Transform

In today's episode of Transform, we sit down with Volante Senior Living CEO Jeff Fischer. Since joining Volante in July 2024, CEO Fischer and his leadership team have worked to improve staff retention, reduce turnover and improve workplace culture in an effort to solidify operations in a preamble to future growth. While the company focuses on operations internally to improve staffing along with its sales and marketing practices, Volante is also expanding with two new developments underway in Oregon. Tune in now!

As the senior living industry continues to experience rising acuity rates and greater expectations from residents and their loved ones, operators across the country are rethinking how they deliver care and turning to remote patient monitoring (RPM) as a solution. On the latest episode of Transform from Senior Housing News, Michael Emery, Executive Vice President of Strategy at Curana Health, and Stephanie Boreale, National Director of Health Strategy at Watermark Retirement Communities, share how RPM is helping improve resident health outcomes and satisfaction, reduce hospitalizations, and provide peace of mind. Don't miss this exciting episode!

The Kendal Corporation envisions a future senior living landscape that moves beyond traditional continuing care retirement community models to identify new ways of serving older adults in the future, specifically aimed at affordability and intergenerational living. This comes as Kendal continues to redevelop campuses to best position communities to capture new demand while addressing extensive waitlists.

Glen Lewis, CEO, RoseVilla Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Rob Fisher, CEO, LifeLoop by Senior Housing News

To continue the nonprofit senior living provider's recovery, Lipsey sees potential in growing wellness services and improving care coordination through a hub and spoke model, while grappling with senior living's affordability challenges.

In 2024, Phoenix Senior Living acquired three new communities and repositioned one community as the company's first stand-alone active adult property. The company views active adult as a way to get younger residents familiar with the Phoenix Senior Living brand. In 2025, the company will seek future organic growth through development in urban markets while also remaining open to future value-add acquisitions.

Experience Senior Living is continuing to grow its senior housing development pipeline with multiple projects underway in three states. The Denver, Colorado-based senior living operator and developer is seeking growth across multiple brands and price points to attract a younger, more active resident base.

Jewish HomeLife CEO Jeff Gopen sat down with Senior Housing News to discuss the company's current plans to grow and evolve, how it has served the Atlanta area for more than 70 years and what comes next in senior housing and care. Find the right service for your loved one. Learn more at: https://www.jewishhomelife.org/

Solera Senior Living will continue its growth trajectory through acquisitions, added management agreements and new development, while also focusing on its value-based care effort in 2024 and beyond.

The Springs Living is in the final year of construction on a state-of-the-art community in Vancouver, Washington and more calculated growth is expected as potential acquisition and development opportunities present themselves heading into 2025. With margins improving and occupancy trending positively, the organization continues to expand operations in preparation for the next generation of senior living customers in mind.

With occupancy recovery at-hand, Benchmark Senior Living surpassed 90% census and is focused for the remainder of 2024 on integrating new systems that Grape called "foundational infrastructure" while stabilizing newly opened communities while reinvesting into over 30 existing locations. Also this year, the Waltham, Massachusetts-based provider will start on two additional developments.

Following the acquisition of Validus Senior Living in early May, Distinctive Living is continuing to grow its senior living portfolio by seeking new management agreements and capital partners. This is coupled with the company's active development pipeline, which includes new construction, renovations and additions to existing communities.

This episode is sponsored by Unlock Health. In the latest installment of Transform, Senior Housing News speaks with Brandon Edwards, CEO, Unlock Health, to discuss his team's response to the current marketing and growth needs in today's rapidly evolving senior living landscape. The conversation highlights Unlock Health's role as a growth platform rather than just a marketing agency, emphasizing its strategic importance in addressing challenges faced by senior living marketers today, and the need for new strategies to engage audiences effectively.

In this episode of Transform, hear from senior living industry veteran Jason Kohler. As Executive Vice President, Senior Living, Kohler currently leads the senior living division for Beztak, including the firm's All Seasons brand. Learn how Beztak plans to grow its senior living platform in 2024 with scheduled renovations to multiple communities along with plans for a new build project.

Denver, Colorado-based senior living operator ONELIFE Senior Living recently completed a merger bringing in Ally Senior Living to create a 19-community owner and third-party management company. In 2024, ONELIFE will continue to deepen integration between organizations, while looking outwardly for acquisition opportunities. Tune in to this episode of TRANSFORM to hear more about the plans from CEO Dan Williams.

Lasell Village, located in the Boston area, continues to innovate in fostering intergenerational connections with its university-based senior living model. In this episode of the Senior Housing News TRANSFORM podcast, learn how the unique continuing care retirement community is building on its legacy as a pioneer of university partnerships with senior living, including by pursuing an ambitious renovation project while expanding programming opportunities for residents.

Avendelle Assisted Living is preparing for explosive growth through its franchise model in the coming year. COO Bill Bunting says this expansion will solidify Avendelle's footprint in South Carolina and prepare the company for growth outside the state. Learn more about the company's growth plans and how Avendelle is leveraging the franchise model in this episode of Transform.

Goodwin Living is looking to improve employee retention efforts while finding ways to grow senior living and care offerings. And to grow, CEO Rob Liebreich says Goodwin Living must return to basics on operations to improve its business model. Learn more about the organization's plans for future growth, includes expanded memory care services through its StrongerMemory program and greater home health offerings to extend the company's reach, in this episode of Transform.

The Brea, California-based senior living management company operates communities across four western states, with future plans including potential new development, acquisition and joint venture growth. Insight Living continues to seek growth while aiming to transform its operating model with actionable data-driven insights. To achieve operational success, Principal Bryan Ziebart believes the company's path forward will be paved by artificial intelligence and data-intensive solutions for operations.

1031 Crowdfunding is in the midst of a push into senior living investment, with an overall goal to have $1 billion in assets under management in two years, and $5 billion in five years, with senior living accounting for 40% of that value. Amid a buyers' market with cap rates attractive in assisted living and memory care, 1031 Crowdfunding is bringing a unique approach to asset management to senior living.

Arun Paul, Founder and CEO of Priya Living by Senior Housing News

Guy Geller, President of Grace Management and COO of CPF Living by Senior Housing News

Chuck Bongiovanni, CEO, Majestic Residences by Senior Housing News

Jayne Sallerson, President and COO, Charter Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Scott Goldberg, President and CEO, Atlas Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Ascension Living's former President Danny Stricker this August announced that he had launched his own senior living operator called Chapters Living. Stricker, the co-founder and president of the St. Louis-based senior living operator backed by Green Street Real Estate Ventures, is poised to close the acquisition of a seven-community portfolio with about 500 units of assisted living and memory care in four states. In this episode of Transform, Stricker discusses: How Chapters Living views the acquisitions market in the Midwest Why he believes active adult will be a key to success What he evaluates in an acquisition

Tim Nelson, co-principal of Olympus Retirement Living by Senior Housing News

Denise Falco, Senior Vice President of Operations at Sunrise Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Cogir SVP Rob Leinbach and CEO Dave Eskenazy by Senior Housing News

Marvell Adams Jr., Founder and CEO, W Lawson by Senior Housing News

Dan Davis, President and CEO, Presbyterian Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Joe Jedlowski, CEO, Distinctive Living by Senior Housing News

The next episode of Transform is now available, brought to you by Marsh John Atkinson is a senior living veteran and industry leader serving on the board of Argentum and the Advisory Committee of the American Seniors Housing Association. John is responsible for co-leading Marsh's senior living and LTC industry practice for the United States and Canada and Also serves as Chairman of Marsh's Chicago office. Marsh is the world's leading insurance broker and risk advisor. With around 40,000 colleagues operating in more than 130 countries, Marsh serves commercial and individual clients with data-driven risk solutions and advisory services. In this episode, John discusses emerging risks for senior living providers, insurance cost trends, the litigation environment, and more.

CEO Jimm Biggs and COO Josh Johnson, West Bay Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Julie Ferguson, EVP of Senior Living at Ryan Companies by Senior Housing News

Doris-Ellie Sullivan, President & CEO, Retirement Unlimited by Senior Housing News

Andrew Moret, Vice President of Culinary Services, Oakmont Management Group by Senior Housing News

Jan Hamilton-Crawford, President and CEO, Trinity Health by Senior Housing News

Vassar Byrd, CEO, Rose Villa Senior Living Community by Senior Housing News

Milo Pinkerton, President, MSP Real Estate Inc. by Senior Housing News

Last month, U.S. News & World Report published its first-ever 2022-23 “Best Senior Living,” list. Among the operators included was Wexford, Pennsylvania-based Integracare. CEO Larry Rouvelas was heartened to see the company's hard work recognized, and he believes accolades like this are important differentiators with prospective residents and their families. In this episode of Transform, learn: - How Integracare communities landed a spot on the "Best Senior Living" list - Why the company is undertaking a hotel conversion project in Maryland - What challenges and opportunities Rouvelas sees ahead in 2022

Many senior living operators want to reach the middle-market — but doing so will require them to at least familiarize themselves with adult daycare services, according to Innovation Senior Living CEO and Founder Pilar Carvajal. The company has five communities open and two more on the way, and Carvajal said adult daycare services will play a role in all of them going forward. In this episode of Transform, learn: - Why Carvajal sees adult daycare as an important tool to reach the middle market - More about the company's growing "The Club at" brand. - Why Carvajal believes the industry is going to be "crushed" by middle-market demand ahead - How the company is growing by adding more independent living to its portfolio

Alan Fairbanks, EVP, Bickford Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Larry Kutscher, CEO, A Place for Mom by Senior Housing News

In January, Forefront Living announced plans to open a tuition-free Bezos Academy on the campus of its Presbyterian Village North community in Dallas, making it the first senior living community in Texas and the second in the U.S. to do so. The move also deepens Forefront Living's commitment to intergenerational programming, according to CEO Tim Mallad. In this episode of Transform, learn: -- Why Forefront Living decided to collaborate with Bezos Academy -- How Mallad sees the future of intergenerational programming in senior living -- What new service lines the organization is exploring launching

MBK Senior Living's growth has historically been through acquisitions — and that is still the company's modus operandi in its upcoming fiscal year. But growing through acquisitions has become tougher in 2022 amid frothy pricing and plenty of competition for senior living properties. Even so, MBK President Jeff Fischer believes the company can acquire four to six new communities this year, adding to the 35 currently in its portfolio. In this episode of Transform, learn: - How MBK onboards new communities after they are acquired - What Fischer looks for in new technology and how the company pilots it - Why MBK follows a culture rooted in the Japanese concept of yoi shigoto

Christian Living Communities is recommitting to its nonprofit roots. Although the Colorado-based organization still manages some communities through its for-profit management arm, Cappella Living Solutions, President and CEO Jill Vitale-Aussem says its future growth lies in affiliations and potentially third-party management agreements with other nonprofits. In this episode of Transform, learn: - Why Christian Living Communities sees more opportunities in the nonprofit senior living sector - What Aussem learned during her short stint as President and CEO of the Eden Alternative - Why Aussem is cautiously optimistic about staffing in 2022

The senior living industry is grappling with a period of staffing challenges known as the "great resignation" -- but Covenant Living Communities & Services President and CEO Terri Cunliffe hopes it ends up more like a "great sabbatical." And she said she sees signs this is happening. For instance, the Skokie, Illinois-based senior living nonprofit recently held a day of hiring across the country and filled every single CNA position open in the company. In this episode of Transform, learn: - Why Cunliffe thinks there might be a "great sabbatical" underway in senior living - How Covenant Living is piloting robots in its dining operations - What Cunliffe sees ahead for the industry's labor challenges in 2022 - How the senior living nonprofit handles rate growth amid rising expenses

Owners and investors looking to execute on their strategies in 2022 would be wise to examine every facet of their operations to help drive net operating income (NOI) sooner rather than later -- and that all starts with the operator overseeing a community. That's according to Greg Puklicz, who ascended to the president role at 12 Oaks Senior Living this year. As president, Puklicz is leading operations during an important time for the company and for the industry. In this episode of Transform, learn: - What Puklicz believes investors and owners are looking for in senior living operators - How being turnaround experts has paid off for 12 Oaks during the pandemic - What happened when 12 Oaks executed a "marketing sprint" at its communities last fall - Why Puklicz thinks 2023 will be an even bigger year for rate increases than 2022

Senior living operators have forged different models for middle-market communities in recent years -- but Priority Life Care CEO Sevy Petras believes the industry has only scratched the surface of what it needs to do to meet the massive demand from middle-income residents. To Petras, the challenge is offering boomers a product they will both want to live in and afford. Priority Life Care is trying to meet market demand through communities such as Celebration Villa, a brand created when the operator took on 17 communities formerly operated by Eclipse Senior Living for Ventas (NYSE: VTR). In this episode of Transform, learn: -- What Priority Life Care is planning for its Celebration Villa portfolio with Ventas -- How the operator is focused on making employees' lives easier amid a historic staffing challenge -- Why Petras believes 2023 will be another big year of rate growth for the senior living industry