Yardi’s Advanced Solutions Conference (YASC) returned to Canada today, bringing together clients, partners and Yardi team members for an immersive experience in Toronto. The event’s general session highlighted Yardi’s ongoing commitment to the Canadian real estate market, covering Yardi’s journey in the industry, the latest AI-powered solutions and the upcoming Voyager 8. A strong foundation for growth Yardi Canada’s vice president and general manager, Peter Altobelli (pictured, right), opened the general session by acknowledging the year-long planning and immense efforts involved in making YASC Canada a success. “We are focused on education, networking and partnering with you today and for the long term,” Peter remarked, emphasizing Yardi’s commitment to its clients’ growth and success. Reflecting on Yardi’s journey in Canada, Peter highlights the company’s gradual expansion, which began with just five staff and grew to over 500 employees across three Canadian offices. “As our clients grow, we grow and our relationship remains strong,” he shared, illustrating the mutual commitment between Yardi and its Canadian clients. He also highlighted the impact of Yardi’s Saskatoon office, home to a team of 75 who develop products for global clients, reinforcing Yardi’s dedication to innovation and service. Embracing the future with a focus on service Kevin Yardi, vice president of Yardi, provided insights into Yardi’s product roadmap, reflecting on the company’s readiness to embrace the next technology transition with AI. “We’re aligning our products to meet your end-to-end business goals,” Kevin shared, noting that while the business logic remains consistent, Yardi’s enhanced functionality and user experience continue to evolve with client needs. AI-powered innovations: transforming property management Akshai Rao, president of residential at Yardi, took the stage to introduce Yardi’s newest AI-driven solutions, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and creating a seamless user experience. With Virtuoso AI, Yardi is pushing the boundaries of property management by automating complex tasks, providing actionable insights and embedding collaborative tools to streamline workflows. “Our goal is to make your day-to-day easier by embedding AI directly into the solutions you use daily,” Akshai explained. Through Virtuoso, teams can stay aligned by tracking essential interactions and focusing on the 10% of tasks that demand more time and attention. This enables organizations to operate with precision and efficiency, empowering teams to make impactful decisions. The next chapter with Voyager 8 In line with Yardi’s focus on innovation, the session introduced Voyager 8, a reimagined platform focused on enhancing user experience for all roles, from executives to team members. Akshai highlighted how Voyager 8’s updated interface streamlines engagement with platform data, making it simpler for everyone to access and utilize critical information. “It’s about making things easier for your users and organization,” he explained, underscoring Yardi’s dedication to accessible, role-based apps that empower everyone from leasing agents to executives. First day of YASC: a future worth looking at With this year’s YASC Canada, Yardi showcased not only its dedication to innovation and client success but also its unwavering support for the communities it serves. Stay tuned for more insights from this inspiring event as Yardi continues to drive positive change in the Canadian real estate...
Understanding Value-Based Care
Argentum & Yardi White Paper
Value-based care (VBC) is an important topic for today’s senior living providers — but why? What is it, how does it impact you and why implement it now? We’re pleased to sponsor a brand-new white paper, published by Argentum, that delves into all of the above. Keep reading for a highlight of the informative resource (featuring insights from our director of health care solutions and VBC expert, Fil Southerland). What is value-based care? Value-based care (VBC) is a health care model grounded in providing proactive, personalized and person-centered care. More specifically, providing this level of care to improve resident health outcomes and increase operational returns. Unlike traditional fee-for-service models that reimburse providers based on the number of services provided — rather than the effectiveness of those services — VBC reimburses based on the quality of care provided and optimal resident health outcomes. Hear from an industry expert Argentum interviewed Fil Southerland to gauge where the industry is headed — and help providers understand how to maximize their success in adopting VBC. “Providers need to feel confident, number one, in their technology stack,” shares Southerland in the white paper. “VBC requires coordination and insight on a level that isn’t possible or scalable in a paper-based or disparate electronic solution.” Read the white paper to get all of Southerland’s insights. Assessing VBC in today’s landscape While VBC has gained traction in recent years, the growth in the last 12 months has been the most significant — with more senior living providers implementing VBC than ever before. This acceleration is based on a variety of factors, including the prevalence of truncated margins and increased care costs in today’s communities, as well as goals to target the middle market and improve staff retention through proactive care. VBC is also strongly supported by policy initiatives, particularly those led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS has set the goal of having 100% of Medicare and the majority of Medicaid beneficiaries tied to VBC by 2030. How does VBC affect today’s providers? Senior living services enable a fundamental, positive impact on health outcomes and therefore, the bottom line for providers receiving Medicare reimbursement in VBC arrangements. Senior living providers can choose to actively participate, or allow the value they deliver to accrue exclusively for health care providers. How does technology support VBC? With effective technology solutions in place, senior living providers are uniquely positioned to provide VBC. Since multiple technology elements are needed to support VBC, opting for a single-stack, interoperable solution like the Yardi Senior Living Suite can be optimal since tools are integrated and accessible from one platform. With Yardi, you can: Facilitate vertically and horizontally integrated clinical and operational data flow with an electronic health record solution. Assess clinical trends and population health with business intelligence software. Enhance resident engagement and reduce social isolation with wellness management tools. Read the white paper in full Read the entire white paper for a better understanding of value-based care, why it’s relevant and how providers can get started. If you have questions about the Yardi Senior Living Suite, reach out to our...
Keeping Asbestos
Under Control
Asbestos, a mineral present in certain types of rocks, was widely used in buildings and consumer products starting in the 1800s. Prized for its strength, durability and resistance to heat and corrosion, asbestos served decorative, insulation or fireproofing purposes on decks, roofs, ceilings, plumbing pipes, attics and more, along with automobile components, fabrics and packaging. About 20% of all public and commercial buildings in the U.S. contain some asbestos material, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But the substance was eventually linked to cancers and other diseases of the lung, mouth, throat and other areas, prompting dozens of countries to ban it. A series of U.S. regulations since the 1970s has limited its use, and the EPA continues to set risk evaluation and compliance deadlines to phase it out. Seek expert evaluation, handling If you live or work in a structure built before the 1980s, asbestos may be present in such places as “popcorn” ceilings or vinyl flooring. Does that put you in danger? Not necessarily. “Even if asbestos is in your home, this is usually nota serious problem because generally, material in good condition will not release asbestos fibers. The mere presence of asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous,” according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). “Material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed (by remodeling, for example) should be left alone.” The potential for harmful exposure comes when asbestos materials become damaged over time or are disturbed during construction, demolition, maintenance or renovation. These actions can release microscopic fibers that workers, tenants and residents can absorb into their lungs. It’s not possible to tell whether a material contains asbestos just by looking at it. Therefore, property owners, managers or occupants who suspect...
Maximize Efficiency
In Your LPC/CCRC
Regardless of which type of life plan community (LPC) or continuing care retirement community (CCRC) you serve, it’s crucial to recognize the value technology brings. Our new ebook shares more — covering the value of single connected solutions like the Yardi Senior Living Suite. How do LPCs/CCRCs benefit from technology? LPCs/CCRCs offer long-term care to seniors who wish to age in place as they progress through multiple levels of care. With a continuum of care being offered, residents access everything they require, as their needs evolve. Not only can technology equip LPCs/CCRCs to streamline operations and optimize care services, but it also helps save time, prevent errors and empower staff. Integrated, single-stack solutions offer the most value (especially those designed for the unique needs of senior living). That’s because with tools uniting on a single platform, you eliminate the need to license multiple systems — and navigate multiple platforms — boosting efficiency in ways disparate systems can’t match. Explore the Yardi Senior Living Suite The Yardi Senior Living Suite is a fully integrated solution that unites community management, finance, marketing, business intelligence, resident care and more in one secure place. When you choose Yardi, you access a complete senior living software toolkit — all built to meet the needs of your communities — including: Property management and accounting. Business intelligence and analytics. Electronic health records. Electronic medication management. Customer relationship management. Resident and family portals. Wellness and activity monitoring. Our comprehensive technology is also HIPAA and SOX-compliant, built to support value-based care, recognized as a Forbes Cloud 100 platform and designed with 40+ years of industry experience. Start your journey with us Ready to power your LPC/CCRC using one solution? Reach out to get a closer look at the Yardi Senior Living Suite. Want...
Yardi EHR & SafelyYou...
New integration!
We’re happy to announce that Yardi EHR officially integrates with SafelyYou®, the leader in empowering safer, more person-centered care across senior living through world-leading artificial intelligence (AI), industry-changing hardware and remote expert clinicians. With accurate and complete resident data readily available, communities can optimize care planning, improve resident outcomes and maximize margin. Learn about SafelyYou Originating in 2015 as the doctoral research of CEO George Netscher — and inspired by his own family’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease — SafelyYou was spun out of UC Berkeley’s Artificial Intelligence Research Lab, one of the top five AI research groups in the world. The company’s passionate mission is to empower safer, more person-centered dementia care through world-leading, real-time AI video technology and 24/7 remote clinicians. See how Yardi EHR integrates with SafelyYou With the interface, Yardi EHR clients will benefit from SafelyYou’s critical care insights, including staff time spent in-room, time spent on direct care vs. indirect care and resident time spent alone. This data is combined with other important care information in Yardi EHR, creating a more robust picture of resident health. SafelyYou offers this data through SafelyYou Clarity™, senior living’s first and only choice for automatic, accurate care measurement without wearables. “The interface between Yardi EHR and SafelyYou is a step forward in improving resident safety and enabling value-based care models,” shared Fil Southerland, director of health care solutions at Yardi. “We’re proud of this partnership and aim to continuously evolve how we help clients improve resident outcomes.” Get in touch with us Learn more about Yardi EHR, our fully integrated electronic health record solution designed for senior living. To get more information on SafelyYou, visit the SafelyYou website. And if you have any questions about the new integration, be sure to get in touch with our...
New Nutrition Module
Yardi EHR
We’re excited to announce a brand-new nutrition module in Yardi EHR! This module was created based on feedback from our senior living clients. The nutrition module provides one intuitive place to see all nutrition intake — and output if applicable — for each resident. Streamline nutrition management with Yardi EHR In order to optimize care outcomes in senior living, you need to efficiently manage resident nutrition. With that in mind, we developed a brand-new nutrition module in Yardi EHR — our integrated, full-service electronic health record solution. The innovative module offers a centralized place to track all nutrition-related data for residents. Not only does this streamline workflows for food and nutrition staff, but it also empowers caregivers to provide personalized, effective care. At a glance, staff can view a resident’s dietary intake, BMI and weight gain or loss. They can also see a resident’s nutritional preferences, current dietary orders and allergies — all in one place. There’s the option to add meal and intake information, too, as well as output charting (if necessary). Learn why we developed this module It’s challenging for staff to track resident nutrition without dedicated resources. Caregivers have to navigate multiple modules — primarily the assessment and vital sign sections — to document dietary intake and preferences. Not only is this approach inefficient, but it also leads to confusion, since vital-sign templates get cluttered with unrelated data. This inspired us to create the nutrition module, which alleviates these challenges, streamlines nutrition management and improves resident care. Explore key features of the nutrition module The nutrition module consolidates vital information in one easy-to-access area, allowing you to: View resident intake at a glance — staff can quickly assess a resident’s dietary intake, weight fluctuations and BMI without sifting through multiple systems. This...
Workplace Workouts
Keeping Fit on the Job
Perhaps you’re spending more time in the office these days and lost your proximity to the gym or other favorite daytime workout location. But did you know that workplaces offer abundant opportunities for maintaining physical fitness? “Just because you have a desk doesn’t mean you have to sit at it for eight hours straight,” according to the American Heart Association. “Depending on your office situation, you could fit cardio and strength training into your workday,” adds Dr. Eric Moogerfeld, a physical therapist and athletic trainer with the Cleveland Clinic. “If you have to work at a desk, there are ways to make your desk work for you.” The AHA and other experts suggest: Moving around when you take a break rather than sitting in place. If you sit at a desk, stand up from time to time. March in place, or pace in a circle to keep moving. Alternate sitting and standing throughout the day with walking and stretching. Scheduling physical activity time on your work calendar – just like any other important appointment. Doing simple hand and finger stretches, abdominal stretches, seated leg extensions, oblique twists, chair calf raises and hip flexions. If possible, installing equipment such as bike desks, standing desks that support proper posture, treadmill desks, under-desk bicycles and ellipticals. Checking if your employer offers an onsite gym or exercise equipment. Maintaining an ergonomically sound workplace. “Whether it’s five minutes or an hour of movement, there are real health benefits to any type of activity during the workday,” says Sandy Todd Webster of IDEA Health & Fitness Assn., a San Diego-based fitness and wellness professional organization. “If you are able to walk or power yourself forward by some means, do it. You don’t need a gym. Movement opportunities are...
Advancing Value-Based Care
Why Technology Matters
With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) aiming to have 100% of Medicare and the majority of Medicaid beneficiaries tied to value-based care (VBC) by 2030, the time to implement VBC is now. Explore our new infographic to see how the Yardi Senior Living Suite helps you seamlessly deliver VBC — all from one integrated platform. See how the Yardi Senior Living Suite supports VBC Enhance communications among residents, families and the entire care team. Gather data-driven insights to identify at-risk residents and offer preventative care. Empower staff with interoperable workflows, personalized to meet resident needs. Support community wellness programs that boost resident engagement. View actionable trends to ensure comprehensive population health management. Access a digital signature workflow to enable quick adaptation of care plans. Use health care data to report on resident status during transitions of care. Participate in value-based care reimbursement models. Share a cohesive picture of resident health with physicians, health systems and more. Connect to a thriving ecosystem of monitoring and fall detection systems to supplement staff observation and reduce adverse events. Take a closer look at our fully integrated tools The Yardi Senior Living Suite combines resident care, marketing, sales, finance, business intelligence, pharmacy, operations and more on a cloud-hosted, HIPAA and SOX-compliant software platform. As it relates to VBC, you can: Enable real-time information sharing with Yardi EHR, our full-service electronic health record solution. Access clinical trends and population health with Yardi Senior IQ, our comprehensive business intelligence solution. Improve resident engagement with RentCafe Wellness, our dynamic wellness management solution. Hear from our partners “Senior living operators need tools that allow them to communicate proactively as an integrated team with care providers, patients and families to be successful in value-based care,” explained Amy Kaszak, executive vice president of strategic initiatives at Curana Health. “This means that they need technologies that integrate across the continuum and that enable workflow-based alerts and processes.” “We appreciate Yardi’s efforts to advance the technology needed to support the senior living industry’s move to value-based care,” shared Alan Fairbanks, president of the value-based care alliance at Serviam Care Network. We’re here to help Ready to chat with team Yardi? Reach out to book a meeting. We’ll share more on how our single connected solution supports...
Yardi EHR Success
Hear From Bayshore ICS
“Yardi has enhanced our interprofessional communication by providing us with a single platform to document, monitor and coordinate our interventions and care plans.” We recently interviewed Michael Peng — director of data, digital health and projects at Bayshore Integrated Care Solutions (ICS) — to get insights like the one above. Peng and his team shared how Yardi EHR (and additional solutions in the Yardi Senior Living Suite) have transformed Bayshore’s operations for the better. Read the success story to see Bayshore’s transformative journey, including where they are today. The Challenge: Inefficient Paper Processes Bayshore ICS previously used paper processes that were time consuming, susceptible to errors and difficult to maintain. Paper workflows also meant information was scattered across locations — and wasn’t easily retrievable — risking inconsistencies that could affect resident safety. Bayshore ICS sought a single connected solution that would centralize everything needed in one secure place. The Solution: Yardi EHR Yardi EHR is an integrated, interoperable electronic health record solution designed for senior living. This single connected solution combines the clinical intake process, medication management, charting, behavior management and more on a browser-based platform. The Story: Centralizing Workflows, Saving Time & Empowering Staff Before Yardi, Bayshore ICS relied on paper for charting, assessments, medication management and more, which brought an array of challenges. Not only was there a lack of standardized practices across TCU locations, but paper also made it difficult to store and retrieve information, evaluate the clinical effectiveness and complete audits. Not to mention, paper workflows posed challenges for supporting care remotely. The obstacles paper workflows created didn’t stop there. Communicating information across teams wasn’t optimal, causing staff members to feel siloed. Communication during emergency transfers was particularly inefficient since caregivers had to manually transcribe data or photocopy charts. Since...
Improve Staffing Satisfaction
With Yardi EHR & eMAR
With the continued staffing challenges in senior living, it’s critical to invest in technology that simplifies your caregivers’ daily tasks — and incentivizes them to stay longer. Explore this quick but comprehensive infographic to see exactly how technology can help you. Why integrated software? Paper processes are time-consuming and error-prone. Technology can help, but not when solutions are siloed and housed on different platforms. The burden these options create translates to staff feeling unsupported and overwhelmed, which leads to high turnover. Integrated software equips caregivers to view resident information, complete daily tasks and manage communications in one place. There’s no need to devote energy to arduous, manual administrative work, which allows them to focus on what matters most: resident care. With Yardi EHR and eMAR — fully integrated tools — you alleviate caregivers’ burden and boost satisfaction and retention. Why Yardi EHR? Gain executive health care oversight with clinical reporting, centralized resident records and instant access to financial data. View real-time health information and utilize convenient workflows, readily available at the point of care. Channel interoperability through verified interface partners that allow data to flow to and from Yardi EHR automatically. Free more time for residents with simplified record keeping, easy information sharing and reduced data-entry tasks. Utilize customizable dashboards and reports to easily manage resident care and optimize health outcomes. Access comprehensive clinical data and a staffing analysis workflow when you pair Yardi EHR with our business intelligence solution, Yardi Senior IQ. Why Yardi eMAR? Use an intuitive, customizable dashboard and workflows that adhere to state regulations and promote compliance. Reduce paper documentation, processing time and expenses with web-based records that eliminate manual medication administration tracking and medication reconciliation. Enhance care with a centralized platform for documenting vital sign data, lab orders, treatment plans and more. Incorporate automated billing based on medication orders and integrate financial analytics with medication administration. Gain a competitive edge with access to a growing market of pharmacy providers that have joined the Yardi Pharmacy Network. Eliminate discrepancies between care plans and medication administration, helping optimize staff shift assignments. Your success is our priority With Yardi, you can power your workforce strategy from a single platform. Reach out today to get...
Abandoned America
Historic - and Haunted? Ghost Towns
It’s the season to be a little spooked with thrills and shrills! Let’s explore why some cities in America have become ghost towns, and if being drawn to the mystery piques your interest, gather with some friends and uncover some real estate mysteries this fall. Many abandoned cities in America are due to the Gold Rush and industrial sites founded in the Gilded Age. Some began as lucrative mining communities that vanished almost overnight, and some are victims of new railways and infrastructure. Others were hit with natural disasters like tornados that flattened out the entire town. Hollywood movie producers and writers have been inspired and even filmed in a few. Pennsylvania. Being one of the most populous states in the country, Pennsylvania is home to many ghost towns and abandoned cities. On the western side of the state, in a suburb of Pittsburgh, Lincoln Way is an eerie little abandoned neighborhood that has become an attraction for urban explorers. Legend states that a “Beast of Lincoln Way,” a mysterious creature with glowing eyes and a haunting howl, terrorized residents, leading to the abandonment of the homes. In reality, it’s gloomier, with most residents moving away due to pollution from the emissions of the steel plant and older residents passing on. Still, many fascinating stories date back to the early 1900s, and in its final days, it is indeed an eerie, post-apocalyptic street. In eastern PA, Centralia was a thriving coal-mining town, but now, only a handful of people live there, mainly due to the coal mine that caught fire in 1962. The coal seen fueling the fire is expected to last another 250 years. This burning ghost town would not have even been recognized had it not been the inspiration for the 2006 horror...
Yardi Energy Solutions
Propelling Energy Progress
Yardi Energy Solutions is positioned to support U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initiatives in energy data aggregation, access and reporting. The agency’s new Whole-Building Energy Data Campaign, for example, is designed to help building owners appeal to utilities for access to accurate whole building data for multitenant buildings. Whole building data enables visibility into energy consumption, helping owners and managers create a roadmap for instituting ongoing operational improvements. EPA has also added data from 2022 to the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Data Explorer, an interactive tool that displays performance trends of buildings benchmarked in ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®. And what is Yardi Energy Solutions’ contribution? The suite of energy management solutions simplifies the collection and transfer of data to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, the most widely used system in North America for compliance reporting. It also tracks building performance standards derived from ENERGY STAR data as they are developed and help clients understand and meet the associated new reporting challenges. Automation of these operations relieves building owners and managers of a difficult, time-consuming process while helping them remain compliant with any number of local and state reporting regulations. Zero building emissions standard On another front, EPA collaborated with the U.S. Department of Energy to finalize the national definition of a zero emissions building. Such a building is highly energy efficient, does not emit greenhouse gases directly from energy use and is powered solely by clean energy. According to EPA, the definition intends “to offer a standardized, consistent and measurable set of criteria for others to use in their programs and policies,” and may eventually expand beyond operational emissions to encompass embodied carbon and refrigerant management. The definition aligns closely with the criteria for EPA’s ENERGY STAR NextGen™, a certification scheduled for launch in late 2024 that will encompass superior energy performance, the use of renewable energy and means for meeting direct emissions targets. Here again, Yardi Energy Solutions can help “simplify the aggregation of whole building data collection and reporting for sustainability purposes. The first step is gathering data from multiple sources and identifying efficient and inefficient buildings,” says Joe Consolo, industry principal for Yardi Energy. Learn more about how Yardi energy management software and certified experts simplify collecting, assimilating and reporting required energy consumption...
National NAHRO Conference
Event recap
Last week, our PHA team attended the National NAHRO Conference in Orlando, Florida. We especially enjoyed the keynote speech by rapper Roxanne Shante who grew up in Queensbridge Public Housing Projects. Her story highlighted how vital safe and affordable housing is for many artists growing up. It’s inspiring to see icons like Shante actively engage with their community and use their platforms to instill change. A big thank you to our friends at NAHRO for giving us a platform to share how technology can shape the future of public housing. We find it incredibly rewarding to witness the real impact we have on our community and to engage in conversations that challenge us to think and act differently. But we didn’t just share our expertise. We also learned about the inspiring work others in the industry are doing. Our team left the conference feeling more motivated than ever to contribute to this positive change. In case you missed us, here’s a quick recap of what our team covered: Harnessing AI in public housing Jeanette Porter and Jeff Bischoff from Yardi took the stage to discuss a hot topic: AI and its potential in the public housing sector. They explored various uses of AI in housing, such as chatbots and optical character recognition (OCR). We also touched on the importance of safety and security when using AI, especially when handling sensitive personal information. “It’s critical that you have the proper plans, policies and cyber security insurance in place,” said Jeff Bischoff, director at Yardi. Looking ahead, we’re excited about using AI to simplify everyday tasks in public housing. This innovation opens a world of possibilities and we’re eager to keep the conversation going. Streamlining PHA operations with Upfront Income Verifications Next up was Mary Beth Snyder, industry principal at Yardi, who always knows how to engage the crowd and break down the complexities of income verification. Mary Beth explained the new HOTMA rules and how Level 5 Upfront Income Verification is now the highest form of verification since EIV isn’t available at move-in. She pointed out that Level 4 Tenant-Provided Verification can raise fraud concerns, while third-party verification forms have been lowered to Level 3. We also heard from Ebony Bell from the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority and Brandi Quiroz from the Corpus Christi Housing Authority. They discussed how their agencies handle to verification and fraud prevention, along with some strategies that have made a real difference for them. We hope to continue empowering housing authorities to streamline their verification processes and maximize staff efficiency. Final thoughts Thank you to NAHRO, Quadel and all the organizations that make this event possible. It was wonderful to see everyone come together, even during a hurricane. We’re grateful our team made it out safely, but our hearts go out to the communities affected by the storm. For more information on Yardi’s public housing solutions, please visit...
Helping After Helene
Yardi Donates to Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen to aid efforts
Photo courtesy Direct Relief On September 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida. The storm continued north and ravaged parts of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas with flooding, storm surge and dangerous winds. At least 200 fatalities are confirmed as of this publication. According to the White House, up to 600 people are still unaccounted for in North Carolina. The impact on the western part of the state is profound, with millions still without power and running water. The storm is expected to be one of the costliest in United States history. After decimating 90 percent of the homes in Keaton Beach, Florida, and splintering homes in Georgia with debris-covered highways, the Carolinas and Tennessee had many strained dams and overflowing waterways, receiving over 31 inches of rain in just two days. To assist with post-hurricane relief, Yardi has pledged $250,000 to both Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen. These funds will enable both organizations to provide crucial emergency medical supplies, food, and water to those in need, demonstrating Yardi’s unwavering support for the affected communities. Sarah Bridich, Yardi’s director of corporate philanthropy, said: “With Yardi employees living in every state impacted by Hurricane Helene, we wanted to support organizations that quickly had boots on the ground. We are grateful that both Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen were able to move so quickly to provide needed medical supplies, food, and water to those directly impacted.” Direct Relief So far, Direct Relief has made available $74 million in medicines and medical supplies and $250,000 in financial assistance to community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and other healthcare partners in affected areas. According to its website, Direct Relief has staff on the ground in affected states, including Florida and Georgia, and is coordinating closely with state and national associations as well as healthcare providers to assess damages, identify priority needs, and respond to requests for emergency medical aid. As of September 30, Direct Relief had already made 14 shipments of specifically requested emergency medical aid, including antibiotics, emergency medical backpacks, DTaP vaccines, hygiene kits, rehydration salts, personal protective equipment, water purification tablets, medications and more for healthcare providers responding in Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Additionally, from September 24 to October 1, Direct Relief delivered 42 shipments of essential medicines and supplies to healthcare providers in affected states as part of its Safety Net Support Program; the program seeks to ensure community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and other local healthcare providers across the U.S. have access to ongoing donations of medicines and medical supplies for their low-income and uninsured patients. World Central Kitchen World Central Kitchen (WCK) is currently operating in four states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This week, the organization sent five 6,200-gallon tanker trucks of fresh water to the Asheville, NC area, where it may be weeks before water supplies are running again. The trucks are capable of making multiple trips to Asheville in a 24-hour period, providing up to 100,000 gallons a day. “Fueled as always by our Chef Corps members, restaurant and food truck partners, and volunteers, WCK is working shoulder-to-shoulder with local communities to blanket the devastated region with much needed food and water aid,” said a post on the organization’s website. To help provide meals, WCK is currently partnered with 35 food trucks offering free meals: 24 in Florida, eight in Georgia, and three in Tennessee. Sixteen restaurant partners across North Carolina and Tennessee have also provided tens of thousands of hot meals and sandwiches to families in need. WCK is also using two helicopters to deliver food to those stranded when roads and bridges were destroyed. “We plan to increase hot meal distribution shortly as additional partner kitchens join the effort. Scouting operations by air and land will also remain a priority as we work to fully assess the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene,”...
Take Action on Energy...
Special Events in October
Coming in October: ENERGY STAR® Day (Oct. 9) and Energy Awareness Month, which offer businesses and individual consumers an array of money-saving tools and tactics. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which administers ENERGY STAR, announced these designations to showcase how “using energy more wisely reduces your impact on the climate, providing a healthier and cleaner environment for all.” With ENERGY STAR, the EPA notes, “you can save today with incentives on energy-efficient products, save tomorrow with lower energy bills, and save for good for your family and the environment.” Bountiful incentives How can you use the resources highlighted during ENERGY STAR Day and Energy Awareness Month to make a meaningful difference on and off the job? Several options are available, including: Looking for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing household products. It signifies adherence to strict energy-efficiency specification for products ranging from refrigerators, dishwashers and television sets to laptops and ceiling fans. Researching utility providers’ rebates and discounts on ENERGY STAR-certified products. Seeing if you qualify for Inflation Reduction Act income-based assistance that combines ENERGY STAR-certified products with utility rebates for home improvements. Amplifying ENERGY STAR Day themes and activities through social media and employee outreach platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn. Becoming an ENERGY STAR Day participating partner with EPA, which will feature participating partners on its landing page, track all tagged social and share messages with its followers. Adopting Yardi Energy Solutions, which automates data entry into ENERGY STAR, ensures on-time reporting that keeps properties compliant with relevant regulations, reduces operational costs and more. Supporting educational and community service projects. As the recipient of the 2024 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award from the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy for the sixth consecutive year since 2019, Yardi is...
Accelerate Your Success
With Senior CRM IQ
Ready to empower your teams, nurture leads effectively, streamline move-ins and improve resident retention like never before? You need RentCafe Senior CRM IQ — our integrated, mobile-friendly customer relationship management system for senior living. Enhanced from RentCafe Senior CRM, this single connected solution is designed with intuitive dashboards and next-level communication capabilities. Get the details in our brand-new infographic below. See what makes Senior CRM IQ incomparable Senior CRM IQ offers more than your average CRM solution, including: Designed for the unique needs of senior living. Attractive, user-friendly interface with fluid navigation. Expansive capabilities for communicating with prospects. Offers dashboards for managing waitlists, occupancy and more. SOX-compliant workflows that keep your data safe. Seamlessly integrates with solutions across the Yardi Senior Living Suite. Centralizes everything you need on a single platform. Comes from a Forbes Cloud 100 company with 40+ years of industry experience. Unlock unparalleled functionality When you start your journey with Senior CRM IQ, you access a comprehensive communication hub, lead stages functionality, a digital documents dashboard, customizable campaigns, electronic leasing, competitive analysis and more — all in one place. Experience the power of integration Thanks to secure integration with Yardi Senior Living Suite elements, Senior CRM IQ allows all prospect information to flow instantly between sales, finance and care staff. That means move-in proposals accurately reflect care costs — and caregivers have the information needed to serve residents best. Learn more from team Yardi Why wait to provide frictionless experiences for your sales counselors and prospective residents? Reach out today to get started with Senior CRM...
Speaking in Codes
Setting Building Standards
What are building codes and why are they necessary? Building codes are regulations that apply to architects, builders, owners and others involved in a structure’s construction and maintenance. Adopted and enforced by state, local, tribal and territorial entities, they ensure that buildings conform with safety and public health standards. They encompass standards for everything from the arrangement of doors and windows, minimum and maximum room ceiling heights, exit sizes and locations, room sizes and locations and structural integrity to lighting, water, ventilation, fire prevention and control, hazardous material handling, energy efficiency, drainage, occupancy limits, and parking and traffic impacts. Disasters spur action The Great Fire of London in 1666 prompted the first significant attempts to reduce building density and ensure that construction had some degree of fire resistance. Almost two centuries later, the London Building Act of 1855 provided the first systemic national building standard for room height, construction notifications, fireplace and drain placements and other provisions. In the U.S., building codes proliferated in the mid-19th century during heavy Industrial Revolution-inspired population growth in urban centers. Massive fires in Chicago and Baltimore in 1886 and 1904, respectively, along with the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, spurred additional codes and construction changes nationwide. Building codes are heavily influenced by the International Code Council (ICC), an association of building safety professionals whose members work with other interested parties to develop a consensus set of model codes, which are updated every three years. Policy at the local level Regardless of the recommendations the ICC might make, it is “at the state or local level whereby a building code in the US actually becomes law,” with it being common “for the final adoption authority to be left to an individual township,” according to the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction...
Apple Intelligence
Fall 2024 Edition
Apple launched and revealed its latest products last week with its latest announcement of Apple Intelligence. Let’s explore these innovative products that keep us healthy, connected, productive and entertained. Apple Watch has a new design that is even more useful, essential and intelligent. Series 10 has the most advanced design and the biggest wearable display ever built. It has 30 percent more screen area than the Series 6. With increased font size and easy type messaging, its rounded corners are softer and sleeker with a wider display and 40 percent brighter when viewed from an angle. Apple Watch Ultra 2 has new aluminum finishes and comes in Jet Black—the first ever glossy black aluminum finish, along with rose gold and silver. It is more comfortable and is the thinnest/lightest Apple Watch ever at just 9.7mm. Nearly 10 percent thinner than Series 9. A new sleek speaker lets you play music directly when you don’t have AirPods handy. Polished grade 5 titanium replaces stainless steel, weighing 20 percent less than the stainless-steel Series 9. With custom Apple silicon, it is carbon neutral and energy efficient. For phone calls on series 10, the new neural network is used to suppress background noise to make it sound clear and crisp. AirPods According to Apple, Apple AirPods are the most popular and loved headphones in the world! They are magically easy to use, and the new generation of AirPods 4 has 3D photogrammetry and laser topography to build an unparalleled data set. AirPods 4 is the most comfortable yet. It has an H2 chip unlocking only what Apple silicon can deliver—the best-sounding AirPods ever, including hands-free personalized spatial audio. When interacting with Siri, you can shake your head yes or nod to say no. Voice isolation removes all...
Connect With Us
Fall Senior Living Events
2024 fall events are right around the corner! Our senior living team looks forward to meeting with you and sharing the latest innovations with our single connected solution. See which events we’re attending below, then book time to visit us at each. NIC Fall Conference Visit us at the Woodley Park meeting room at the NIC Fall Conference — you’ll learn how our fully integrated technology helps providers unify operations and deliver quality care. We’re pleased to be an official NIC Conference partner. Book time to meet us at NIC. Event details: Marriott Marquis in Washington D.C. September 23-25, 2024 AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo Connect with us at the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo to explore how the Yardi Senior Living Suite creates a foundation for success. You’ll find team Yardi at booth 2119. Schedule a meeting with us at AHCA/NCAL. Event details: Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida October 6-9, 2024 SMASH 2024 Let’s network at SMASH 2024 — we’ll share how our single connected solution helps providers raise the bar. We’re happy to be a Premier Platinum sponsor. Plan time to see us at SMASH. Event details: JW Marriott Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada October 14-16, 2024 LeadingAge Annual Meeting Meet with us at booth 2239 at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting. Our team will show you around the Yardi Senior Living Suite (including what’s new). Get a meeting on the books at LeadingAge. Event details: Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee October 27-30, 2024 CALA Fall Conference & Trade Show Connect with team Yardi at booth 510 at the CALA Fall Conference & Trade Show. You’ll discover how our single connected solution offers every tool you need, all centralized in one place. We’re excited to be an Awards Luncheon sponsor. Reserve time to meet us at CALA. Event details: Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel & Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs,...
Energy Efficient Fall...
Maintenance Tips
Regular maintenance in the fall can save property owners significant money and stress down the line. Here are five things to do to prevent minor problems from becoming major this season and beyond. HVAC Tune-up Preparing the HVAC system for the colder months is essential to keeping the property comfortable and energy efficient. Change air filters regularly to improve air quality and system efficiency. Clean out air ducts to ensure proper airflow. Have maintenance inspections for thermostats and upgrade to a smart programmable thermostat for better energy control during the winter. With the changing season, send email reminders to residents to keep up with the air filter changes with a quick maintenance request in their resident portal. These steps prevent potential breakdowns and improve energy efficiency, lowering utility costs and making the property more appealing to energy-conscious consumers. Roof & Gutters The roof is the first line of defense against winter weather, making fall the perfect time for any necessary maintenance. Inspect for loose or missing shingles to prevent leaks. Check chimneys, vents, and skylights to ensure the flashing is sealed correctly and free of cracks. Gutters are crucial in safeguarding the property’s foundation and roof. Clogged gutters can lead to water overflow, damaging the siding and foundation. It’s essential to clean out leaves, sticks and debris that may accumulate during the fall. Check downspouts to ensure water is being directed away from the foundation. Inspect for any gutter damage such as cracks, sagging or leaks and have maintenance repair them promptly. Regular gutter maintenance during the fall can prevent costly water damage, foundation erosion and ice dams in the winter. Weatherproofing Weatherproofing a property is not just a comfort issue. It’s also about saving on energy costs. Improve energy efficiency when a resident...