There is a perception that senior living residents are a captive audience. That’s not entirely true. Enhancements to dining and lifestyle services are a retention strategy for when residents and their families sit down to sign lease renewals. Let the value-add services that you offer outshine your competition. Unique Experiences Offer residents an experience that they can’t get when living with competitors. Think beyond crafts and day trips. Create experiences that allow residents to learn new skills and engage all their senses. (Instant-gratification is an added bonus!) Oregon-based Frontier offers an on-location craft beer brewery at its Aspen Ridge community.  More than 80 percent of the residents work to create 12 beer varieties. The residents then enjoy the fruit of their labor every evening in the site’s biergarten. The program offers learning, experimentation, creativity, social interaction, and a sense of accomplishment. Aspen Ridge once hovered at 50 percent occupancy. After one year with the beer program, the property achieved and maintained 100 percent occupancy. Greg Roderick, president and CEO of Frontier Management explains, “We didn’t advertise any more than we already did. We just filled up. Word of mouth got around… [that] this is the coolest place to live.” Signature Products Consider working with local artisans to offer products that residents can’t get anywhere else. These products build a sense of brand loyalty and exclusivity for your property. Chicago-based Vi Living is the exclusive seller of Luxus, a signature label wine that residents have grown to love. The collaboration with Central Valley wineries has turned a dinner accent into a highlight at its properties. “I’m a big proponent of happiness at our property,” says Kevin Meredith, director of dining service at TidePointe, a Vi Community.  “And having a wine that’s all our own — one that brings the exceptional into the everyday — is just another way to create that happiness.” Vi Living serves its wine in property restaurants. Each restaurant offers the variety and ambiance found at high-end restaurants off of the property which makes it a pleasure for residents to “dine in.” Giving Back Many seniors want to stay involved in their communities. This involvement removes a sense of isolation. In its place, residents feel needed, vibrant, and a productive part of their communities. Yardi client Senior Star of Oklahoma participates in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The event began with the Senior Star staff yet is open to residents as well. The relevance of the event will likely grow. Baby Boomers often serve as caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The fundraising event will be near and dear to many hearts. “The Walk To End Alzheimer’s provides a beacon of hope to those individuals and families coping with the terrible disease,” says Tyler Hanes, Project Director at Senior Star. When residents are able to contribute to their communities, they form tighter bonds and build...