private dining room, beauty salon and spa, and a doctor’s suite where an in-house physician can provide medical care. 

Next to the 75,562-square-foot building, a Life Care Centers affiliate, Century Park Associates, is building a three-story, 100-unit assisted living community. 

According to the article, Life Care is among the first companies in Tennessee benefiting from a new state law that allows in-house physician care at nursing homes for patients who opt to receive it from the facility’s doctor. A similar model in Florida helped cut the number of rehospitalizations from 43% of patients to just 8%. 

Construction: Completed

Erickson Community Opens New, Expanded Fitness Center

Charlestown, an Erickson Living retirement community in Catonsville, Md., recently opened its newly expanded gym and aquatics center as part of the community’s modernization project. 

The fitness center’s total area is nearly triple in size of the community’s previous gym and allows for trainers to have plenty of room to provide personalized instruction. The gym has more than 2,200 square feet of space for new cardio and strength-training equipment, along with a studio for group classes like spinning and Zumba, and expanded locker rooms. 

The center also features iPod hook-ups, two 50-inch HDTVs, and treadmills with television monitors. 

“More than ever, our residents are pro-active in taking a holistic approach to their health, making the fitness center one of the most-heavily utilized amenities at Charlestown,” said Jeff Watson, Director of Operations for Resident Life for Erickson Living.

A 6,000-square-foot aquatics center is scheduled to re-open this spring. 

Construction: Planned

CNL Healthcare Trust to Invest $21.5 Million Ga. Senior Housing Development

Senior housing and care REIT CNL Healthcare Trust will invest $21.5 million in the development of Dogwood Forest of Acworth, a senior housing community planned for Acworth, Ga. about 30 miles northwest of Atlanta.

The community will be a three-story building with about 85,000 square feet. It will have 92 units: 46 assisted living apartments and 46 memory care suites. Out of the memory care units, 22 will be designated for residents in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, while the remaining units will be reserved for residents requiring specialized memory care.

Dogwood Forest of Acworth will feature a bistro, barber/salon and media room, along with a dining room, common area living room, and sitting areas located throughout the community. 

Solomon Senior Living Holdings, LLC will develop the project, and Trinity Lifestyles Management, Solomon’s affiliated management company, will manage the community under a long-term agreement with CNL Healthcare Trust. 

Erickson Living to Build Continuing Care Building at Kans. Campus

Erickson Living’s Tallgrass Greek retirement community in Overland Park, Kans. will soon begin construction to add a continuing care building to its 65-acre campus in Spring 2013. 

The expansion project will add 28 assisted living apartments, 28 memory care apartments, and 44 skilled nursing rooms, for a total of 100 new units and 104 licensed beds.

A building permit has been issued to manager and developer Erickson Living by the City of Overland Park, and a request for construction bids will be issued to several construction companies, to be awarded in early 2013. 

Lantz-Boggio of Englewood, Colo., will provide architecture and design services.

The first phase of construction will include a common area building that will be the center of the continuing care development, along with a commercial kitchen that will serve all higher levels of care, and an assisted living area that is expected to be ready for operation by December 2013. The second phase will include the addition of long-term care and skilled nursing, as well as memory care. The final phase of building is expected to be completed approximately three months following the opening of the assisted living units. 

The LaSalle Group to Build $11.1 Million Memory Care Community

The LaSalle Group is planning to build a 29,000-square-foot, $11.1 million memory care community in South Barrington, Ill. through its partnership with Silverado Interest. 

Autumn Leaves of South Barrington will be designed specifically with the needs of those with cognitive impairments in mind. The design team uses the most recent Alzheimer’s and dementia research when planning the interior, from the light fixtures to the number of windows to the type of artwork, carpet, paint, and furniture.

The community will include a variety of life enrichment and sensory programming and will also offer free programs to the public including seminars, support groups, memory testing, and free respite care for five hours on Wednesdays to give caregivers a break. 

Autumn Leaves of South Barrington will be managed by Constant Care Family Management, an affiliate of The LaSalle Group, and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2014. 

Construction: In the Process

Senior Care Collaboration Breaks Ground on $59 Million Wisc. Development

The Racine Dominican Sisters and Lincoln Lutheran of Racine senior services agency have broken ground today on a $59 million senior housing development located on 47 acres along Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisc., reports the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.

The collaboration between the two groups, Siena on the Lake Inc., will develop land that currently is home to the Dominican Sisters’ Siena Retreat Center, the sisters, and several of their ministries. 

Both organizations’ headquarters will be located in the development along with a range of senior living options from independent living apartments to skilled nursing beds for the Dominican sisters and residents of the Racine community. 

Amenities will include a swimming pool, fitness center, and dining facilities. 

The first phase of the project, with an expected completion date of Fall 2013, will cost about $17.5 million and will include a 47,000-square-foot residence facility for the sisters along with a 48,000-square-foot retreat center. 

The existing Siena Center, described by the Journal Sentinel as an “aging religious community,” is home to about 60 Dominican sisters. The sisters had been seeking a partner to develop the property, allowing them to remain at the site and continue their religious ministries. The partnership with the Lutheran senior services agency was announced last fall. 

First Phase of Extensive Kenyon Senior Living Renovation Commences

The first phase of a renovation at Kenyon Senior Living’s Kenyon Sunset Home can move forward now that the project has received adequate funding, reports the Kenyon Leader. 

Donations for an extensive renovation and remodeling project to keep the senior living community up-to-date have reached more than $173,000. There’s also a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

There will be two “threshold projects,” the first of which will take about a year and have nine phases, according to the article, although some phases may be combinable. The first project will renovate the east and west wings of Kenyon Sunset Home and will include installing a new, required sprinkler fire protection and alarm system; asbestos abatement; new paint; and new flooring. Lighting, electrical, and plumbing upgrades are also planned, along with a new nurse call system that’s tied into the home’s portable radio set-up. 

Other phases of the project will include general renovations and updates to common spaces and resident rooms. The exterior of Kenyon Sunset Home will also receive some attention in the form of drainage and damp proofing, brick tuck pointing, stucco repair, painting, and the removal of a chimney. 

Clark Developers Breaks Ground on Affordable Senior Housing Project

Clark Developers recently broke on a $60 million senior housing project in New Jersey, reports the local Patch.

Plans for the 55+ development include four, four-story buildings with 329 units comprised of one- and two-bedroom apartments. Per Coalition on Affordable Housing rules, 20% of the units must be designated as low-income housing. One of the buildings will contain a 4,500-square-foot community space. 

Construction: Completed

Senior Solutions Management Group Opens Tenn. ALF

Senior service and care provider Senior Solutions Management Group recently help a grand opening for Wellspring Senior Living, an assisted living and memory care community in West Knoxville, Tenn.

The new community is run by one of just a few Tennessee assisted living providers offering complete assisted living services without a leveling fee attached, through all-inclusive rates.

Wellspring Senior Living offers studio suites and one and two-bedroom apartments, with amenities that include around-the-clock caregivers, a licensed nursing staff, medication management services, state-of-the-art pharmacy services, home-style cuisine, housekeeping, linen and laundry services, beautician and barber services, and scheduled transportation.

There’s also a partnership between the community and Additions Therapy to provide internal outpatient therapy options to residents. 

The holiday season is upon us, and people are doing more than just shopping for Christmas or Hanukkah gifts—lots of senior living professionals are shaking up the industry by making strategic moves. 

Employers: Take advantage of our job board to look for some of the best and brightest in the industry. Post a job on the SHN job board for less than $1 per day, and attract local and national candidates through our system that leverages these postings throughout the SimplyHired network. Post a job now.

Looking for new opportunities in 2013? Look for senior housing jobs nationwide on SHN’s job board.

Margaret Wylde Chairs ULI’s Senior Housing Council

Margaret A. Wylde, president and CEO of ProMatura Group, LLC, is the new chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Senior Housing Council. Wylde, who has been involved with the council for eight years, will be at the helm in 2013-2015.

As chair, Wylde is responsible for the direction of the Council and ensuring that members get value from it. Overall, ULI’s product councils (of which the Senior Housing Council is one) “play a key role in ULI’s mission of providing leadership in the responsible use of land and creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide,” according to www.uli.org

Wylde said she appreciates the opportunity to further the goals of the Council, including applying research to innovative applications in land-use planning and participating in the exchange of information on the “state of the art” in the development in the development field.

Housing Colorado Welcomes Elisabeth Borden to Board of Directors

Elisabeth Borden, Principal of The Highland Group, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Housing Colorado, a statewide membership organization in support of affordable housing. Housing Colorado is the “unified resource in the state for affordable housing education, information, and advocacy.” Housing Colorado’s annual conference attracts over 500 attendees. The Highland Group is a market research and development planning firm based in Boulder, Colorado, focused exclusively on seniors housing and care communities. 

Silverado Senior Living Appoints New SVP of Community Operations

In her tenth year with Silverado, Michelle Egerer, M.A.Ed. assumes the role of Senior Vice President of nationwide operations for Silverado’s Memory Care Assisted Living communities. Egerer’s career in healthcare spans more than 30 years and includes management of startup and turnaround operations, involvement in mergers and acquisitions, and more than 20 years in executive management roles for a variety of behavioral healthcare organizations.

Egerer’s interest and involvement with dementia grew from personal experience with her grandmother’s progression through memory loss. She joined Silverado in 2002 as Administrator of Silverado’s Memory Care community in Costa Mesa, California, where she received numerous company recognitions including Silverado Community of the Year and Administrator of the Year.

She then continued onto successive roles as Senior Administrator, Regional Administrator and Regional Vice President, where she played an integral role in the startup of Los Angeles and Orange County-area Silverado communities and in the acquisition of Silverado communities from previous providers in other locations.

In addition to her impactful tenure at Silverado, Egerer volunteers on community and state Boards. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Association, Orange County Chapter, she is on the Board of the California Assisted Living Association and is active at a national level with the Assisted Living Federation of America.

Daniel Schwartz Joins New Perspective Senior Living as COO

Daniel Schwartz has joined New Perspective Senior Living, developer and operator of the Lighthouse senior living communities, as chief operating officer (COO) and a partner. Schwartz brings more than 20 years’ experience in health care operations including new development, turn-around and public, private and not-for-profit models. As chief operating officer, he is responsible for the business operations of 12 Lighthouse communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.

Schwartz comes to New Perspective Senior Living from Addus Healthcare, Inc., Palatine, IL, a home based healthcare company, where he was COO. Prior to Addus, Schwartz was senior vice president of North American Operations at Sunrise Senior Living, McLean, VA, a senior living company with 400 communities.

He earned a Master of Health Care Administration and a BA in psychology from George Washington University, Washington, DC.  He is adjunct professor at George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Services. Schwartz belongs to several professional associations, including: National Long Term Care Emerging Leaders Summit Steering Board; founding member of the National Association for Private Duty Home Care and the Pennsylvania and Indiana Assisted Living Associations. He also is a well-known speaker at national professional forums.

Georgia CCRC Park Springs Welcomes Three Top Professionals to Management Team

Isakson Living recently welcomed three new team members to Park Springs, a continuing care retirement community in Atlanta, Ga. owned and operated by Isakson Living.

Jason R. Cronk is the new Executive Director, and he is joined by Stephanie Peoples, Park Springs’ new Director of Nursing, and Reggie Porter, Manager of the community’s state-of-the-art on-site Fitness Center.

Cronk has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Most recently, he served as Interim Executive Director for CRSA LCS Management, a division of Life Care Services in Des Moines, Ia., after spending a year as Senior Director of Operations for CRSA in Guangzhou in the People’s Republic of China.

Peoples, a graduate of Georgia Baptist College of Nursing at Mercer University, has served as Director of Nursing with Briarcliff Haven Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta for two years and before that, as VP of Health Care Services at Lenbrook CCRC.

Porter, who received his B.S. and M.S. in Kinesiology from Georgia Southern University, has worked in many areas of the fitness industry, including a position in the cardiac rehabilitation center at St. Joseph’s/Candler Medical Center.

Greater Yield Hires Diana Hueter as Senior Knowledge Leader

Diana Hueter has joined Greater Yield as a Healthcare Senior Knowledge Leader, bringing to the table a level of expertise in the ever-evolving field of healthcare. As a strategic business consulting firm, Greater Yield looks at businesses from an enterprise-wide perspective, analyzing the structures, tools, processes, management styles and other behaviors to identify and solve problems within the organization. Hueter will join Greater Yield’s new healthcare division team.

With more than 30 years in the field, Hueter has extensive knowledge of the healthcare sector, and experience implementing enterprise transformation solutions that achieve best-in-class operational performance. She has worked in workforce health, productivity, quality of care, and cost savings through compliance with evidence-based guidelines that deliver significant bottom-line results.

Prior to joining Greater Yield, Hueter worked with executives from Caterpillar, Dow, Ford Motor Company, Pfizer Health Solutions and Toyota Motors, implementing healthcare improvement initiatives. In addition, she facilitated a national think tank in the development of value-based healthcare processes, and produced an employer health asset management roadmap designed to help organizations execute better employee health initiatives.

American Seniors Association Retains Jeri Thompson as National Policy Director & Spokesperson 

American Seniors Association Holding Group, Inc. (AMSA:PK) today announced it has retained Jeri Thompson as its National Policy Director and Spokesperson.

Thompson is a prominent national political strategist with extensive experience in public policy, lobbying and public relations. Her career highlights include past assignments with the Republican National Committee, the Senate Republican Conference and, in the private sector, with global public relations firm Burson Marsteller. She is also a frequent commentator on politics, current events and family issues for a number of news organizations including Fox News, the American Spectator and the Washington Examiner.

Thompson signed a three-year agreement with American Seniors that includes strategic consulting, media relations, alliance building and governmental relations. She lives in McLean, Va. and is the mother to two children, Hayden and Samuel. She is married to former U.S. Senator and Presidential candidate Fred Thompson. She was born in Hastings, Neb. and raised in Naperville, Ill.

Constant Care Family Management Hires Community Relations Director 

Autumn Leaves of Sugarloaf, an Alzheimer’s and memory care community under construction in Metro Atlanta, has named Divine Taylor community relations director. Taylor will expand her focus as the company develops an additional five or more Alzheimer’s and memory care communities in the Atlanta area. Taylor brings more than 10 years of experience in sales with effective relationship-building skills and a portfolio of success.

Taylor is joining Constant Care Family Management from PQC International, a management consulting firm for which she most recently served as the director of sales and client relations for four years. There she managed a national sales team covering North America in four regions with sales representatives in each. Taylor earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in communications from Bowie State University.

Autumn Leaves of Sugarloaf is currently under construction and scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2013. The nearly $10 million project is the result of a partnership between The LaSalle Group, The Frost National Bank and Silverado Interests, and it will create 200 jobs.

Constant Care Family Management Names New VP of Sales & Marketing

Constant Care Family Management, the property management company for Autumn Leaves memory care communities, has named Laura Kislowski vice president of sales and marketing. Kislowski brings more than 25 years of senior housing and health care experience to the team. Kislowski will oversee the sales and marketing operation at the more than 25 Autumn Leaves Alzheimer’s and Memory Care Communities across the country.

Kislowski joins Constant Care Family Management from Springpoint Senior Living where she most recently served as senior vice president. Kislowski spent five years with the company, and prior to that role, she spent 25 years working in the senior living industry. Kislowski has a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton where she graduated Cum Laude.

Smith Senior Living Names New Chairman, Board Members

George E. Petraitis has been elected to a five-year term as board chair of Smith Senior Living, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving seniors since 1924.
He succeeds Robert A. Berghoff. The Smith board also elected Steven J. Murphy vice-chair and named Anne Z. Schaible, M.D. a new board member.

Petraitis joined the board of Smith Senior Living more than 10 years ago. As president of LaMantia Architects Inc., a division of LaMantia Design and Construction Company in Brookfield, he has shared his experience in architecture, design and sales during a period of unprecedented growth and expansion for Smith retirement communities. He studied architecture at University of Illinois in both Champaign-Urbana and Chicago.

Ashby Ponds Announces Susan Fix as New Dining Services Director

Susan Fix recently joined Erickson Living’s Ashby Ponds retirement community as the new Director of Dining Services. As the Director of Dining Services at Ashby Ponds, she will oversee a staff of 180, as well as the operations in the two dining establishments at the community. Some of those staff include high school students from Loudoun and Fairfax counties who work in a variety of dining service capacities including as servers, restaurant assistants, utility workers, and service coaches. 

Fix has more than 30 years of experience working in the hospitality industry. During her 18 years with Marriot, she worked as the General Manager of food services at Marriott’s International Headquarters in Bethesda. From there, she became a District Manager for Sodexo Marriott in Northern Virginia where her primary focus was strengthening the retail and dining services on the AOL campus in Dulles, Va., as well as for 20 other Fortune 500 corporations in the area.  Following her tenure with Marriott, Fix spent four years as the Resident District Manager for Sodexo USA at Western Washington University.  

Fix graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and English, along with postgraduate work in Business Administration. She holds multiple certifications from Sodexo including Customer Service Excellence, Spirit of Diversity, Clients for Life, Mentoring, and EEO & Affirmative Action. She also has a ServSafe certification.

Saratoga Retirement Community Appoints Cathy Schumacher as Executive Director

Saratoga Retirement Community, a 37-acre, not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in the Silicon Valley, is pleased to announce that Cathy O. Schumacher, RN, BSN, MBA, has been appointed to the position of executive director. 

Schumacher earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Portland, Oregon, and acquired her Master of Business Administration degree from California State University Long Beach. For the last 10 years, she has worked in retirement community management, first as Director of Nursing, then Risk Manager, and finally as Executive Director of a not-for-profit CCRC in southern California. Previously, she served as a nurse for 17 years, including a position as lead and staff nurse at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in southern California, and later worked for seven years in her own geriatric care management firm.

Rob Pfauth Joins EUA As Senior Project Manager

EUA is pleased to announce that Rob Pfauth has joined the firm as a senior project manager in the firm’s growing Living Environments studio.

Pfauth comes to EUA with an extensive background in senior living and has a commitment to cultivating and nurturing client relationships and a passion for serving our aging community. He brings national experience and has worked on projects across the continuum of care in ten states encompassing over two thousand dwelling units/beds.

Pfauth’s growing list of awards, publications and speaking engagements are a testament to his talent and expertise. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE), and has been active in the AIA Design for Aging Knowledge Community. His most recent speaking engagements include “What the Development Team Sees in Today’s Markets,” for LeadingAge Washington and “Going Green: Greening Your Budget,” for LeadingAge Florida.

Pfauth received a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University and a Master of Architecture from the UCLA School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Prior to joining EUA, Pfauth headed LifePLACE Designs, an independent senior living consultancy. Some of his most recent project engagements include Phase Two improvements at Emerald Heights in Redmond, Wash., expansion of the Glenmoor Health Center in St. Augustine, Fla., and the Felician Village repositioning in Manitowoc, Wisc.

Nova Witkowski Hired as Leo A Daly’s Director Business Development for Atlanta Office

The Atlanta office of international architecture, planning, engineering, interior design and program management firm Leo A Daly welcomes Nova Witkowski, ACHE, LEED® AP, as director of business development. In this role, Witkowski will be responsible for initiating and maintaining contacts with key clients and industry representatives in the local market.

Previously, Witkowski worked in business development and design-build project management for GMK Associates Inc., a planning, design and construction project management firm based in Columbia, S.C., where she managed healthcare opportunities and fostered partnerships among dozens of owners, designers and construction teams. Her client portfolio includes Duke University, Durham, N.C.; Laurens County Health Care System, Clinton, S.C.; Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Moultrie, Ga.; and Floyd Medical Center, Rome, Ga.

Witkowski received her Associate of Applied Science degree in architecture from Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, N.Y., and Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects and served on the Atlanta Board of Directors from 2010-2012, and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American Society for Healthcare Engineering and the American Hospital Association.

Lifespace Communities Hires Sales Associate for Deerfield Retirement Community

Deerfield Retirement Community has named Dan Reeves as sales associate for this continuing care retirement community, owned and operated by Lifespace Communities, based in Des Moines. Reeves is responsible for educating purpose-driven seniors about the benefits of choosing a Life Care community.

Reeves has more than 35 years of experience in marketing and sales. Prior to joining Deerfield, Reeves was an independent insurance agent, specializing in Medicare Advantage, Supplement and Special Needs plans. He has also worked at Citi Home Equity, and owned and operated Grooms and Reeves Associates, Inc., a commercial and residential property management and cleaning business.

Reeves is a graduate of Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts.

Matt Summerville Named as Executive Director of Autumn Leaves of Sugarloaf 

Autumn Leaves of Sugarloaf, an Alzheimer’s and memory care community under construction in Metro Atlanta, has named Matt Summerville executive director of the community. Summerville’s role will expand regionally with the development of additional Autumn Leaves communities in the area. In his position, Summerville will assume responsibility for charting the company’s entry and growth in a new market, developing brand awareness, supervising community operations, and meeting the needs of seniors and their families.  Autumn Leaves of Sugarloaf exclusively serves families living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Prior to joining Autumn Leaves of Sugarloaf, Summerville was the executive director for Emeritus, a senior living community in Sandy Springs, where he led regional move-ins and total consensus growth. Earlier in his career, Summerville also served as community relations manager for Atlas Healthcare and Hospice. Summerville studied economics at the University of Georgia.

Ziegler Hires Senior Living Investment Banker

Ziegler recently announced the hiring of Tad Melton, who is joining the investment bank’s senior living investment banking team as a director in the Southeast/Mid-Atlantic region, operating from Ziegler’s newly established wealth management office in Richmond, Virginia.

Melton joins Ziegler after a highly successful career in healthcare and senior living finance with BB&T and UBS Paine Webber; bringing more than 16 years of investment banking experience to the Ziegler team. In that time, Melton has served as a day-to-day banker on approximately $2.75 billion of financings for CCRCs, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities and hospitals, including startups, repositionings, refinancings, acquisitions and divestitures. A lifelong Virginian from Harrisonburg, Melton is a graduate of Randolph-Macon College, where he studied Economics and History.

The Heritage at Brentwood Welcomes New Executive Chef Jonathan King

The Heritage at Brentwood, a Life Care Services community, has named hospitality and fine-dining expert Jonathan King as Executive Chef. King brings a lifelong passion for cooking and more than 10 years of culinary experience to developing menus and creating exceptional cuisine for residents and guests at the independent senior living community.

The Heritage’s food and beverage team provide residents with several options to share meals and special occasions with friends and family, including room service, parties in private dining rooms and unique menus for special occasions.

King began cooking as a child, experimenting in the kitchen and watching cooking shows. After earning his degree in culinary arts at Volunteer State Community College, he completed a three-year apprenticeship at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention through the American Culinary Federation. King continued with Gaylord in various positions, as junior sous chef at Cascades American Café, senior sous chef and executive chef in room dining and Jack Daniel’s, and executive chef at Solario, Gaylord’s Mexican-theme venue, before overseeing culinary operations for the restaurants in the Delta Atrium. King also worked as sous chef at the popular Nashville restaurant Bound’ry.

The Palace Group Promotes Josh Cabrera to Executive Director for Newest Community

The Palace Group has promoted Josh Cabrera to the role of executive director of the new Palace at Coral Gables which will open in spring, 2013.

In this position, Cabrera will supervise the luxury community’s varied department managers including hospitality and food service, operations, maintenance and activities. He is responsible for implementing the policies and procedures established by The Palace Group to assure residents the highest level of customer service and care.

Cabrera brings nearly 15 years of senior housing experience to this leadership position having joined the company in 1999. He began his career at The Palace while attending Florida International University where he received a degree in business administration. He is also a licensed assisted living administrator.

Most recently Cabrera was the general manager of The Palace Gardens in Homestead, one of the company’s assisted living communities, having been promoted from Director of Administration and Customer Service for The Palace Renaissance, the company’s Kendall assisted living community. Cabrera has been the recipient of the company’s prestigious Manager of the Year award seven times.

UMRC Welcomes New Executive Director for Heritage Foundation

United Methodist Retirement Communities, Inc. (UMRC) a nonprofit leader in senior residential and healthcare services, has selected Wendy Brightman as the Executive Director of its charitable arm, the UMRC Heritage Foundation.

In her new position, Brightman will lead fundraising efforts and oversee the Foundation’s staff. The UMRC Heritage Foundation focuses on raising funds to support the benevolent care program for residents in need of financial assistance to remain in their UMRC home and to support additional operating needs of UMRC.

Brightman brings more than 12 years of fundraising and leadership experience to UMRC. Most recently, she served as Managing Director of Ele’s Place in Ann Arbor. Her previous experience focused on healthcare, social service and education development roles in Michigan and Ohio.

Oak Grove Capital Welcomes Paul Barrett as SVP in New Boston Office

Oak Grove Capital, a leading national provider of real estate financial services, announced that Paul Barrett has joined the St. Paul-based mortgage lender as senior vice president. Barrett will focus on new loan originations and will lead a new office that Oak Grove is opening in the Boston market.

Barrett’s experience over the past 25 years has bridged both the public and private sectors, ranging from community and business development, to economic policy, to capital markets and fund development. Prior to joining Oak Grove Capital, Barrett was the Northeast director for the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, a $4.5 billion fund that invests in multifamily housing developments across the country. Barrett has also previously held positions as the director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the Rhode Island State Secretary of Economic Development, and the chairman of Bank Malden.

Construction: Planned

Flintridge Partners to Begin Construction on Calif. Community

Flintridge Partners is planning to break ground on a new senior living community in Laguna Niguel, Calif., in early 2013. 

Crestavilla will be a resort-style community offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. The development, located on 11.5 acres, will also feature restaurants, a spa, theaters, and a spiritual resource center. The community is located near major transportation corridors, shopping centers, medical, cultural, and recreational venues. 

The 80,000-square-foot project will feature studio and one- and two-bedroom residences.

Methodist Retirement Communities to Open Memory Support Community in Texas

Methodist Retirement Communities will soon open a memory support wing in an existing retirement community in the Hunstville area of Texas—the first and only such community offering dementia and Alzheimer’s care in the region. CreekSide Retirement Community is owned and operated by Methodist Retirement Communities of The Woodlands and will be completed in early 2013.

The community will include 18 memory support units on the bottom floor of a 3-story structure that already offers independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing services. 

US Memory Care to Open Two New Senior Care Locations

US Memory Care, LLC has two more memory care projects in the works in Texas.

The North Dallas/Plano project will be an estimated $14 million, 57,000-square-foot community on 4.4 acres with 75 memory care beds. It’s expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The second project is located in the 650-acre “Vintage,” a master-planned community in northwest Houston. This project will also cost approximately $14 million and will be 57,000-square-feet with 75 memory care beds, and also has a projected opening date in the fourth quarter of 2013. 

Both communities are developed around a “Main Street” themed common area with a beauty salon and barber shop, town hall for movies, private dining area, relaxation room, music hall, and sweet shop. 

The developments will include private and semi-private rooms in three secure neighborhoods designed to match residents’ needs based on their level of cognitive impairment. 

America Development, a Dallas-based healthcare facility developer, has been selected to partner with US Memory Care for both projects. 

Construction: In the Process

Christian Care Communities Begins $2.6 Million Renovation Project

Christian Care Communities recently began a $2.6 million renovation project to take its downtown Louisville senior living community green, reports The Lane Report.

The renovation and energy savings project will provide the community’s three buildings, Chapel House, Friendship House, and Christian Health Center with a more energy-efficient campus. Planned improvements include brighter, energy-efficient lighting; new boilers and improved air conditioning; additional insulation; and water conserving plumbing fixtures. 

Johnson Controls will manage the renovation, with has already begun. Future energy savings are expected to be significant: Current utility costs at the community average about $47,000 per month, which will decrease to $34,000 a month following the completion of the project, guaranteed by a 15-year energy saving performance contract with Johnson Controls. 

United Bank & Trust Company in Georgetown, Ky., provided financing for the renovation. 

Assisted Living of Arizona, LLC Breaks Ground on ALF

Assisted Living of Arizona, LLC recently broke ground on phase one of Heritage Village Assisted Living in Mesa, Ariz., with three additional phases planed over the next two years. 

Upon completion, the community will have eight single-level luxury homes and one medical office building. Each approximately 6,500-square-foot home will accommodate 20 residents, and the community will have capacity for 160 residents. Resident will have private rooms and bathrooms in a home-like environment. 

The individualized homes are meant to allow the community to designate buildings for any age group with those suffering from latent stages of disease such as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s, and diabetes, said Stan Hosac, the community’s director of management and operations. 

Gary Crosby, a local builder/developer who owns the project, is involved with the development, which will provide assisted living for those with specific needs such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and hospice, along with the other services named above. 

Erickson Living Begins Construction on Continuing Care Neighborhood

Erickson Living’s Ashby Ponds retirement community in Loudoun County, Va. recently began construction on its continuing care neighborhood to complete its goal of providing all levels of healthcare at one site.

The four-story, 120,000-square-foot building will have 132 residences offering assisted living, memory care, short-term rehabilitation, and skilled nursing services. The private apartments will have full private baths and showers, walk-in closets, and granite countertops, and residents will have access to the amenities and services offered by Ashby Ponds.

Lantz-Boggio Architects designed the project, and Whiting-Turner has been selected as general contractor. Ashby Ponds’ independent living residential building opened in April of this year and has 80 apartment-style homes that are fully occupied.

Construction on the continuing care neighborhood is expected to be completed in early spring 2014.

The Hollinger Group Breaks Ground on $13.5 Million Senior Care Community 

The Hollinger Group, based in Cumberland County, Pa., recently began construction on a medical rehabilitation and senior living community near Mechanicsburg, Pa., reports the Central Penn Business Journal. 

The senior housing and care provider is partnering with Vibra Healthcare LLC (headed by the same CEO) for the project, which will cost an estimated $13.5 million. The VibraLife development will be comprised of a 48-bed rehabilitation center, along with Vibra Senior Living, offering 36 personal care beds and 10 memory care beds.

The community is expected to open in Fall 2013. 

Construction: Completed

Bloomfield Senior Living Completes S.C. Memory Care Community expansion

Bloomfield Senior Living recently completed its expansion of Belfair Gardens, a memory care community in Bluffton, S.C. designed to accommodate those with Alzheimer’s and dementia care needs. 

The state-of-the-art, 25-unit addition opened in December, comprised of both private and “companionship” suites. Licensed for 45 more residents, the expansion makes Belfair Gardens South Carolina’s largest Alzheimer’s and dementia care program. 

The community features a low staff-to-resident ratio, sensory-based programming, personalized attention, and resident-centered healthcare. 

Trick or treat, Movers and Shakers. This installment is brought to you by those dental professionals who care for the residents in the senior housing communities we know and love…  

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NCOA Welcomes Three New Board Members

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) welcomes three new leaders in the field of aging to the NCOA Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Ai-jen Poo is director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and co-director of Caring Across Generations, a national coalition of 200 organizations advocating for home care workers and patients. She is also the lead organizer and founder of Domestic Workers United, an organization of Caribbean, Latina, and African nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers in New York who are organizing for “power, respect, and fair labor standards.”

Poo graduated from Columbia University, where she was one of more than 100 students who spurred the creation of Columbia’s Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race. She has received numerous awards and fellowships. In 2011, she received the Independent Sector’s American Express NGen Leadership Award, and in 2012, she was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.  

Laura Trejo, MSG, MPA, is general manager of the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging, a position she has held since 2002. A strong advocate for Los Angeles seniors, Ms. Trejo has successfully obtained funding to implement innovative evidence-based programs aimed at improving the lives of older adults. Most recently, she was a leader of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Hispanic Elders Health Initiative designed to help select communities enhance the health and well-being of their Hispanic elderly population.

Trejo has won several honors and awards for her leadership in aging, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leadership Program Award (2002), the American Society on Aging Mental Health and Aging Leadership Award (2006), and the California Mental Health Directors Association Leadership Award (2007).

Carolyn Buck Luce, Global Pharmaceutical Leader at Ernst & Young, was recently named 2012 Woman of the Year by The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. She is responsible for overseeing strategy, thought leadership, resourcing, learning, and solutions for the firm’s life science clients.

A passionate advocate for the advancement of women in business, Buck Luce is a co-founder of the Corporate Council for the White House Project, which brings together major corporations to enhance the perception of women as business leaders in the public eye. She also is co-chair and co-founder of The Talent Innovation Task Force and currently serves on the Mayor’s Commission on Women’s Issues in New York City, where she advises on strategies and programs to make it the best large city for women to live and work.

University Retirement Community Hires Matt Neal as New Executive Director

University Retirement Community (URC) has hired Matt Neal to serve as its executive director following the promotion of Mike Norris to Chief Operating Officer of URC’s parent company, Pacific Retirement Services, Inc.

Neal recently served as Director of Operations for a large multi-facility retirement living organization based in Carmichael, Calif. and brings 15 years of aging services experience in operations, strategic planning, and start-ups. A veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, Neal earned his bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Health Care Administration from California State University, Sacramento. He’s a licensed California Nursing Home Administrator.

Erickson Living CCRC Hires Stacie Shelman as Director of Healthcare Sales

Highland Springs, the Erickson Living retirement community, announced the hiring of Stacie Shelman as its Director of Healthcare Sales for the continuing care neighborhood scheduled to open in late 2012.

Shelman has been with Erickson Living since 2006, most recently serving as Sales & Service Manager for the Erickson Advantage Medicare plan at communities in Overland Park, Kansas and Houston, Texas. Previously, she served in marketing and business development roles with Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas.

In her role as Director of Healthcare Sales, Shelman will be responsible for admissions into the continuing care neighborhood. In conjunction with the continuing care leadership team, she will also be committed to the delivery of a person-centered approach with the goals of providing exceptional health care and individualized hospitality services. Shelman has a twenty-year history of volunteer and board service with a variety of organizations in the Mid-West promoting health living and wellness, including grant work for HIV/AIDS prevention in Kansas.

A resident of Plano, she holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science & Business Management from the University of Nebraska and a Masters of Public Health (MPH) from Wichita State University. She is licensed in accident & life insurance in the states of Texas, Kansas and Missouri.

Erickson Living Community Hires Sandee Sterling as Director of Nursing

Eagle’s Trace, the Erickson Living retirement community in Texas, announced the hiring of Sandee Sterling, RN as its Director of Nursing. Sterling brings twenty years of health care experience in geriatrics and acute care to Eagle’s Trace, and in her role as Director of Nursing, she will be responsible for the oversight and delivery of  nursing care throughout the new continuing care neighborhood scheduled to open in early 2013.

Sterling is a member of the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), the American Medical Practice & Hospital Executive Leadership Forum, Assisted Living Professionals, Director Level Healthcare Professionals, Elder Care Professionals and Senior Living Executives.

A resident of Katy, Tex., she holds a degree in Nursing as well as the Resident Assessment Coordinator Certified (RAC-CT) designation from the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC). 

Pacific Retirement Services Appoints Sheri Dressler Vice President/Corporate Controller

Medford, Oregon-headquartered Pacific Retirement Services, Inc. recently announced the promotion of long-time employee Sheri Dressler to the position of Vice President/Corporate Controller, effective Sept. 23, 2012.

Dressler began her career in 1990 in the Human Resources Department of Rogue Valley Manor, a PRS affiliate. In 1992, she embarked on her career in accounting and finance at PRS, serving first as Staff Accountant, a position she held until 1998, and then as Controller for Trinity Terrace, a PRS-affiliated Continuing Care Retirement Community in Fort Worth, Texas. After 2.5 years, she returned to PRS headquarters and has been moving steadily up the ranks since then. Among her previous positions were Internal Auditor and Assistant Controller.

Dressler received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from Southern Oregon University (SOU), and earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) in June 2011, also from SOU. She is now well on her way to becoming a Certified Public Accountant. In her new position, Dressler will work with PRS Chief Financial Officer Mary Schoeggl to oversee accounting and finance for PRS’s 50 affiliated organizations in five states, with the support of an accounting team that totals 30 employees.

Aviv REIT Announces Executive Management Promotions

Aviv REIT, Inc. recently announced the following changes to its executive management team:

Steven J. Insoft, formerly Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, has been named President and Chief Operating Officer. Insoft has been with Aviv since 2005 and has been instrumental in the company’s growth, performance and capital raising. He has over 20 years of experience in healthcare real estate, including post-acute and long-term care skilled nursing facilities and senior housing. In taking over the role of president, Insoft will assume greater strategic and operational responsibilities.

James H. Lyman, formerly Senior Vice President, Finance and Capital Markets, has been named Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Lyman joined Aviv in early 2012 and brings extensive real estate,finance, capital markets and operational experience to the Company. Prior to joining Aviv, Lyman was Chief Financial Officer for Urban Shopping Centers, Inc. and Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc., both NYSE-listed REITs. He was also a senior executive at Duke Realty, Inc. and a real estate investment banker at Merrill Lynch & Co., where he took numerous companies public and advised clients on public and private capital raising.

Donna M. O’Neill, formerly Senior Vice President, Finance and Principal Accounting Officer, has been named Chief Accounting Officer. O’Neill has been with Aviv since 2008. She has played a key role in the development and oversight of the company’s accounting, financial reporting and management information systems, including managing SEC filings following the Company’s public debt issuances. O’Neill has nearly 30 years of accounting, financial reporting and public company experience.

Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation Names New Vice President of Development

Senior living community sponsor Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation (SQLC), parent company of Edgemere senior living community in Dallas, has named Jonathan Carrier Vice President of Development. SQLC president and CEO Charles B. Brewer made the announcement, pointing toward Carrier’s extensive background in construction management as making him the ideal person to plan, organize, and direct development efforts for all SQLC communities. Prior to joining SQLC, Carrier was Vice President at Jones Lang LaSalle/The Staubach Company. There, he was a senior member of the Dallas Market Project and Development Services group, where his duties included providing owner’s representation on large scale development projects and new business pursuits. Carrier is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Construction Management.

Operational Strength at Ashby Ponds Leads to New Leadership Roles

Ashby Ponds, an Erickson Living retirement community, recently announced changes to leadership roles as of October 1 due to the growth and expansion that continues at the community.

Ashby Ponds is preparing for the addition of a continuing care neighborhood at the 132–acre campus in Ashburn, Va. Upon the completion of the neighborhood, Ashby Ponds will provide all levels of care at one site including independent living, short-term rehabilitation, assisted living, and memory care. As site work for the neighborhood is planned to commence this year, Ashby Ponds has announced leadership changes in order to better serve the community’s current and future residents and customers.

During the month of October, Amy Grossman will be transitioning to her new position at the community as the Director of Continuing Care for the planned continuing care neighborhood. Grossman has been an Erickson Living employee for 14 years. She joined Ashby Ponds in June 2010 as the Associate Executive Director. Prior to joining Ashby Ponds, Grossman spent more than five years as the Assistant Administrator at the continuing care neighborhood at Greenspring, the sister community of Ashby Ponds in Springfield, Va. Before joining Greenspring, Grossman worked at Erickson Living’s corporate office in Catonsville, Md. and spent more than five years at Brooksby Village in Peabody, Mass. as the Assistant Executive Director. Grossman holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Bentley University. She has been a licensed Nursing Home Administrator since 2007.

Grossman will be working with Steve Aigner as he transitions to the role of Associate Executive Director at Ashby Ponds. Aigner first joined Erickson Living in October 2000 as a Dining Services Manager at Greenspring. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Dining Services at Greenspring in 2003 before he began working as the Director of Dining Services at Sedgebrook, a former Erickson community in Chicago, Ill. Aigner returned to Virginia in 2008 and began working as the Director of Dining Services at Ashby Ponds. He was promoted last year to Regional Director of Dining Services, and now looks forward to returning to Ashby Ponds full-time as the Associate Executive Director. Aigner received a Bachelor of Arts degree from George Mason University and holds several restaurant industry certifications.

Nicole Johnson is the current Director of Human Resources at Ashby Ponds. Throughout October, she will also be taking on the role as the Director of Resident Life at the community. Johnson first joined Erickson Living in 1999 as a Senior Human Resources Manager at Greenspring. She then worked as the Director of Human Resources at Sedgebrook for three years before joining Ashby Ponds in 2007. Nicole received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Florida State University and Master of Business Administration degree from Marymount University. She holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources designation and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator certification.

Erickson Living Appoints Debra B. Doyle as Chief Operating Officer

Erickson Living, developer and manager of Charlestown and Oak Crest retirement communities, has appointed Debra B. Doyle, Executive Vice President, Health and Operations, as Chief Operating Officer. In her new role, Doyle will report to Erickson Living’s Chief Executive Officer, Alan Butler, and be responsible for the operations of the business, which include Health and Operations, Human Resources, Legal, Information Technology, Erickson Health Medical Group and Erickson Advantage.

Previous positions Doyle has held at Erickson Living include Senior Vice President of Operations and Associate Executive Director at Oak Crest. She also served as Senior Regional Health Services Director at several Erickson Living communities, including Oak Crest, Charlestown, Riderwood and Greenspring. Before her career with Erickson Living, Doyle served as chief nursing officer and executive director of medical services for the Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

Doyle earned an M.B.A. and a B.S. in business administration from Loyola University in Maryland. She received her R.N. from St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing and a certification in senior living care from Johns Hopkins University. She serves as the Chairman of the MedStar Franklin Square Hospital Operating Board and a member of the MedStar Health – Strategic Planning Committee.

Oak Grove Capital Adds Three to Underwriting Team

Oak Grove Capital has added three senior-level underwriters with an average of 13 years of experience to its growing team. Brian Harris and Adam Roberts both join Oak Grove Capital as deputy chief underwriters for GSE and FHA lending, respectively. Heath Coryell joins the company as a senior underwriter, where he will focus primarily on seniors housing transactions.

Harris joins Jeff Radcliffe as a deputy chief underwriter, reporting to Shea. With more than 18 years of experience working within the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending frameworks, Harris brings a wealth of knowledge in structuring, pricing, underwriting and delivering transactions to both Agencies. Harris has been actively involved in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending arena since 1995. Prior to joining Oak Grove Capital, Harris was chief underwriter and a member of the senior management team at Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, where he played in integral role in growing their Agency lending portfolio.

Roberts joins the FHA underwriting team as a senior vice president and MAP deputy chief underwriter, reporting to Brian Kelleher, managing director of Oak Grove Capital’s FHA business. Roberts has been in the Agency lending business since 2006 and has facilitated more than 50 FHA transactions totaling over $440 million. He has been MAP approved since 2011, structuring transactions under each of the MAP loan programs. Prior to joining Oak Grove, Roberts was a senior underwriter at Red Capital Group.

Coryell comes to Oak Grove Capital from Berkadia, where he was involved in over $3.5 billion in financings as an underwriter. His 15 years of experience in seniors housing has given him a wealth of knowledge in underwriting and delivering transactions to both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Change is in the air and this installment of Movers and Shakers finds that leaves are not the only thing changing. Many senior living operators and service providers are making moves planning for next year already. Check out who is on the move below. 

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Looking for new opportunities in 2013? Look for senior housing jobs nationwide on SHN’s job board.

Deerfield Retirement Community Names Hilbert to Sales and Marketing Director

Deerfield Retirement Community has named Angela Hilbert as director of sales and marketing for the continuing care retirement community in Urbandale Iowa. Hilbert has 15 years of experience in marketing and sales. Prior to joining Deerfield, Hilbert was the chief development officer for Easter Seals Iowa.  Hilbert is dedicated to serving the greater Des Moines community. She is involved with Blue Ribbon Foundation, Dress for Success and Saint Pius X. She is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications. 

Wind Crest Hires Winoka Clements as Director of Human Resources

Wind Crest recently announced the hiring of Winoka Clements as the Director of Human Resources. Clements has been employed with Erickson Living since 2010. She was most recently the Senior Human Resources Manager for the continuum of care neighborhood at Greenspring, a sister community in northern Virginia.

Clements holds a Bachelors degree in Human Resources from Baker College and a Masters degree in Instructional Development & Design from Bellevue University. She also earned a Certificate in Human Resources from University of Maryland, University College and a Profession in Human Resources (PHR) certification. Clements is currently studying for the Strategic Profession in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. She is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and its local chapter and serves on two of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) task forces (Performance Management Standards and Health Care Skill Standards).

Thomas Mitchell Joins Harbor Retirement Associates as CFO

Harbor Retirement Associates announced Thomas Mitchell has joined the executive management team as Chief Financial Officer of the Vero Beach, Fla.-headquartered company.  Mitchell, a graduate of the University of Maryland and a Certified Public Accountant, is an entrepreneurial financial executive with broad experience in strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions and raising capital for both public and private companies engaged in real estate development, hospitality, life sciences-biotech, retail/consumer finance and banking. As co-founder and CFO he helped lead a start-up specialty retailer/consumer financing company to become the 4th fasted growing U.S. Company on the “INC 500″ list, with 90 locations in 11 states.

Baldwin Joins Salus Valuation Group

Michael Baldwin, MAI has joined Salus Valuation Group as Executive Vice President and leads the firm’s Chicago, Ill. and Miami, Fla. offices. Baldwin has more than seven years of healthcare real estate appraisal and market analysis experience. Prior to joining Salus, Baldwin recently served as Executive Vice President of Principle Valuation, where he led the firm’s seniors housing group. He has also worked as an appraiser and market analyst at another national seniors housing valuation firm and as an accountant in an acute care hospital. 

Constant Care Family Management Names Tarpley VP of HR

Constant Care Family Management, the property management company for Autumn Leaves-branded memory care communities, has named Sherrie Tarpley vice president of human resources. Tarpley brings 30 years of human resources experience to a company enjoying phenomenal growth—staff has nearly tripled over the past two and a half years, expanding from 250 to more than 780 employees throughout the United States. Tarpley joins Constant Care Family Management from Orthofix Inc. where she worked for more than 11 years, serving most recently as human resources vice president. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Texas State University, and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). 

eCaring names Jane Fields Vice President of Care Management

eCaring, an in-home care management company, announces today that Jane Fields, R.N., former president and CEO of Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association, will join the company as vice president of care management. Fields brings a broad range of care management experience. As a managing partner for S&R Consulting Healthcare Solutions, she has developed and implemented innovative national models for effective home and community-based care. She has been senior vice president for community services at Jewish Home Lifecare System, vice president for community health services at Nyack Hospital and director of community outreach for Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center. Fields holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Rochester, a Master of Science in Nursing in Community Health Nursing from Boston University and a Master of Science in Management from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service. 

Waterstone at Wellesley Names Kenney as Sales Director

Waterstone at Wellesley recently announced that Kristen Kenney has been named as a sales director.  Kenney previously worked as the marketing director at EPOCH Assisted Living of Norton and has recently transferred to EPOCH Senior Living’s newest community, Waterstone at Wellesley. Prior to joining the EPOCH Senior Living team, she worked as a marketing and sales director at a large retirement community outside of Boston. She holds a degree in economics from Bridgewater State University and has worked in economics, sales and marketing.

Montani Named Director of Corporate Accounts

Bob Montani, Regional Sales manager for Harbor Linen, LLC, has been selected as the company’s new Director of Corporate accounts. He will work in the Healthcare Division to identify and evaluate new business opportunities. Montani has been with Harbor Linen for eight years and has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare textile industry.  Harbor Linen is the institutional linen division of Bed, Bath and Beyond.   

AHEPA Promotes Parsons to Regional Manager

AHEPA Management Company, a property management firm based in Fishers, Ind. which provides onsite management for affordable senior housing communities nationwide, has announced the promotion of Dale Parsons, COS, AHM to the position of Regional Manager for Region III. In his new role, Parsons oversees the property managers and operations for 14 affordable senior apartment properties in Indiana and Ohio that are managed by AHEPA Management Company. He is responsible for financials, daily operations, maintenance upkeep, yearly budgets, inspections and property visits.  

With more than nine years of experience in property management since joining AHEPA Management Company in 2003, Parsons most recently served as Property Manager of AHEPA 232 & 232-II Apartments in Indianapolis and Regional Manager in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Prior to his association with AHEPA Management Company, he worked for Republic Steel Corporation in Canton, Ohio for 25 years. He has also been employed as a real estate agent and as a certified home inspector. Parsons holds the Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) designation from NCHM, the National Center for Housing Management. He earned the Assisted Housing Management (AHM) certification from Quadel, and maintains his Certified Home Inspector certification. Parsons attended Hondros College, Kent State, Stark State. 

Mirador Names Denovellis as Executive Director

Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation recently named Aaron DeNovellis as Executive Director of the newly-opened Mirado senior living community in Texas. DeNovellis is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and has more than 10 years experience in the senior living industry. He joins Mirador from Edgemere in Dallas, Mirador’s sister community, where he served as associate executive director. Before moving to Texas, DeNovellis was the executive director for a Kindred senior living community in Washington state, during which time he was given the 2009 Executive Director of the Year award. DeNovellis is a graduate of Colorado State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science.

Charlestown Names Dean Crawford as Medical Practice Manager

Charlestown, an Erickson Living retirement community, announced the hiring of Dean Crawford as its Medical Center Practice Manager.  In this role, Crawford will oversee the daily operations of the medical center that features board-certified physicians, nurses and other health professionals who practice solely at Charlestown.  Prior to joining Charlestown, Crawford managed the Owings Mills location of Advanced Center for Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine and also served as Medical Practice Manager for Clinical Associates for ten years. A resident of Reisterstown, Crawford attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. 

Hicks Named New Executive Director of Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

Tim Hicks has been named Executive Director of Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, in suburban Birmingham, Ala. where he previously served as the Assistant Executive Director. Hicks has more than 20 years of senior care experience and was previously with Brookdale at University Park, also in Birmingham, for three years as Assisted Living and Memory Care Director. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Business Administration and is a member of the Alabama Assisted Living Association.

Connected Living Names Technology Veteran Tom Racca as President and COO

Connected Living, a mission-based organization helping senior citizens live richer, more connected lives through the use of technology, recently announced that Tom Racca has been named president and chief operating officer. Racca has a wealth of experience in the technology industry and recently served as president and CEO of BurstPoint Networks. Prior to BurstPoint, he held several executive positions, including at Hewlett-Packard’s ProCurve division, which he joined as part of the acquisition of Colubris Networks. He also held key executive positions at Chantry Networks (acquired by Siemens), Digital Equipment Corporation, Avid Technology, Proteon, and Prime Computer.

Debbie Laycock Joins ARA as Managing Director

ARA National Seniors Housing Group announced the addition of seniors housing professional Debbie Laycock to the team as its Managing Director. She will be based in the ARA National Seniors office located in Dallas, Tex. Laycock has more than 10 years of experience in providing financing solutions to the senior housing industry and a total of more than 25 years in the banking industry as a whole. She was previously the Managing Director of the Healthcare Finance Group at Guaranty Bank that specialized in providing construction, interim, and permanent financing for CCRCs, independent living, assisted living and dedicated Alzheimer’s facilities. Laycock has been involved in numerous industry organizations, including serving as a Board member of the National Investment Center (NIC) for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry and on the Executive Board of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA).  

Leslie Fried to Serve as NCOA Policy Director

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) announced that Leslie Fried of Washington, D.C., has been named Policy Director to help advance the policy goals of NCOA’s benefits access and healthy aging teams. Previously, Fried worked with the American Bar Association, Commission on Law and Aging as the Director of the Alzheimer’s Association Medicare Advocacy Project. She advocated for improved Medicare coverage of services for beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease and elimination of barriers to Medicare coverage based on diagnosis of dementia. Her successes included working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to prohibit the automatic denial of claims for medical services based solely on the diagnosis of dementia and other progressive neurological conditions, and securing fast-track disability determinations from the Social Security Administration for individuals with dementia under the Compassionate Allowance Initiative.

Integral Senior Living Announces a New Regional Marketing Director

Integral Senior Living (ISL) has announced that Jeffery Smith has joined the management team as a Regional Marketing Director. In this newly created position, Smith will oversee the marketing for a number of ISL communities.  Most recently, Smith was with Merrill Gardens as a Regional Marketing Director. Previously, he was with Team West Realty Group, Atria Senior Living Group, and Roxbury Properties in a variety of management positions. Smith has Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Sacramento.  

Greenspring Names Mitchell as Director of Human Resources

Greenspring, an Erickson Living retirement community in Springfield, Va., recently named Tamika Mitchell as the new Director of Human Resources. Mitchell was a Senior Human Resources Manager at Greenspring from 2006-2010. Since then, she has worked as the Director of Human Resources for Wind Crest, Greenspring’s sister community located in Denver, Co. Mitchell also has prior work experience at IKON Office Solutions, Primedia, and The Clayton Group. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications and Management from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Management from the University of Bridgeport. She is currently working toward completing her Master of Business Administration degree from Trinity University.

AHEPA Names Angela Clements as Regional Manager

AHEPA Management Company has announced the promotion of Angela Clements, CPO, to the position of Regional Manager for Region 2. Clements has more than 10 years of experience in property management supervision. Previously, she served as Property Manager for Coordinated Service Management of Roanoke, Va., where she managed senior housing, Section 202 properties, assisted living facilities, and Alzheimer care facilities. She has also been a Realtor for Coldwell Banker and worked at Marriott International, Courtyard by Marriott as Front Desk Supervisor, and Towne Place Suites as Assistant General Manager. Clements holds her Certified Professional of Occupancy (CPO) designation from the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA.) She majored in Hotel & Restaurant Management at Johnson and Wales University of Providence, R.I.

Senior Living Communities Names Simmons VP of Healthcare Marketing

Senior Living Communities, an owner/operator of 12 retirement communities located throughout the Southeast and Midwest, announced today the hiring of Aimee Simmons as Vice President of Healthcare Marketing. Simmons is an experienced former administrator and marketing professional who will oversee the healthcare marketing efforts at Senior Living Communities’ properties. In her new position, Simmons will report to the Vice President of Clinical Services, and work closely within the clinical workgroup to improve and enhance health care services throughout Senior Living Communities’ portfolio.

West Named Director of Nursing at Highland Springs

Highland Springs has announced that Texolla West has been named Director of Nursing  Ms. West brings nearly twenty years of health care experience, ranging from acute care to geriatrics, to Highland Springs. She currently serves as the Vice President of the Texas Chapter of the National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration (NADONA). West is a Certified Director of Nursing Administrator (CDONA) and a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. In 2010, West received the Nursing Director of the Year Award for the Southwest Region of NADONA and was nominated for Director of Nurses of the Year through the Texas Health Care Association. West is also a member of LeadingAge Texas through Highland Spring.

Morningside of Fullerton Names New Executive Director

Gary Stork  has been named executive director for Morningside, the continuing care retirement community in Fullerton, Calif. Stork was previously the administrator for ParkVista, the on-site health center for Morningside featuring 54 assisted living units and a 99-bed skilled nursing facility with a special care unit. While at ParkVista, Stork was named Administrator of the Year by the Southern California Association of Activity Professionals (SCAAP). Stork was also the administrator of Nohl Ranch Inn in Anaheim Hills, Calif., an assisted living facility, and served as executive director for a continuing care retirement community in San Diego County. A licensed nursing home administrator, Stork is also a licensed preceptor for administrators-in-training and a licensed Retirement Community for the Elderly (RCFE) administrator. In addition, he served as chair of the California Association of Homes & Services for the Aging/South Coast Region. Stork graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in communications from California State University, Fullerton.

Watermere at Southlake Names Moccasin Community Relations Director and Catering Coordinator

Watermere at Southlake, a master-planned development for homeowners aged 55-plus, has named Danielle McCasin as community relations director and catering coordinator.  McCasin has served as the concierge for Watermere at Southlake for a couple of years, managing all the daily activity and ensuring homeowner satisfaction. She previously served Cameron Hughes Wine as a wine sales representative. McCasin also worked in customer service and member services for Central Market and Bellingham Tennis Club and Fairhaven Fitness.

Pickhardt joins Asbury to Expand Home & Community-Based Services

Asbury, a not-for-profit organization that manages five continuing care retirement communities in three states, has hired William Pickhardt as Senior Vice President of Home and Community Based Services. Pickhardt joins Asbury from Life Care Services’ Home Care Division, where he served as Vice President, Operations Management, overseeing seven markets that included home care and certified home health services and operated clinics. Pickhardt joined Life Care in 1993 as an accounting director and has a master’s in business administration from Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida. 

It’s been one hot summer for temperatures across the country. The mercury on the senior housing and senior living market keeps rising as can be seen in this installment of Movers & Shakers and the latest news from SHN. Got scorching hot talent joining your team? Send us those staffing announcements at movers-shakers@seniorhousingnews.com.

If you don’t have the talent you’re looking for, our senior housing jobs board maybe the answer to your needs.  For less than $1 per day, you can advertise your job opportunity to those keeping up with the latest news and trends in the senior housing industry.  Click here to visit the SHN job board. 

Gensler Named Vice President of Business Development

Scott Gensler, Erickson Living’s Vice President of Financial Planning, Analysis and Reporting, has been selected as the company’s new Vice President of Business Development. In this new leadership position, Gensler will work within the company’s Corporate Affairs Division to identify and evaluate new business opportunities. Gensler has been with Erickson for more than 15 years and has an impressive knowledge of key aspects of the business, says the company, including Finance, Sales and Marketing, and Operations. 

OnShift Announces Vice President of Customer Success

OnShift recently announced Paul Chilensky as the company’s Vice President of Customer Success. Chilensky has more than 25 years of experience building and managing global service and support organizations for software companies, and has successfully grown service revenue and customer satisfaction to record levels with each organization. His healthcare background includes the long-term care industry, having led and implemented services strategies for sustainable customer satisfaction in a leading pharmaceutical systems company. Chilensky will lead OnShift’s customer implementation, services and support organization, ensuring that clients maximize their financial, operational and clinical outcomes with the use of OnShift. 

Ventas Names John Hart Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) has appointed John K. Hart to the newly created position of Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer reporting to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.

Hart joined Ventas from CME Group Inc. where he worked for 16 years, most recently as Managing Director of Technology. At the CME, where he supervised a team of 200 IT professionals, Hart was responsible for managing the exchange’s enterprise architecture, business systems, security, telecommunications, networking, help desk and operations. Earlier in his career he was an assistant vice president at First Options in Chicago, and prior to that he was a senior network architect with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hart received his Bachelor of Industrial Management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and his MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

AHEPA Management Company Names Solberg as Assistant Director of Compliance

AHEPA Management Company, a property management firm providing onsite management for affordable senior housing communities nationwide, has announced the promotion of Amy Solberg to the position of Assistant Director of Compliance. In her new role, Solberg ensures that AHEPA senior affordable apartment properties are in compliance with various state and federal funding programs. She also provides compliance oversight for HUD and other regulatory policies as they pertain to programs, AMC property manager training, Yardi software support, and Fair Housing compliance.

Solberg has nine years of experience in property management and subsidized housing. She joined AHEPA Management Company in 2006 as Property Manager for AHEPA 113 Apartments in Beavercreek, Ohio. Previously, she was Property Manager for subsidized housing management firm Gorsuch Management in Lancaster, Ohio.

Clara Parker Named Executive Director of Charlestown

Erickson Living has named Clara Parker as the Executive Director of Charlestown, the continuing care retirement community in Catonsville, Md. Parker has more than 25 years of not-for-profit experience. In 2005, she began her career with Baltimore-based Erickson Living as the Director of Finance at Oak Crest. Most recently, Parker served as the Vice President-Regional Finance Director for Erickson Living communities throughout the country. As Executive Director, Parker will be responsible for the daily operations and major capital projects of the 110-acre campus that is home to more than 2,000 residents served by 1,100 employees. 

Prior to joining Erickson Living, Parker served as the Senior Director of Finance for the American Red Cross at its national headquarters in Washington D.C. A resident of Severna Park, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from Towson University and attended the Executive MBA Program at Loyola University in Maryland.

Beech Street Capital Hires Sherman as EVP of Seniors Housing

Beech Street Capital, LLC has hired James Sherman as Executive Vice President of Seniors Housing to continue building the company’s seniors housing practice. Sherman comes to Beech Street from RED Capital Group, where he was a senior managing director leading the senior housing and long-term care group.  He is a recognized leader in the industry, having served on the boards of many professional organizations, including a term as president of the National Association of Seniors Living Industries. Sherman was also president and CEO of Churchill Estates, an assisted living provider.  

SeniorHomes.com Announces Expansion of Executive Management Team

SeniorHomes.com recently added three new executives to its management team. Rob Frerichs was hired as Vice President of Business Development and Deborah King as Director of Care Advising. In addition, the company promoted Ron White, Vice President of Sales, to direct the Account Management team. The new management team was put into place to oversee SeniorHomes.com’s rapid business expansion and growing staff.

The site’s Vice President of Sales, Ron White, took over leadership of the Account Management team in April 2012. White will oversee the maintenance and expansion of SeniorHomes.com current business relationships. For more than 10 years, White has been a leader in the internet marketing and advertising industry. Rob Frerichs was brought on as the Vice President of Business Development in May 2012. Prior to joining SeniorHomes.com, Frerichs was directly responsible for creating winning sales strategies that have built recurring revenue streams for Market Leader and numerous startups. Deb King was promoted to Director of Care Advising in June 2012. 

Walker & Dunlop Hires SVP of FHA Finance Division

Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD) announced that Michael B. Vaughn has joined the Company as senior vice president & head of the Company’s FHA Finance Healthcare department. Mr. Vaughn will manage origination, underwriting, and quality control of all Healthcare loans.

Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Vaughn held several positions at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Most recently he was Director of the Office of Residential Care Facilities, part of the Office of Healthcare Programs. While there, Vaughn was directly responsible for origination and asset management activities related to the $17.5 billion portfolio of Section 232 Insured Mortgages on Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Facilities. Under his leadership, the LEAN (Section 232) program reached a level of production of over 800 loans a year, $6 billion in commitments and issued approvals on the largest nursing home portfolio ever processed by HUD. Earlier at HUD, Vaughn was personally responsible for a large number of Mark-to-Market, Mixed-Finance public housing and tax credit transactions.

Previously, in the private sector, Vaughn was a senior vice president of the Bank of New York’s Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Multifamily lender, ARCS Mortgage. He received his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and his MBA from Yale University’s School of Public and Private Management.

Integral Senior Living Announces a New Regional Director of Operations

Integral Senior Living has appointed Roxanne Gooding as a Regional Director of Operations. In this newly created position, Gooding will oversee operations for a number of ISL communities. Gooding brings over 18 years of senior living executive management and healthcare experience to the position. In her new role, she will be responsible for providing operational guidance and support to many of ISL’s communities.
 


Most recently, Gooding was a RCFE consultant. Prior to consulting, she was with Westmont Living in a variety of positions including Regional Director of Operations, Executive Director and Resident Services Director. Before her time at Westmont, she was with Seniorcare Communities, Atria Senior Living, Addus Healthcare and Koerick Sterling Communities. Gooding is a licensed Vocational Nurse, and has a RCFE Administrator Certificate and an A.A. in Business Management.

Remedi SeniorCare Names Michael Freedman Regional Sales Manager

Remedi SeniorCare has named seasoned industry executive Michael Freedman as its new Regional Sales Manager. Freedman is responsible for Remedi’s long-term care customers throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Northern Delaware and will drive growth via Remedi’s innovative offerings, including the Paxit 24-hour unit-dose medication administration system, Connexit electronic data interchange, the My Remedi customer portal and Remedi’s RapidResponse(SM) service delivery model. Among his initial focus is to support and deepen Remedi’s preferred provider relationship with Kairos Health Systems, a leading Group Purchasing Organization to the non-profit senior housing industry.

Most recently, Freedman was an account executive with AmerisourceBergen Technology Group, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical services companies. There he was responsible for the sales of automated pharmacy packaging devices to the long-term care and retail pharmacy market. Freedman holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Penn State University in Health Planning Administration.

Flores Named Executive Director at Carlton Plaza Elk Grove

Mrs. Lindsey Flores has been promoted to executive director of Carlton Plaza Elk Grove in Elk Grove, Calif. Flores has gained extensive experience overseeing community operations since joining the company in 2005 at Carlton Plaza of Sacramento where she headed the resident activities program for several years and most recently was director of resident care first for Carlton Plaza Sacramento and then for Carlton Crown Plaza Sacramento, which specializes in enhanced assisted living.

Flores was participating in Carlton’s Senior Executive Training program when she was selected to open Carlton Plaza Elk Grove as executive director. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from California State University of Sacramento and is certified by the State of California as an administrator of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs).

National Housing Conference Announces Hire of N.C. Housing Coalition’s Chris Estes

The National Housing Conference (NHC), the nonprofit affordable housing advocacy group known as the United Voice for Housing, today announced that Chris Estes will join the 81-year-old housing organization as its new president and CEO. Estes is currently the executive director of the N.C. Housing Coalition, a post he has held since 2003. In his new position, Estes will lead NHC’s policy and advocacy work both in Washington and throughout the country. He will also work closely with NHC’s research affiliate, the Center for Housing Policy, to make the case for affordable housing and develop effective housing policy solutions. In making the announcement, NHC Chair John L. Kelly cited Estes’ record of successful leadership and organization-building expertise.

Estes already had extensive experience in economic development, smart growth advocacy, welfare reform, workforce development, affordable housing development and asset-building research before joining the N.C. coalition as its executive director in September 2003. He holds masters degrees in Social Work and in City and Regional Planning, both from UNC-Chapel Hill. 

RED CAPITAL GROUP, LLC Hires Kathryn Burton Gray

RED CAPITAL GROUP, LLC is expanding its health care and seniors housing platforms with the hiring of Kathryn Burton Gray to lead the effort nationwide. Burton Gray will play a key role in RED’s continued expansion in the industry. With over 25 years of experience, Burton Gray brings a proven history of strategic business development, lending expertise, and market share growth. She previously served as a managing director with CIT’s health care unit.

Highland Springs Hires Cecilia Saucedo as Director of Continuing Care

Highland Springs announced the hiring of Cecilia Saucedo as its first Director of Continuing Care. Saucedo has more than 22 years of professional experience in the senior living industry, mainly with skilled nursing facilities. In 2003, she earned her licensure as a Nursing Facility Administrator. Saucedo received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas Wesleyan University. The Texas native is a member of the Texas Health Care Association. 

United Methodist Retirement Communities Hires New Health Services Administrator at Chelsea Retirement Community

United Methodist Retirement Communities, Inc. (UMRC) has hired Lee Karson as the new Health Services Administrator at Chelsea Retirement Community. In his new position, Karson will be responsible for the day-to-day functions of Kresge Rehabilitation Center on the Chelsea Retirement Community campus. Karson’s previous experience involves more than 35 years of administration in the healthcare sector. Most recently, Karson was the Grand Blanc Rehabilitation & Nursing Center Administrator in Grand Blanc, Mich. where he worked in all aspects of clinical and operational outcomes and assisted in the development of annual budgets. 

Presbyterian Retirement Communities NW Welcomes New Corporate Director of Human Resources

Presbyterian Retirement Communities Northwest (PRCN) has announced that Larry Dart has joined the organization as Corporate Director of Human Resources. Dart brings years of experience in the areas of finance, human resources and operations. He will oversee the Human Resource department of PRCN and its three senior living communities: Exeter House, Park Shore and Skyline at First Hill.

Most recently, Dart worked for the Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand, where he managed the day-to-day operations in the largest business for the #1 budget accommodation provider in New Zealand. He led a team of 25 people across two properties with 330 beds and $2 million in sales. Previously, Dart was a Human Resources consultant where he provided strategic and operational direction to clients in the food service industry. Dart has a Bachelor of Science from Millikin University from Decatur, Ill. 

AHEPA Names Cavanaugh as Regional Manager

AHEPA Management Company has announced the promotion of Judy Cavanaugh to the position of Regional Manager for Region 7. In her new role, Ms. Cavanaugh oversees the property managers and operations for 10 affordable senior apartment properties managed by AHEPA Management Company, including financials, daily operations, maintenance upkeep, yearly budgets, inspections and property visits. Region 7 properties include AHEPA 35 Apartments in Nashua, NH; Penelope 35 and 35-II Apartments in Bloomington, MN; AHEPA 39 Apartments in Haverhill, MA; AHEPA 53, 53-II, and 53-III Apartments in St. Louis, MO; Penelope 120 Apartments in Peabody, MA, and AHEPA 343 Apartments in LaVergne, TN.  She joined AHEPA Management Company in 1998 and holds the Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) designation, the Certified Manager of Maintenance (CMM) designation and the Assisted Manager of Housing (AMH) through Quadel designation from NCHM, the National Center for Housing Management.

Jeffrey R. Leeds Appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Brookdale

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD) recently announced that Brookdale’s Board of Directors has appointed Jeffrey R. Leeds to serve as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.  Leeds has served as a member of the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Company’s Audit Committee since November 2005. He retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of GreenPoint Financial Corporation and GreenPoint Bank in October 2004, in which capacities he served since January 1999. Prior to that, Leeds was Executive Vice President, Finance and Senior Vice President and Treasurer of GreenPoint.

HouseWorks Announces New Executive Director in Greater Washington

HouseWorks has announced the hire of its new Executive Director of GreaterWashington, Joan Hyman. Hyman spent four years as Senior Vice President of Development and MemberServices at the Beacon Institute—Lifespan’s education arm—focusing on the establishment ofcutting-edge programs and enhancing value-based services for health care providers. Prior toLifeSpan, Hyman worked in a variety of settings including the Charlestown Continuing Care Retirement Community in Catonsville, Md., HCR Manorcare in Silver Spring, Md., and the Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital and Nursing Center in Cheverly, Md.

Capitol Lakes Promotes Feldbruegge to Sales Director and Hires Czekalski as Marketing Coordinator

Capitol Lakes has promoted Debra (Deb) Feldbruegge to the position of Sales Director. She has been with Capitol Lakes since 2008, previously serving as Marketing Representative.In addition to her four years’ experience at Capitol Lakes, Feldbruegge contributes 10 years’ experience in real estate sales and extensive experience in accounting and retail management. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Marketing, has an active state of Wisconsin real estate license, and maintains an avid interest in current market conditions and real estate trends in Dane County.

Morgan Czekalski has been hired to become the new Marketing Coordinator at Capitol Lakes, working closely with Feldbruegge. In 2009, Czekalski earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in Marketing from Chippewa Valley Technical College, and she graduated from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Communications. 

Construction: Planned

Erickson Living Plans Colorado CCRC Expansion, Hires Contractor

Erickson Living’s Wind Crest retirement community has selected Brinkmann Constructors as the general contractor for its newest neighborhood. The four-story continuing care neighborhood is currently under design and will have 128 residences offering assisted living, memory care, post-acute rehabilitation, and long-term nursing care services to residents.

Denver, Colo.-based Brinkmann recently began pre-construction activities for the project, which was designed by Lantz-Boggio Architects of Englewood, Colo. 

Wind Crest is located on 84 acres in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Its independent living neighborhood has 575 apartment homes in a variety of one- and two-bedroom floor plans and pricing options, and is 97% sold. 

WholeLife LLC to Buy Land for $30 Million Luxury Active Adult Community in Texas

Dallas, Tex.-based developer WholeLife LLC is on the verge of buying a 35-acre plot of land in The Woodlands of Texas with plans to break ground on a luxury rental community targeted at baby boomers, reports the Houston Business Journal.

The rental community would be called WholeLife, and is part of the developer’s vision to create 100 similar locations throughout the country in the next five to seven years. The Woodlands community will cost about $30 million to develop.

Two Virginia Nursing Homes Plan New Facilities

Two nursing homes in the Roanoke area of Virginia, Friendship Retirement Community and Medical Facilities of America, have filed paperwork with the state as part of plans to build two new facilities, reports Roanoke.com, but due to the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) system, which regulates the number of skilled nursing beds and facilities, the process has an indeterminate timeline. 

Friendship Retirement Community is reportedly in the process of finalizing architectural plans to build a new center in Roanoke County, and has proposed relocating 120 of its existing facility’s 373 beds to the new location. The current facility, Friendship Health and Rehab Center, is the largest operating in Virginia. 

If approved, Friendship’s proposal would make changes to its existing facility by creating more private rooms and providing more space to its Alzheimer’s program. Additionally, the facility is seeing a lot of short-term rehabilitation traffic, according to company CEO Russ Barksdale, and the new center plans on accommodating that trend. 

Medical Facilities of America told the state it’s looking for a new site in Roanoke and Roanoke County, says the article. The company also plans to transfer beds from several of its existing locations for the new project; it currently owns and operates 40 skilled nursing centers.  

Menorah Park to Add Memory Care Center to Ohio Community

Menorah Park Center for Senior Living plans to develop a memory care center and program at its Stone Gardens Assisted Living community, located in Ohio. 

The 7,000-square-foot center has an estimated $800,000 price tag and is called Helen’s Place, named after a former Stone Gardens resident. The center will be located on Stone Garden’s third floor and will have 10 one-bedroom apartments and four studio apartments. 

So far, the project has received a $250,000 grant from the Irving I. Stone Foundation, and Menorah Park plans to continue fundraising until October, after which construction is expected to begin. The project’s estimated completion date is Spring 2013. 

Construction: In the Process

Genesis Healthcare Building $30 Million Pa. Short-Term Rehab Facility

Genesis Healthcare is in the process of building a $30 million short-term rehabilitation facility in Voorhees, Pa. in addition to currently converting three of its traditional nursing homes in Southeastern Pennsylvania to a new rehabilitation model aimed at preventing rehospitalizations, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Vooorhees facility, located nearby a hospital that opened in May 2011, will have 124 beds, all in private rooms. The facility will have doctors on staff and will offer therapy 12-1/2 hours a day, seven days a week. The center will include a water-therapy pool and cooked-to-order meals. 

All four “PowerBack” sites, including the one currently being built, are expected to open this year, according to Genesis; the nursing home chain also plans on breaking ground on another PowerBack site in Moorestown this fall. 

Health Care REIT Inc., a Toledo, Ohio-based REIT, is providing Genesis’ financing for the facility and will own the building upon completion. 

SCC Healthcare Group Breaks Ground on $10 Million Texas Senior Care Community

SCC Health Care Group, an owner/operator of rehabilitation and healthcare facilities throughout Texas, recently broke ground on an upscale, $10 million skilled nursing and long-term care community in Rockwall, Tex.

The new 52,000-square-foot post-hospital recovery facility will be called Broadmoor Medical Resort and is scheduled to open in early 2013. It is the first new skilled nursing facility to be built in Rockwall since the 1950s, and will be the area’s only designated Diabetes Education Center. 

Broadmoor Medical Resort will feature hotel-style recovery suites and resort-like amenities in a hospitality setting. Residents will have access to various levels of physical, occupational, speech, ultrasound, electronic stimulation, wound and IV therapy provided by a team of rehabilitation professionals. Admission to the health center will be initiated by a physician, hospital social worker, or discharge planner.

“We want to move away from the traditional, sterile health care climate,” said Don Miller, managing partner of SCC Healthcare Group. “Our medical resort will not have the feel of a rehabilitation center or skilled nursing community. It will feel more like an upscale experience in a hotel.”

Indiana Developer Breaks Ground on Senior Housing Conversion Project

New Albany, Indiana-based developer Matt Chalfant has recently begun construction on a project converting the former Silvercrest Children’s Development Center into senior housing development, reports the local Business First.

The current structure has two buildings and will be converted to offer independent living units ranging from condominiums to studio apartments, along with some assisted living units. When Chalfant bought the Silvercrest Center in 2007, the News and Tribune reported the project’s estimated cost to be between $8 million and $12 million. However, Business First reports that a recently-issued building permit indicates that at least $1.4 million worth of alterations are planned inside the buildings. 

SRP Medical Breaks Ground on Texas Senior Living Community

SRP Medical, an upscale senior living community developer, announced last week that it had broken ground on a new luxury senior housing complex in Spring, Tex.

Magnolia Heights will be an 85,000-square-foot facility with 60 assisted living apartments and 48 memory care apartments. It will be the Spring market’s first new community that offers both assisted living and memory care residences in the past 10 years.

Apartments will be a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom homes with amenities that will include granite countertops, walk-in closets, and tile showers. 

SRP is a full-service real estate development company that focuses on healthcare-related projects in Texas and the Southwest region. It is partnering with Frontier Management for the Spring project; Frontier will oversee operations and management for the new facility. 

Magnolia Heights is scheduled for a May 2013 completion. Mutual of Omaha Bank provided construction financing, with Rogers O’Brien as the project’s general contractor and GHLA Architecture as architect.

Seasons Breaks Ground on $12 Million Fla. Memory Care Facility

On August 8, Kalyvas Group-owned Seasons broke ground on a new memory care and assisted living community located in Largo, Fla. in the Tampa Bay area. 

Seasons Memory Care is an 80-unit, $13 million facility that will open in the fall of 2013. The building will feature a lot of natural light with community spaces that include an atrium, library, living room, family cafe, and garden. Autumn Senior Living, LLC will manage the community upon completion. 

Construction: Completed

Ecumen Bethany Completes $3 Million Renovation and Expansion Project in Minn. 

Ecumen Bethany Community, located in Alexandria, Minn., recently completed a $3 million renovation and expansion project to improve short-term rehabilitation services and add memory care, says LeadingAge.

The remodeled short-term rehab unit is located on one floor in the community and offers easy access to the expanded therapy gym and dining area. Additionally, Ecumen Bethany now has private memory care suites with individualized services provided by specially-trained nurses and caregivers. 

Trisun Set to Open Senior Care Facility in Texas

Harden Healthcare subsidiary Trisun Healthcare opened its Trisun Care Center Lakeside facility in San Antonio, Tex. on Wednesday, Aug. 8, reports MySA.com.

The nearly 42,000-square-foot skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility has 120 beds. 

Trisun developed the center with Suntex Development LLC, the development arm of Dallas, Tex.-based Suntex Ventures LLC, says the article. Metropolitan Contracting Co. and DFD Architects served as the facilities’ design-build team. 

Students are increasingly interested in pursuing a career in senior living, but programs focused on educating the senior living managers of tomorrow need the support of senior living providers to be successful.

Despite the rise of senior living communities and growing demand for their services, the industry faces a potential shortage of qualified individuals to run these communities as the education needed to train for these jobs seriously lags the population it serves.

Those involved in the few educational programs say their small number is not for lack of student interest, that they have significant growth potential, and thrive in a multidisciplinary environment.

Many companies in the industry have failed to invest the resources needed to educate and train the future leaders, even though they are the ones positioned to gain from a skilled crop of new workers. Over the last few years, this has started to change, but only slightly.

One program encompassing both undergraduate and graduate degrees in senior living, offered by George Mason’s College of Health and Human Services, is going on 10 years since its launch in 2002.

With graduates of this program now out in the workforce, senior living corporations are starting to see the impact of tomorrow’s industry leaders, which are accelerating in their career paths more quickly than those who enter the industry from other kinds of jobs and training.

Another, the Erickson School at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), was made possible by a gift from Erickson Retirement Communities Chairman of the Board, CEO and Founder, John Erickson in 2006.

Gaining Support

The biggest potential influence on the ability to offer these programs, say administrators and educators, is the companies that ultimately hire their students. They can’t exist without the financial contribution and expertise provided by leaders in the senior living industry.

Take Washington State University’s senior living management course as a success story. The course launched last year through the interest and participation of four senior living corporations: Aegis Senior Living, Emeritus, One Eighty Leisure Care and Merrill Gardens.

The collaboration between the companies, which have in turn benefited through the hires of several of WSU’s students, is what made the education possible, the program’s administrator says. And that’s not all they have gained.

“As a bonus, these companies have snagged a few graduates, but a second, unexpected benefit has been camaraderie,” says Nancy Swanger, director of WSU’s School of Hospitality Business Management. “Four companies who are competitors have put that aside and come together to talk about how to grow this and make it work for the good of senior living.”

The collaborative effort has even had some unintended positive consequences, says Jerry Meyer, President of Aegis Living, who flies regularly from his headquarters in Seattle to engage with the students in Pullman, Washington.

“We actually now collaborate on items outside of WSU,” Meyer says. “We’ll talk with people in the other organizations to find out how they are handling a challenge or issue and see if we can come up with a solution together.”

At UMBC’s Erickson School, the program also would not exist without the financial investment of a corporate partner, a $5 million gift from Erickson Senior Living that was matched by the State of Maryland.

“You need at least corporate buy-in, but also a pipeline for jobs, because that’s what will motivate students to look at this area,” says Dr. Judah Ronch, interim dean of the Erickson School.

Crossing Disciplines

Today’s students of senior living, which number 930 current enrollees in the most recent academic year at Erickson and count 98 graduate alumni, are not only equipped with internships and practical experience in senior living management, but they cross disciplines in what they are able to offer.

“Most people in aging services did not take a degree in aging services,” Ronch says. “They got into it through interesting paths. We’re going to need creative problem solvers and people from different areas are a great way to invigorate and enrich solutions for aging.”

Erickson’s students include engineers, pre-architecture majors, and pre-med students as well as many working toward a double major or minor in aging services. The job opportunities are equally diverse once students enter the workforce. Some go to manage communities, while others go to associations such as AARP or to work for state or federal government.

Salaries are competitive, with an assisted living administrator average compensation of $66,255, according to the latest annual survey by the Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Service.

As the job opportunities have shifted away from nursing home administration to span every aspect of the senior living sector, so has the education—and the interest level from students—even since the founding of George Mason’s program 10 years ago.

“It has absolutely shifted,” says Andy Carle, executive-in-residence, Program in Senior Housing Administration at George Mason. “Ten years ago, most undergrads let alone graduate students didn’t know there were careers in this field. Now we get calls from all over the country. They call us, not the other way around.”

While the programs vary in their course offerings, they tend toward a multidisciplinary approach including business elements, hospitality, management and others. It’s not just about nursing home administration anymore.

At Washington State the coursework falls under hospitality, with a prerequisite that students must major or minor in business. That could mean the students are accounting majors or hospitality majors. They know how to read a balance sheet, Swanger says, in addition to their interest in senior living.

“The conversation that got this going was the notion that we want people with hospitality backgrounds, not skilled nursing backgrounds. That’s not who these companies are,” she says.

Starting Early

Combining interests and backgrounds is essential, says Carle.

“We specifically and deliberately approach senior living as an equal combination of business, healthcare, and housing. This is what makes senior housing so unique and in need of well-defined coursework,” he says.

The courses have gained popularity, with WSU seeing its enrollment triple from the first semester they were offered to the second one. Despite the interest level from students, however, there is still the challenge of gaining their interest early on, before they become too set on other paths.

“By the time I’m a senior, it’s in my mind I’m going to work for the Ritz, or another hotel chain,” Meyer says. “The hotel business is pretty sexy. Our goal is: How do we get to them earlier and have more course offerings and a degree program that is still in hospitality management with a separate degree in senior housing?”

Some don’t yet have the foresight to realize that the demand for senior housing will be more resilient than for hotels.

“Maybe they go to work in a hotel and realize the hotel business is fickle,” Meyer says. “One hiccup in the economy and demand is down. That’s not much of a career path.”

But with respect to more than 100 programs in skilled nursing around the country, senior living services education is still behind, even despite the decline in skilled nursing providers and acceleration in the market for assisted living, independent living, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs).

That discrepancy, according to Carle, is a measure of three to one. Not to mention, superior job placement and career track of those who graduate with a degree or coursework specific to senior living management.

“Academia has yet to fully understand the difference between nursing home and senior housing administration,” he says. “…We need more attention from our industry now. We have the attention of the students. We need attention from the providers.”

Written by Elizabeth Ecker

This article is sponsored by the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) as part of its efforts to advance excellence and explore topics impacting the future of senior living. For more information about ALFA, visit www.alfa.org.

Stop the presses! Wait….we don’t have presses but we are starting a new feature called SHN Awards Corner. We get a number of submissions from senior living companies in a variety of fields—from design and architecture to construction to management—who have gotten national recognition for their achievements. Here’s a roundup of some of the companies who have recently been in the national spotlight.

Got awards? Send them to awards@seniorhousingnews.com. (SHN reserves the right to choose to publish award announcements at its sole discretion.)

1. Inverness Village Receives CCRC Accreditation for Top Quality

Inverness Village, a senior living community located in the Tulsa, Okla. region, was recently awarded a five-year term of accreditation by CARF-CCAC, the nation’s only accrediting body for CCRCs. 

Organizations receiving this accreditation earn it after voluntarily going through a rigorous peer review process requiring compliance with more than 600 measures of quality, including financial indicators relating to long-term viability. Additionally, the process requires a team of CARF surveyors to conduct on-site surveys that include interviews with community leadership, staff members, and residents. 

“We are so pleased to receive official recognition of our commitment to residents—whether they’ve come for our internationally recognized wellness program, our park-like setting and resort-style services, or were drawn here by the fact that Inverness Village is Tulsa’s only non-profit community for people 55 and better offering the Life Care Advantage,” said Inverness Village Executive Director Scott Bushong in a statement.  

2. Erickson, Atria Recognized as National Top Workplaces 

Two senior living companies, Erickson Living and Atria Senior Living, have been recognized as “national top workplaces” among organizations with more than 1,000 employees by organizational health surveyor WorkplaceDynamics.

The National Top Workplaces list gathers results from the 30 Top Workplaces publishing partners in order to identify the best employers across the nation. The evaluation is based on employee feedback from more than half a million employees in over 800 companies with at least 1,000 employees.

“We are very proud to be selected as a Top Workplace, which reflects our committed to creating a work environment that promotes and cultivates Erickson Living’s service-driven culture, teamwork and professional development and opportunities,” said Julie Judge, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, in a statement. “This recognition demonstrates that by fostering an enjoyable, supportive and creative work environment that is ‘mission-driven’ and provides its staff with a full range of competitive benefits, a great company to work for can become even greater.”

Companies on the top list, due to their organizational health, often have stronger financial success, suggests WorkplaceDynamics.

“Put simply, the most successful companies appear to be the ones that employees believe in,” said Doug Claffey, CEO at WorkplaceDynamics. 

3. Leisureworld Senior Care Earns LTC & Senior Living LINK Award

Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation was named as a recipient of the LTC & Senior Living LINK Spirit of Innovation Award during the 8th Annual LINK Conference. The award recognizes companies for their innovation, drive to improve, and development of best practices, along with a commitment to the success of the long-term care industry at large.

“The goal of the Spirit of Innovation Award is to help advance business productivity, greater quality of care and foster innovation in senior living and long term care. These winners have not only developed unusually successful business initiatives but have also demonstrated a willingness to share their great ideas with others in support of this mission,” said Bailey Beeken, Vice President and Conference Director for LTC & Senior Living LINK.

4. Driver Program for Seniors Wins Two Industry Awards

Lifelong Driver, a program designed to help senior drivers maintain their lifestyle and independence, recently won The Silver Horizon Interactive and The Communicator Award of Distinction. 

The science-based program, developed by Life Long Driver, LLC in cooperation with Allen Communication Learning Services, was designed to target the leading causes of collisions for 55+ drivers. The program places users in simulations of real-life driving situations to gauge and improve their reactions and performance in real-world accidents. 

 5. KTGY Group Architectures + Planning Earns National Recognition for Successful Senior Housing Communities

KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture + Planning along with some of the nation’s top builders/developers have earned multiple Awards of Merit in the 2012 Gold Nugget Award design and planning competition.

The winning projects feature senior housing designs along with single-family detached, townhomes and multifamily developments encompassing sustainable communities, mixed-use, urban infill, transit-oriented developments, and campus housing.

The Angelus Plaza, located in Los Angeles, Calif., is an affordable for-rent senior apartment complex with 1,093 units within four high-rise residential towers and received a Gold Nugget Award of Merit in the Renovated or Restored Residential Project category. Angelus Plaza was developed by Retirement Housing Foundation, with Valley Commercial Contractors as the general contractor and KTGY as the architect/designer.

Dana Strand Apartment Homes, an affordable 100-unit senior apartment community also located in Los Angeles, received a Gold Nugget Award of Merit in the Seniors Housing Community – Age Qualified Affordable category. Dana Strand was developed by ROEM Development Corporation, built by ROEM Builders and designed by KTGY.