One of the best forms of therapy for older adults is also the furriest. Turns out, a friendly dog or two can do a lot to lift the mood and health of those who live in senior living communities. Pet therapy (or animal-assisted therapy in non-layman’s terms) is a service where animals – usually dogs – are brought in for short visits. Residents get the opportunity to interact with the animals by holding and petting them or simply sitting alongside and watching. Either way, the experiences often bring smiles to faces and wags to tails, and science has shown there are many more benefits besides. What benefits does pet therapy provide? Mental: Caregivers often report higher levels of happiness in residents after an animal visit, but the changes can be seen in the brain chemistry too. Studies reveal that the act of petting a dog can cause the brain to release serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin, “feel-good” hormones that help regulate and elevate your mood. At the same time, a visit by a dog can drop your level of epinephrine, a hormone produced by the body under stress. Physical: Pets can do one’s heart good – literally. Weekly visits with therapy dogs can lower blood pressure for older adults, while pet owners have been shown to have a 33% lower risk of death following a hospitalization for a heart attack. Pet therapy can even decrease use of antidepressants and medical services. Social: Animals provide unconditional companionship, which can help people feel less lonely. In one study, senior living residents who received 30-minute pet therapy sessions weekly for over a month scored significantly lower on loneliness scales than those who did not. Therapy animals also motivate residents to communicate more, even those with memory conditions like...

There are many conventions and shows in the senior living industry, each uniquely positioned for a local audience, a certain role or a special purpose. But there’s one event that unites more people from across the care community than any other: the LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo. This year, the conference takes place from October 27-30. Close to 4,500 senior living professionals will flock to San Diego for four days of learning and relationship building. Event organizers have put together session tracks for sales, marketing, care, operations, legal and more. Anyone in the industry is sure to find something for them. You know the Yardi team will be there too. We’ve got Booth 1417 at the expo, so come by and see what we’ve been working on. Our suite of tools for senior living management are designed to connect all parts of your business on one integrated platform. Kind of like LeadingAge, there’s a solution for everyone. (Plus, we’ll have some small, furry, four-legged guests you won’t want to miss. More on that down below!) If you’re a salesperson or marketer We’ll show you how to drive revenue and increase occupancy. Yardi Senior CRM helps you effectively manage your sales and marketing efforts from initial contact all the way through signing a lease and becoming a resident. Shorten your lead response times with automated follow-ups, then build a personalized communication flow to keep them engaged. When they’re ready to sign, cut through the paperwork with online leases that generate documents in a click. If you’re a caregiver You’ll learn how to improve resident satisfaction and simplify your own workload at the same time. Instantly access resident’s care needs, eliminate errors and capture progress with Yardi EHR, our electronic health record platform designed to work...

The LeadingAge Annual Meeting and EXPO is set to take place October 28-31 in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. With 4,500 attendees expected and over 150 educational sessions offered, it will be a bustling few days filled with networking and new ideas. The conference schedule also features thought-provoking speakers, including renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, who seeks to capture the beauty of aging. Her talk is called the “Inspire keynote,” and as the first woman to hold an exhibition at Washington’s National Portrait Gallery and an exhibitor at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Annie Leibovitz has inspired many throughout her nearly-fifty-year career. She’s photographed hundreds of world-famous faces and is an expert at capturing not only a beautiful image, but her subject’s story as well. It’s why Ms. Leibovitz has become so renowned for her stunning portraits: they depict a lifetime of experiences, without any negative perceptions of aging—a rare thing in a society with narrowly defined beauty norms. To some, growing older comes with a stigma. Instead of appreciating each wrinkle as a sign of a life well lived, lines are fretted over, gray hair is dyed. To challenge the perceptions of aging, conference attendees will be encouraged to contemplate and redefine what it means to grow old with appreciation, grace and dignity. The event EXPO, the largest in the senior living industry, will close out the conference. In addition to exhibiting the latest goods and services, the EXPO features a special exhibit to demonstrate a day in the life of a future resident. Attendees will experience various resident scenarios—like living with dementia—via an immersive virtual reality simulation to inspire innovation and creativity. LeadingAge Annual Meeting attendees can schedule time to meet with the Yardi senior living team to learn more about its...