It’s no secret that technology is beneficial. For seniors in particular, tech can help with socialization, safety and everyday tasks. That’s according to Yardi client Maplewood Senior Living, who published a stellar blog post analyzing the role tech plays in older adults’ lives. So if you’re curious how certain tech solutions can benefit residents in your communities, you’re in the right place. Benefits of seniors using technology   Citing research, Maplewood shares four ways technology can enrich seniors’ quality of life: Socialization — especially during the pandemic, seniors face an increased risk of loneliness and social isolation. Fortunately, tech can be used to prevent serious, long-term effects. According to a study shared by Maplewood, Internet use by seniors resulted in lower depression and higher levels of social support. Safety — rightfully so, family members may worry about the safety of their loved ones as they age. But tech solutions are built to help. From tools that track a senior’s care patterns to devices built to alert medical professionals in an emergency, the right system can reduce risks and provide peace of mind. Entertainment — tech can provide various entertainment options for seniors. This includes online classes, games and movies. Smart devices can also provide accessibility, catering their features specifically to seniors, allowing them to receive the maximum benefit. Exercise and health tracking — prioritizing mental and physical health is key for all ages, seniors included. With the right tools, seniors and loved ones can easily track important health information like activity levels or medication schedules.   Ways to utilize technology There’s a wide range of possibilities when it comes to technology. For seniors, different solutions can transform their day-to-day lives. Maplewood offers five key ways older adults can utilize tech: Manage financesSchedule appointmentsMaintain social...

It started with Green Lights. That was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) inaugural Climate Partnerships Programs initiative in 1991. Since then, Climate Partnership Programs has engaged tens of thousands of public and private organizations, generated billions of dollars of investments in energy efficiency and clean energy, saved American consumers more than $500 billion in energy costs and prevented more than 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Green Lights – which encourages organizations to use energy-efficient lighting technologies in their offices, factories, stores and warehouses – is one of more than two dozen Climate Partnership Programs. Vital to meeting national greenhouse gas reduction, carbon-pollution free electricity and net-zero emissions targets, the programs include: ENERGY STAR®, which identifies energy-efficient products and practices for consumers and businesses in 33 industrial sectors and 840 utilities. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR, managed jointly by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy, and its partners have helped American families and businesses save 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, avoid more than $450 billion in energy costs and achieve 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. In 2019 alone, ENERGY STAR drove reductions of 220,000 short tons of sulfur dioxide, 220,000 short tons of nitrogen oxides, and 27,000 short tons of fine particulate matter. ENERGY STAR product sales exceed $100 billion annually.The State and Local Climate and Energy Program, which offers free tools, data and technical expertise to help state, local and tribal governments achieve their environmental, energy, equity and economic objectives.The Green Power Partnership, a source of information and technical assistance for companies using green power. The program has helped prevent nearly 280 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.Methane Emissions Reduction Partnership Programs, which promote the cost-effective recovery and use of methane by sectors such as agriculture,...

How can business intelligence (BI) software provide insightful data? Our resourceful infographic has the answers, painting a detailed picture of BI and its benefits. We’re here to share it with you. Keep reading to discover why a BI solution like Senior IQ uncovers the information needed to make smarter, faster decisions — and drive growth in your communities. Data scattered across siloed systems leads to incorrect, outdated information Senior living business intelligence is crucial for today’s providers. But disparate systems don’t compare to a single connected solution. And our infographic has the research to match. According to BI-Survey, out of companies drawing data from disparate sources, only 5% report having no significant problems. A centralized business intelligence solution is key By accessing data from a single and accurate source, senior living providers can steer their communities forward. But what are the specific benefits? How can a single connected solution transform your business? For starters, a centralized BI solution helps providers … Streamline operationsMeasure successSave timeMinimize risksEmpower staffImprove resident care Not convinced? Take a look at the findings shared directly in the infographic. But while you’re here, we’ll point to a few: 54% of enterprises say BI is critical or very important to their current and future strategies, according to ForbesFinances Online reports that companies with CEOs that spearhead data-driven decisions are 77% more likely to achieve business goals64% of users reported that BI data helped improve their efficiency, says Finances Online Transform your business with Yardi Senior IQ Senior IQ is a single connected BI solution designed for the unique needs of senior living providers. With this specialized system, you’ll gain access to … Real-time reports and dashboards450+ pre-configured KPIs plus custom optionsInternal benchmarks and industry comparison dataPrecise insights for presenting to investors or...

In the age of staffing shortages, senior living providers need creative approaches to attract and retain employees. And we’ve seen some effective strategies this year. But our newest discovery is from Yardi client Aegis Living, who’s launching a standalone agency focused solely on staffing. Meet Aegis Staffing. Smart staffing by Aegis In creating Aegis Staffing, Aegis Living is bringing originality and resourcefulness to the staffing crisis. This Washington-based provider will pilot the new, in-house agency for 12 to 18 months starting in January. Initially, the agency will focus on staffing improvements at Aegis’ Seattle communities, but CEO Dwayne Clark isn’t stopping there. In an interview with Senior Housing News (SHN), Clark says there may be opportunities to expand the service to other areas — and companies — down the road. In developing the new agency, Aegis is doing a full overhaul of the staffing philosophy they’ve followed for years. This entailed hiring full-time workers at competitive wage rates, offering time off and providing additional perks. But given the latest shifts in staffing, employees have new expectations related to work-life balance. And that’s what led Clark to take action. Aegis Staffing seeks to recruit workers and incentivize staff members in a whole new way. Attracting a new workforce While Aegis already employs seasoned caregivers, they won’t draw from their own workforce to staff the new agency. Instead, the company will recruit employees from outside agencies. They’re also widening their pool of considered applicants to include recent refugees, retired military personnel and older adults. “That’s a workforce that we haven’t been exposed to,” Clark told SHN. Aegis plans to incentivize with a high hourly rate — one that’s competitive to staffing agencies where prospective employees currently work.   Although the staffing agency isn’t up to speed...

The self storage industry has remained relatively strong in the wake of the pandemic. In addition to its traditional roles — during moving and to supplement lack of space at home — people who never used the service before needed space to store items, and for a wide variety of reasons. Yardi’s StorageCafe division has been keeping track of these trends and assessing the future of the self storage industry. Self storage facilities stayed open during the pandemic, responding to a myriad of new demands. There was help for people and businesses in transition and long-term solutions for online retailers and anyone experiencing cramped living conditions. Facilities also adapted quickly, introducing procedures that not only address hygiene requirements but also promote efficiency — and development of them has continued, in line with current demands and trends.  Storage’s increasingly diverse customer base The storage sector’s customer base became more diverse. People who had to downsize, perhaps moving to the suburbs, joined the cohort of Americans who move house more habitually. Self storage has been on hand with a place for their belongings until they decide what to do with them. Then there were the college kids no longer on campus and those who needed to return to family households to assist with childcare or with elderly parents — they all needed space for excess belongings. New businesses and ways to run them When businesses closed physical offices, many moved furniture and filing cabinets into a storage unit. Retailers who needed a place to keep their stock did the same — finding it provided more flexibility than warehousing — while transitioning to selling online. Many people had to make home offices, triggering a need to store displaced items outside the house. In addition, the pandemic caused...

We can glean interesting insights from our Google search habits. Our internet queries reflect our interests and preferences. They offer a peek into what we can expect (or hope for) in terms of style, price, location and features in our home. To better understand our shifting interests during the pandemic, researchers at Point2Homes.com pulled search term data from Google Keyword Planner. This is what they discovered. What are we seeking during the pandemic? Researchers at Point2 observed the following in the past three years: Homebuyers sought affordability among pandemic markets rife with construction delays, skyrocketing supply prices and labor shortages. A few of the most popular search terms were “affordable homes for sale,” which increased by 108% compared to pre-pandemic searches; “first-time homebuyer” and “tiny home for sale” came in as second and third most searched terms.  “Buying a second home” also showed significant interest, with searches jumping 53% in 2020 compared to 2019.Renters searched for financial aid to ease economic uncertainty and hardship. “Rent relief,” which received only about 90 searches per month in 2019, spiked to 9,900 per month in 2020 and 49,500 in 2021.Current homeowners explored ways to make the most of their equity and current interest rates. The search for “mortgage refinancing” increased by 124% in 2020 compared to 2019.Remote employees searched for ways to make their home more conducive to work. The key phrase “home office design” remained popular in 2020 and 2021. What were we interested in buying during the pandemic? While “affordable homes for sale” and “tiny homes for sale” saw improved popularity, homes on the other end of the spectrum demonstrated an uptick as well. Queries for “luxury homes” and “penthouse for sale” both increased by about 50% between 2019 and 2020. In 2020, searches from...

Despite the ongoing challenges in senior living, certain providers have pushed forward, raising their level of excellence and enhancing residents’ experience. COGIR Senior Living certainly illustrates that point, and we’re here to share an in-depth look at their journey to date. That’s right — we’re rolling out our newest case study! It’s all about this leading provider’s ability to raise the bar with help from senior living technology.   Courtesy of Benoit Levesque, senior regional director at COGIR Management USA Inc. and our inspiring interviewee, this piece offers an inside look at COGIR’s road to success. Keep reading to see exactly how the Yardi Senior Living Suite gives COGIR the tools to streamline care, increase move-ins and more. Meet COGIR Senior Living COGIR Senior Living puts their residents first. As a subsidiary of COGIR Real Estate, COGIR draws upon 25 years of residential and senior living management, as well as hospitality services. Their unwavering drive to build more homes for seniors — and their dedication to quality — has positioned the company as the industry leader they are today. The challenge with disparate systems At the time they established a strong U.S. foundation, COGIR’s day-today operations involved manual processes. From tracking leads to developing new care plans, teams across the company were navigating a mixture of paper-based and electronic systems. While COGIR did have some software tools in place, each system wasn’t necessarily connected to the next. Leadership worked to unite every piece on their own using different strategies. Ultimately, the integration of the different systems — a custom infrastructure — brought new challenges. “The integration between all our moving pieces worked with some restrictions, but there was a lack of operational efficiency,” said Levesque. “Too often we were hearing, ‘I don’t know if...

For Argentum, a passion to help seniors, caregivers and families is the driving force behind their advocacy efforts. This year in particular, Argentum is fighting for targeted federal pandemic relief for assisted living caregivers. At the forefront of that mission is James Balda, president and CEO of Argentum. And given the association’s commendable efforts, it’s no surprise that Balda made Washington, D.C.’s list of top lobbyists for 2021. James Balda Argentum earns national recognition   Released by The Hill newspaper, the list of top lobbyists is an annual tradition. It recognizes people who’ve effectively drove change for their clients — those who stand out from others in the field. The 2021 honorees, like Balda, have delivered results in halls of Congress. Crediting Argentum’s staff, Balda pointed to the success of the association’s latest grassroots efforts in a company press release. This includes outreach to Congress and the White House to save the Provider Relief Fund (PRF), intended to aid healthcare providers suffering pandemic-related losses.  “Argentum members and all stakeholders in the assisted living profession marked 2021 as a crucial pivot point for our work given the financial and workforce crises our caregivers face,” said Balda. “Making The Hill’s top lobbyist list is a reflection of the hard work Argentum staff and our member providers put in and continue to put in as this pandemic is not over, nor is our fight for adequate financial relief and support.” The association’s mission Since 1990, Argentum has supported companies operating professionally managed, resident-centered senior living communities. Not to mention, the seniors and families they serve. The association is in the midst of a “Don’t Leave Us Behind…Again” campaign, urging the current administration to direct PRF funds to senior living caregivers. It’s a great honor to drive positive...

“This telework phenomenon has shown people that they don’t have to be in the office all the time,” notes Tim Lomax, research fellow at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. That realization has prompted many people to rethink options for getting to work – or if it’s necessary at all. Is a physical presence at work necessary, and if so, can commuting be made easier, more pleasant and environmentally conscious? “Tele” might be a permanent prefix for a long time. A survey of Californians released by the University of Southern California in April, for example, reported that more than half of telecommuting workers want to keep working from home at least three days a week after the pandemic ends. Just 18% wanted to go back to in-person work every day, while 31% said they would be happy working from home five days a week. Some businesses, seeing no harm to their profitability from remote work, might allow telecommuting as a full-time option. Looking at it from the employer’s point of view, about 30% of respondents to a poll of more than 300 North American employers by global advisory firm Willis Towers Watson said they expect about 30% of their full-time employees to work from home in three years, up from 5% three years ago. “Lots of [workers] want something in between their Zoom-based present — which has tested work-life boundaries and left many feeling isolated from their colleagues — and a full return to daily commuting that drained our time, energy and wallets,” says Nico Savidge, reporting in the Marin Independent Journal. But Lilac Nachum, a professor of international business at Baruch College, says that knowledge and innovation-based industries have the least to gain from working from home permanently because a significant amount of creativity,...

Putting senior living residents first — providing the best possible care year after year — takes a unique level of dedication. Operators need to focus on every detail of the resident experience. And Yardi client Life Care Services (LCS) is the perfect example. A big congratulations to LCS for ranking number one in resident satisfaction among independent senior living communities in the 2021 J.D. Power U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study. Not only did LCS earn this impressive accolade, they’re also the first and only senior living company to do so three years in a row. LCS ranks #1 in resident satisfaction The J.D. Power U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study evaluates resident satisfaction among top independent living providers. To rank the highest, organizations need to provide outstanding services and compassionate care. And you guessed it — LCS fits the mold. Their number one ranking, with a tremendous score of 817, is based on responses from residents across their communities. The Iowa-based company also achieved the highest score in all six factors of satisfaction, including: Resident activitiesCommunity staffPrice paid for services receivedResident apartment/living unitCommunity building and groundsDining  “Life Care Services is honored to be recognized by our customers as the best among independent senior living communities for the third consecutive year,” shared Joel Nelson, president and CEO of LCS. “We are privileged to serve nearly 40,000 seniors across the nation. This recognition is meaningful because our residents recognize and value our commitment to serving them first and foremost, even as our industry navigated challenges over the past year.” The pandemic has certainly shifted all aspects of senior living. It’s created unparalleled challenges for providers and their staff, who’ve worked tirelessly to care for residents despite ongoing restrictions and unforeseen obstacles. So it’s a special honor to...

The buildings sector accounts for about a quarter of Canada’s total final energy consumption and approximately 15% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when emissions are associated with electricity used in buildings, according to Efficiency Canada. Canada’s buildings, which require both heating and cooling, are particularly reliant on energy use, which in most cases produces carbon. The government has committed to cutting the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030 and is set to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Attaining these goals will require all sectors, including property management, to gain a clear understanding of their energy performance. That makes ESG a megatrend “that will continue to have a transformative impact on the industry,” says Richard Joy, executive director of Urban Land Institute Toronto. Gaining a deeper understanding of energy performance and how to improve it in 2022 will require real estate professionals to perform more energy benchmarking and better tracking of their buildings and portfolios’ energy performance. Leveraging accurate energy consumption data helps property owners confidently compare their performance against their own standards and others in their sector. Accessing this information in real time drives informed decision-making about productive building improvements and investments. “Technology and data analytics can assist with analyzing opportunities of growth and making better-informed investments,” notes Frank Magliocco, national real estate leader for PwC Canada. GRESB drives ESG insight A key resource for detailed energy performance information is the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), an organization that benchmarks real estate assets’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and provides standardized and validated ESG data to the capital markets. GRESB evaluations help real estate stakeholders improve their sustainability performance and satisfy growing investor demand for timely, reliable and accurate ESG information. The 2021 global GRESB evaluation measured...

Do you ever get tired of kittens making headlines? Neither do we. Yardi client Pacifica Senior Living transforms the lives of residents one purr at a time. Its property, the Meridian at Anaheim Hills, is warming hearts and improving outcomes for residents with weekly Kitten Therapy Day! 1051922 The program offers benefits for residents and felines. Kitten Therapy Day: the start of something wonderful Meridian business manager Lori Irby first brought kittens to the office back in 2019. She is an ASPCA foster caregiver . When newborn kittens were abandoned at the Orange County animal shelter, she took them into her home and into her office where she could feed them every few hours. Shortly after setting up a playpen for the kittens in her office, residents took interest. Irby received an influx of guests. She noticed how quickly the kittens made their impact on the residents: disinterest transformed into engagement and smiles graced faces that had been chronically tense or sad. Irby decided to collaborate with the site activities director to begin Kitten Therapy Day every Wednesday. The event shifted from Irby’s office into one of the community’s shared spaces. All residents who are cat allergy-free are welcomed to snuggle up with the kittens. For residents who cannot leave their rooms, Irby places a few kittens in a stroller for kitten therapy on the go. “For many, it’s the highlight of the week. It’s given residents something to look forward to, especially during the pandemic when no visitors could come in. There’s just something really warm and comforting about holding a purring kitten,” says Irby. The kittens usually stay in the Meridian program for about eight weeks before they are formally put up for adoption through the ASPCA. More often than not, there’s already...

The current staffing shortage is a pressing challenge in senior living. How can providers support their staff, improve resident care and keep their communities in sync? That’s the focus of this brand-new ebook, a collaboration between Senior Housing News and Yardi. This resource — Workforce in Crisis: 4 Ways Tech Supports Senior Living Staff — offers key tips for today’s providers. Explore this senior living guide Curious how technology is helping senior living communities through the staffing shortage? Here’s a snapshot of the four areas covered in the ebook, complete with input from real-life providers using tech solutions: 1. Easing the burden with an EHR Given the staffing crisis, electronic health records (EHRs) are more important than ever. A well-designed tech solution like Yardi EHR optimizes care plan workflows, promotes dynamic staffing management and more. Yardi client Anthology Senior Living offers insight in the ebook, noting the benefits of a connected EHR system.  “There’s just a lot more opportunity for growth and development, and of course efficiency, when you start utilizing an EHR,” says Kim Smart, director of systems and support at Anthology. 2. Easing the burden with an eMAR When coupled with an electronic medication administration record (eMAR), the benefits of an EHR are enhanced further. The ebook dives into the importance of this integrated duo, exploring exactly how it helps senior living staff maximize efficiencies.   Yardi client Sagora Senior Living knows firsthand how Yardi eMAR, an integrated solution, streamlines medication management and enables emergency staffing patterns.  “We cross-trained the key associates in our communities in the ways of managing medications, in case they needed to assist — and in many of our communities they actually did have to assist,” says Brenda Abbott-Shultz, RN, VP of resident services at Sagora. 3. Easing...

Amenities like fitness centers, laundry rooms and pet services are standard at many residential and commercial properties. So ordinary are they that property managers are striving to deliver increasingly elaborate offerings to attract residents and tenants. Real estate investment information source Millionacres.com says, “If you want your units to fill up quickly and stay filled, you’ll want to offer the best apartment amenities possible for your tenants.” That doesn’t just mean rooftop pools, private restaurants, pet spas and indoor skate parks for high-end space. “Desirable amenities can be offered at smaller properties, too.” Dog grooming services can be a plus for pet owners. As for commercial space, San Diego commercial real estate investment firm Locale notes, “Spare corner weight rooms have transformed into fully equipped, professionally staffed fitness centers; the corner coffee cart has evolved into a chic, onsite café complete with baristas serving specialty coffee; and outdoor seating areas have expanded to include meditation gardens, dog runs, and sports fields.” Residential: Exceeding the expected As Millionacres and other property management industry observers suggest, owners and managers might want to consider stepping up their game for residents who expect: More than just enough space for parking and bikes. Service enhancement options include assigned off-street parking with additional spots for guests and bike storage, and electric vehicle charging-equipped garage parking.A larger welcome mat for Rover. Consider expanding the pet-friendly policy with a dog park or grooming\spa services.Energy efficiency. Many tenants seeking sustainability and cost savings opportunities expect upgrades like compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent ones, solar panels or fuel cells rather than grid-based fossil fuel power with, LEED certifications, and ENERGY STAR® certifications for refrigerators and other appliances that meet stringent energy-efficiency standards.Better building heating and cooling systems, featuring central air and heating systems...

Five Yardi® clients earned Digie Awards, one of the highest honors in the commercial real estate industry, at the recent Realcomm | IBCon 2021 event. Short for Commercial Real Estate Digital Innovation, Digies recognize outstanding companies, real estate projects, technologies and the next generation of smart, connected, high-performance, intelligent building systems. Digies are also awarded to individuals who have positively impacted the industry through the application of technology, automation and innovation. This year, Realcomm focused on honoring those who are “leading the charge on COVID-19 strategic and transformational technologies, creating a more efficient, effective and adaptive industry and shaping the future of smart buildings.” Among this year’s winners were the following Yardi clients: QuadReal Property Group won the Most Intelligent Portfolio, Office award, in recognition of their “smart, connected, high performance intelligent building concepts.” In recognition of their “extraordinary level of automation, technology and innovation to their business processes,” The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies won the Best Use of Automation, Retail Real Estate, JLL won the Best Use of Automation, Commercial Services and Invesco won the Best Use of Automation, Investment Management. Ilan Zachar, Senior Vice President & CTO, Carr Properties won the Realcomm Julie Devine Digital Impact Award that acknowledges “those individuals who saw things ahead of their associates, had the courage to leave the mainstream and the tenacity to keep standing up after many failed attempts.” Zachar directs all corporate technology, strategy, and standards for Carr Properties. “Yardi is impressed with the extraordinary achievements of the companies and standout individuals who are shaping the future of the industry through transformational technology. We applaud all the award winners and look forward to what we can achieve together as an industry moving forward,” said Rob Teel, senior vice president of global solutions for Yardi. Teel was a...

It’s nearly time for the annual Argentum Senior Living Leadership Summit, a 4-day event gathering thought leaders and policy makers in senior living. This one takes place December 5-8 in Amelia Island, Florida. With a range of speakers set to host inspiring sessions, the can’t-be-missed event will spark conversations on the most pressing topics in senior living. Most importantly, leaders will discuss relevant solutions for today’s challenges. You’ll find team Yardi at the summit, too. We’re pleased to be a sponsor and we can’t wait to meet you there. Check out the details Argentum is a leading association in senior living. They’ve proudly advocated for choice, independence and quality of life for all seniors since 1990. They’re expert at bringing industry leaders together for insightful discussions, networking and learning. And this year’s summit, inviting C-suite and corporate leadership from senior living’s most influential companies, is no exception. Hosted at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, the schedule includes: The Argentum Board of Directors and member group meetings (December 5-6)The Argentum Advocacy Fund Golf Classic (December 6)The Senior Living Leadership Summit (December 7-8) Speaking sessions start December 7, covering intriguing topics such as: Tested Strategies for Driving OccupancyDemographic Strategies for the Post-COVID EraWorkforce Technology and Solutions You can check out a more detailed agenda from Argentum. For a list of event speakers, visit this page.   Meet with us at the Argentum Senior Living Leadership Summit Not only is this a stellar opportunity to convene with fellow leaders, address industry obstacles and discuss the future of senior living, it’s also a chance to explore innovative solutions built to drive your business forward. We invite you to find team Yardi to chat about our single connected solution, designed for the unique needs of senior living management. We’ll...