To effectively serve their communities while navigating a growing portfolio, senior living organizations need support. For many, implementing integrated senior living management software is key. Meet Anthology Senior Living, CA Venture’s senior living platform that develops, acquires and operates 34 senior housing communities across the United States. Their portfolio includes independent living, assisted living and memory care with uniquely designed communities that provide residents with meaningful hospitality and care. Kim Smart As they grew and expanded their community footprint, Anthology needed the right software solution — a single connected system built for the unique needs of senior living providers. They welcomed the Yardi Senior Living Suite. To dive deeper into the importance of utilizing a single connected solution, we sat down with Kim Smart, director of systems and support at Anthology. Smart discussed the organization’s journey to now operating 34 communities, explaining the role the Yardi Senior Living Suite has played in driving Anthology’s success. Here’s a highlight: The Challenge: Navigating a Growing Portfolio With a range of communities to serve and rapid expansions underway, Anthology Senior Living needed a solution that did it all. They searched for senior living software that combined resident care, marketing, sales, finance and more on a single platform. To fulfill the needs of their many communities, Anthology chose a single connected solution they knew they could trust — The Yardi Senior Living Suite. The Solution: Yardi Senior Living Suite The Yardi Senior Living Suite is powered by a secure cloud-hosted database and unites property management, finance, marketing, resident care and more on a single connected solution. The Story: Single Connected Success, Efficiencies Gained & Unparalleled Support With extensive experience in systems analysis, Director of Systems and Support Kim Smart knew the value of interconnected tools. Whether it be...
Gain Resident Feedback
With RentCafe Senior Living
A recent article by McKnight’s Senior Living relayed the findings from an interesting Activated Insights report. Surveying 63,807 senior living residents and family members, the report revealed the consequences that arise when operators fail to check the pulse of their communities. And to effectively stay in tune with their communities, operators need to collect resident feedback — meaning residents need a secure way to communicate their wants and needs. Blind spots for senior living operators According to the report, senior living operators often miss the mark when it comes to measuring resident experience. And as communities reopen after pandemic closures, measuring resident satisfaction is more important than ever. Here’s what Activated Insights found: In communities with a lower net promoter score, the data shows that word-of-mouth referrals are low — and resident move-outs due to dissatisfaction are high. Net promoter scores, a measure of “customer” satisfaction, largely affect a consumer’s perception of an entire brand, according to Activated Insights. For senior living operators, a low net promoter score can negatively impact how prospects view their communities. The report revealed that blind spots are costing senior living organizations up to $225,000 of earnings, or $2.8 million of value per community. “With 2021 average net promoter scores for seniors housing averaging a negative eight — on par with CVS / Cigna / Comcast customer experiences — CEOs are missing the data to forecast profitability,” relayed McKnight’s Senior Living. While some organizations do check the pulse of their communities to ensure they’re on the right track, for those that don’t, these challenges may be unavoidable. What can they do? Activated Insights suggests establishing customer engagement scores by surveying residents and family members in real time. This means senior living providers need the right channel and a secure, seamless method for collecting feedback. Gain feedback through a secure online portal Yardi RENTCafé Senior Living is a secure online portal that helps families stay connected. A primary benefit? A survey feature that allows residents and families to submit feedback whenever, wherever. By offering residents a way to provide confidential feedback, senior living providers access crucial information at the click of a button. This creates the ability to measure resident satisfaction, prevent move-outs and manage their community’s reputation. In essence, RentCafe Senior Living helps providers turn feedback into actions — and improve operations across the board. Curious about the portal’s other key features? Here are four additional benefits of RENTCafé Senior Living: Keep families informed with health data, such as medications and vitals, available in real time from Yardi EHRAllow residents and families to electronically sign and manage documents, review financial statements, make bill payments and submit maintenance requestsMake announcements, post comments on a bulletin board and exchange secure messages right from the portalCreate a calendar of activities where residents can sign up and their loved ones can see they’ve attended As the pandemic has largely affected senior living communities, it’s imperative for providers to check in with their residents. With a secure online portal — one equipped with a convenient survey feature — providers never miss the chance. To learn more about RENTCafé Senior Living, connect with...
Changemakers Series
Meet Doug Leidig
To earn a spot in this year’s Changemakers class, you have to be a special type of leader. It takes a natural catalyst for change — and someone who’s an exceptional visionary in the senior living industry. That describes Doug Leidig, president and CEO of Asbury Communities. Since joining the Maryland-based nonprofit over 20 years ago, Doug has dedicated himself to enhancing the lives of seniors. And since becoming president and CEO in 2015, he’s implemented fresh ideas to transform Asbury into a diversified aging services organization. His drive and innovation earned him the Changemaker title for 2021. Brought to you by Yardi and Senior Housing News (SHN), interviews are conducted with Changemakers like Doug. This gives you an inside look at their path to leadership, plus a chance to access their advice and expertise. In the below excerpt from Doug’s SHN interview, you’ll learn how he’s creating a lucrative future for Asbury Communities. Doug also talks about how he’s pushed through obstacles in the face of change. Can you walk me through the evolution from a CCRC provider to more of an aging services model? Was it strategic or did it come together piece by piece as you diversified the company? It’s been purposeful, but it’s taken us about three or four years. I had been convinced for quite some time that standalone senior living CCRC businesses are at risk. Maybe not tomorrow or five years from now, but moving down the line, I think there are risks. We all know that we have to change our offerings on our campuses, especially to meet the next generation’s demands. I also knew that 98% of our revenue comes from CCRCs, from the resident rates, so you have to think, “How do I...
BI for Senior Living
Webinar Recap
What are the benefits of business intelligence in senior living? How can providers, investors and other leaders choose the right BI solution? These questions were answered in a recent webinar with Yardi and McKnight’s Senior Living — Differentiators in Business Intelligence Technology. The June webinar gathered Yardi clients Trey Allen of Dominion Senior Living and Michael Bowles of Dial Senior Living, with discussions led by Yardi Marketing Campaigns Specialist Rochelle Throckmorton. The panel also featured Yardi Associate Technical Account Manager Chris Golden. The panel started with an in-depth look at business intelligence, moving into the tools and tips needed to select an effective BI solution. Attendees then heard insights from Allen and Bowles, who explained the challenges their communities faced before adopting BI tools. They continued by sharing their firsthand experience implementing Yardi Senior IQ — a single connected BI solution — describing how it’s transformed their operations for the better. Here’s a highlight: Throckmorton: How does Senior IQ help you and your team? Allen: Yardi Senior IQ has been very helpful to our team here at Dominion Senior Living, mainly in the way of convenience. A lot of business intelligence information can be arranged on a single screen — from community management information to marketing or EHR — and the financial information, too. We no longer have to pull 8 different reports. Rent roll, trial balance, trend activity and incident reports — it can all be arranged on one dashboard. Plus it has graphs, tables and comparisons. It’s very helpful and expedient. Throckmorton: How much time is saved when using business intelligence tools? Allen: The time saving is in the convenience. Our community management and financial team members were having to run 8 different reports each month, all to see the same...
Changemakers Series
Recognizes Torsten Hirche
How can you transform the senior housing sector? For Torsten Hirche, president and CEO of Transforming Age, it’s accomplished by forming new partnerships, offering diverse services and building quality communities. Given his creative approach to senior living, Torsten has been recognized as a 2021 Changemaker through the Yardi-sponsored interview series with Senior Housing News (SHN). In leading Transforming Age, a Seattle-based organization that now serves 55 communities, Torsten has learned the ins and outs of leadership, strategy and more. In his Changemaker interview, Torsten explains how he navigates the social, technological and economic changes facing the industry. He also gives an inside look at how he’s helping Transforming Age stay ahead of the curve. Check out this excerpt: What are one or two of the changes that you are most proud of leading at Transforming Age or in the senior living industry at large? First and foremost is the team. It’s been a hell of a ride and the team has stretched, grown, risen to the task and always showed up. I’m proud of them. That includes both legacy team members and the team members we’ve added. The people we serve have gone through a lot of changes with us. Open communication played a major role in our success there. Change is hard for the people we serve, especially when it occurs at high velocity. The repositioning of Parkshore is a change I am proud of. Parkshore is one of our flagship communities, but it was a diamond in the rough. It needed a lot of attention and the residents were extremely accommodating, even at the rapid pace we were moving. We communicated, created a dialogue together and walked through the changes so everyone was on the same page. Our governance model also underwent...
Single Connected Solution
Senior Living Benefits
As COVID-19 continues to affect senior living communities, providers are challenged with finding solutions to meet the needs of residents, families and staff. Mainly, the pandemic’s restrictions on normal operations leave senior living providers in need of new systems and strategies. So which solutions are important, now more than ever? For senior living providers and other healthcare leaders, implementing a software solution may have the greatest impact. According to Ziegler’s research, the pandemic is one factor that’s accelerated the adoption of tech-enabled solutions across the healthcare industry — like never before. The research reveals the considerable benefits of utilizing software tools as the world changes. With that, incorporating an effective software solution is key for senior living providers in streamlining operations, increasing resident satisfaction, delivering quality care and the list goes on. Choosing a single connected solution Not just any software solution is beneficial. To meet the needs of their communities — especially as the pandemic shifts — providers need a full suite of tools that are mobile, intuitive and efficient. Ziegler’s white paper notes the importance of choosing a single connected solution to stay ahead of the curve. Describing the ever-changing effects of COVID-19 and other factors, they explain that “providers need a full suite of patient access solutions and virtual care functionality, as well as further tech-enabled automation of workflows.” For senior living operators, this means having tech-enabled tools in place to benefit residents, families, care staff and leaders — tools that unite on a single platform. That’s where the Yardi Senior Living Suite comes in. As a single connected solution that eliminates the gap between senior living property management and clinical services, the Senior Living Suite gives providers everything they need to manage their communities. The key differentiator? The union of property management, finance, marketing, business intelligence and resident care on a single platform. At a glance, here are 5 ways the Senior Living Suite can make a difference: Combine property management, finance and business oversight for improved efficiency, reduced costs and responsive resident services with a comprehensive management tool, Yardi Voyager Senior HousingKeep residents and families connected through a secure online portal, RentCafe Senior LivingMake smarter, faster decisions with actionable information for your entire portfolio through Senior IQ, a business intelligence solution for senior livingKeep health records error free, limit liability and empower staff to deliver the best resident care with Yardi EHR, a full-service electronic health record solution Attract new residents, nurture your leads and increase resident retention with RentCafe Senior CRM, a mobile-friendly sales and marketing solution Ultimately, there’s no denying the importance of software solutions for businesses — especially those that provide interconnected tools. This holds true for the senior living industry, both through the pandemic and beyond. Still curious about how a single connected solution can transform your business and care services? Explore the Yardi Senior Living Suite and watch this video to learn...
Changemakers Series
Jill Vitale-Aussem
Ready to meet another Changemaker — a one-of-a-kind leader in senior living? Through the 2021 Changemakers series, a collaboration between Yardi and Senior Housing News (SHN), senior living leaders are recognized for their ability to invoke change and create success. With their insights captured through detailed interviews — released in batches — you gain a front row seat to hear their stories and advice. Introducing Jill Vitale-Aussem We’re excited to present another Changemaker, Jill Vitale-Aussem. In addition to being president and CEO of Christian Living Communities (CLC), Jill is the author of “Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living.” Talk about being an expert on driving change in the industry. From her previous work to now leading CLC, a Colorado-based organization serving over 3,000 seniors, Jill has learned to push through challenges, think outside the box and implement new strategies. In this excerpt from the SHN interview, Jill reveals the steps she’s taking to lead CLC toward a bright future. She also sheds light on her core philosophy — to recognize senior living residents as citizens who can, and should, actively contribute to creating vibrant communities. Describe a change or changes that you’ve led throughout your career in senior living, that you’re most proud of. When I started with CLC back in 2009, it was in the early stages of a huge campus redevelopment project. The community had been there for more than 30 years, and it was time to breathe life into the birthplace of the organization. The goal of this redevelopment was to bring the community together and add life plan apartment homes to the campus. This project brought together people of different socioeconomic backgrounds to create a sense of oneness and community. We also developed a resident leadership group to...
Senior Living News
Alzheimer's Treatment
On June 7 of this year, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first novel therapy for Alzheimer’s disease in nearly two decades. With over 6 million Americans currently living with the disease, the approval certainly made history. Alzheimer’s today As a disease that decelerates memory and cognitive function over time, Alzheimer’s — a devastating form of dementia — has become the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. And with the disease primarily effecting older adults, including roughly 42% of assisted living residents in the U.S., the topic of treatment has long been relevant in the senior living industry. “The need for treatment is urgent,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. FDA approves novel therapy What exactly is the latest treatment for Alzheimer’s, and what does the approval mean? As the decision generated significant attention, the FDA announcement aimed to answer such questions. Let’s take a look: The therapy, Aduhelm (aducanumab), has been authorized to treat patients with Alzheimer’s disease using the accelerated approval pathway. Under this, the FDA approves a drug for a serious or life-threatening illness — if it may provide meaningful therapeutic benefit over existing treatments. While the treatment doesn’t cure or reverse Alzheimer’s disease, the FDA announcement emphasized that “the approval is significant in many ways.” To name a few: Aduhelm is the first novel therapy approved for Alzheimer’s since 2003It’s the first treatment directed at the underlying pathophysiology of the disease, which is the presence of amyloid beta plaques in the brainThe clinical trials were the first to show that a reduction in plaques is expected to reduce the clinical decline of Alzheimer’s For some, these findings were seen as a positive breakthrough. For others,...
Senior Living Positivity
Amidst COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all of us. And for those in senior living communities, it’s been especially difficult. Despite the struggles and devastation, we’ve seen tokens of positivity, endurance and strength in the last year. Most recently, a new study by NORC at the University of Chicago revealed something remarkable: 51% of senior living communities experienced no COVID-19 deaths in 2020. We hope that the content below sheds light on this revelation, brings feelings of optimism and of course — highlights the resilience of seniors and their families. Positivity shines through in senior living Funded by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), the NORC study examined the impact of COVID-19 on senior living communities. Examining mortality rates by property type, NIC aimed to understand how the pandemic impacted different care settings, while showing that seniors housing provides safe environments for older adults. Fortunately, the NORC study revealed quite a few positive findings. Relayed by Senior Housing News and McKnight’s Senior Living, here’s an overview of what NORC found: 51% percent of seniors housing properties studied experienced no COVID-19 deaths in 2020Roughly two-thirds of independent living (67%), assisted living (64%) and memory care (61%) communities had no COVID-19 deaths39% of skilled nursing facilities experienced no deathsThe COVID-19 mortality rate in independent living communities was comparable to that of their respective counties — suggesting that residents who live in these properties were not at higher risk by virtue of their care settingThe mortality rates in memory care and skilled nursing were higher than in other levels of care, and they were statistically equivalent to each otherSeniors housing properties continued to operate and care for their residents, while facing a range of evolving circumstances “While COVID-19 has been devastating for older adults, a majority of properties avoided any resident deaths,” said Caroline Pearson, senior vice president of healthcare strategy and lead researcher at NORC. We hope that you’ll explore the NORC study, The Impact of COVID-19 on Seniors Housing, to learn more. We’re empowered by NORC’s research and pleased to recognize the strength of older adults and their families, as well as senior living communities’ commitment to care throughout the pandemic. Check out the Yardi blog for more positive stories in senior living during...
Building Age-Friendly Environments...
California for Seniors
How can states build an age-friendly environment for seniors? For California, the roadmap is outlined in a Master Plan for Aging — which received a significant revision this May in light of the pandemic. California’s Master Plan for Aging Did you know that California’s over-60 population is projected to grow faster than any other age group in the next 9 years? Looking at the numbers, 10.8 million Californians will be older adults by 2030 — meaning seniors will make up one quarter of the state’s population. Crafted in response and released in January of this year, California’s Master Plan for Aging works to prioritize the health and well-being of older adults. The plan is a blueprint for the state’s communities to create environments where people of all ages and abilities are engaged, valued and afforded opportunities. With 5 bold goals and 23 intricate strategies, the plan aims to build a California for all ages by 2030. The plan’s latest revision and pandemic response Given the devastating losses and serious risks faced by older adults during COVID-19, the Master Plan for Aging underwent an urgent revision in May 2021. The new-and-improved plan seeks to address pressing needs for pandemic recovery — all while investing in the resilience of California’s seniors. The revision includes $3.8 billion in new funding with goals centered around housing, health, isolation prevention, caregiving and affordable aging. Here’s a breakdown of what the budget increase covers: Workforce development investments to help support aging healthcareA comprehensive approach to Alzheimer’s disease, with funding dedicated to public awareness, care standards and geriatric workforce developmentFunding for the Department of Social Services to preserve and expand housing for low-income seniors, ensuring housing stability in the tail-end of the pandemic Looking to learn more? Explore the Master...
Business Intelligence Tools...
Explored in New White Paper
How can business intelligence (BI) tools unlock the power of senior living? In collaboration with Yardi, Senior Housing News (SHN) assembled a brand-new white paper to help senior living providers examine the power of BI — and how to utilize it. Here’s a look at what’s covered: Intelligent Business: How Business Intelligence Tools Unlock the Power of Senior Living There’s no questioning the value of good data. But when data is supplemented with digital tools to extract insights, that value grows exponentially. That’s where business intelligence comes in — an addition to your senior living software that helps your company go the extra mile. And with Yardi Senior IQ, our BI solution, senior living providers uncover the insights needed to act confidently, save time and drive growth across communities. At a glance, Senior IQ offers comprehensive analytics that import data from your communities, compiling it in easy-to-read graphs and tables. KPIs like occupancy rate and NOI are made readily available, along with additional metrics like resident count, marketing spend and conversion rate. This white paper dives deeper into how — and why — BI solutions are important for senior living providers, now more than ever. Key points include: The transition toward data-driven business practicesAn increasing need for accompanying technology & digital toolsThree types of data analytics & how they apply to senior housingHow Yardi Senior IQ yields better senior housing decisionsTestimonials from senior living leaders To access the insights, read the full SHN business intelligence white paper. Interested in Yardi Senior IQ? Get in...
7 CRM Benefits
Senior Living Ebook
How can senior living providers attract new residents, nurture leads and increase resident retention? Implementing a thoughtful CRM program like RentCafe Senior CRM is key. To explore why CRM software is crucial in today’s landscape, and to guide providers through what can be a challenging process, Yardi is excited to share an upgraded resource. What are the benefits of CRM software? Which solutions make the difference? Our new and improved ebook — CRM for Senior Living — covers it all. CRM defined What is CRM, and how does it apply to senior living? CRM, or customer relationship management, is technology used to oversee interactions with prospects with the goal of improving relationships through use of data. CRM software captures both quantitative and qualitative data across various channels, storing it all in one centralized location. This aggregated data set then paints a holistic view of prospects, surfacing insights to help staff make strategic decisions. With increased visibility, senior living providers can better organize leads, streamline marketing efforts and see what’s working — and what’s not. A new guide to CRM software Packed with informative tips and tools, Yardi’s enhanced ebook explores 7 ways CRM software helps senior living operators drive their communities forward. Learn how solutions like RENTCafé Senior CRM work to: Supercharge marketingShorten lead response timeCentralize dataOptimize contact strategyStrengthen client relationshipsAutomate communicationSimplify workflows RentCafe Senior CRM RENTCafé Senior CRM provides mobile-friendly sales and marketing tools for the unique needs of senior living operators. Integrated in the Yardi Senior Living Suite, this single connected solution unlocks the ability to drive quality leads, increase resident retention, produce sales projections, boost staff performance and more. Access the insights by reading our upgraded CRM ebook. For more information about RENTCafé Senior CRM or other products within the...
EHR Care Stream App
Available for Smartphones
For nurses and other care staff in senior living, having an efficient record-keeping system is crucial. And for staff members who work across multiple communities — or remotely — accessing an electronic health record system from a mobile device is largely beneficial. With the latest release of the Yardi EHR Care Stream app, users can now access the features from a smartphone — an advantageous step forward for senior care staff. This upgrade means the Care Stream app is compatible with both smartphones and tablet devices. In short, the upgrade allows nurses and care staff to perform order resolutions and execute point-of-care charting directly from a smartphone. This helps staff streamline workflows, save time and optimize care responsibilities. And with a user interface reformatted for smartphone use, the new and improved app supports all the same functionality as the tablet version. “With the flexibility to perform order resolutions and related tasks from a smartphone, senior care staff can complete their work more efficiently,” said Ray Elliott, vice president of senior living at Yardi. “The upgrade also helps staff members with limited access to tablet devices. Smartphone functionality allows more communities to utilize the app’s many benefits.” To download the Yardi EHR Care Stream app for smartphones, visit the Google Play Store or the App...
Yardi Congratulates SFHS
Senior Living Achievements
In the world of senior living, it’s inspiring to see organizations working to stay innovative and go above and beyond with resident care. With that, Yardi joins LeadingAge Minnesota in honoring St. Francis Health Services (SFHS) for their outstanding accomplishments in aging services. Recognized with the Award of Honor for Performance Excellence in Aging Services, SFHS has shown their deep commitment to caring for seniors. The Award of Honor In 2017, LeadingAge Minnesota began their Performance Excellence in Aging Services program. The experience was designed to help senior living providers channel innovative ideas and most importantly — improve the quality-of-care services within their communities. The Award of Honor recognizes organizations that have achieved a certain level of performance excellence, and those who wish to continue on that path. Here’s to St. Francis Health Services For SFHS, a client using Yardi software solutions, their impressive 24 management practices earned them the accolade. These practices fall within six key categories including leadership, strategy, customers, measurement, workforce and operations. “The Award of Honor in Performance Excellence in Aging Services recognizes the distinct accomplishments and positive outcomes by providers who are committed to the quality of care, services and support provided to older adults in aging services settings,” said Gayle Kvenvold, president and CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota. “We congratulate St. Francis Health Services for their demonstrated commitment to quality and excellence in all that they do.” More about SFHS Since its origin in 1963, St. Francis Health Services has provided services to aging adults. The non-profit, faith-based organization focuses on assisted living, home healthcare, senior housing, skilled nursing and transitional care. Additionally, SFHS offers a full range of therapies plus community and residential services to people with developmental and mental disabilities, as well as mental illnesses. Be sure to check out St. Francis Health Services’ accomplishments in quality and performance excellence. Interested in senior living software solutions? Get in touch or explore the Yardi Senior Living...
Reaching 100
Secrets for Longer Living
How does somebody live to be 100? Genes, environment or just luck? In the 20th century the average life expectancy rose 30 years, the greatest gain in 5,000 years of human history, according to health information source Prevention, which also said that the centenarian club increased 51% between 1990 and 2000. What explains this progression? Advances in health, education, disease prevention and treatment certainly played key roles. But, Gregg Easterbrook reported in The Atlantic in 2014, “Viewed globally, the lengthening of life spans seems independent of any single, specific event. It didn’t accelerate much as antibiotics and vaccines became common. Nor did it retreat much during wars or disease outbreaks.” Documentarian Jason Prall interviewed centenarians in nine countries in an attempt to gauge the impact of lifestyle, environment and mindset on longevity. Some of the common denominators he identified were simple yet impactful choices in food, exercise and social interaction. “If you want to keep your brain young, music, movement and engaging with others, those three things, I would say are the most important things you can do,” Prall said. “We also need to have fun, enjoy our lives, find something meaningful and be passion-driven, whether it’s art or whatever it is.” Most researchers agree that key elements of a supportive living environment include exercise, stimulating interpersonal relationships, a positive attitude about challenges, and access to green space, health care and good nutrition. “Constant interaction with other people can be annoying, but overall seems to keep us engaged with life,” said Thomas Perls, a professor at Boston Medical Center. But of course it’s not that simple. “Lifestyle studies of centenarians can be really puzzling,” noted Brian Kennedy, CEO of the Buck Institute, a research facility dedicated to extending the human life span. “They smoke...
BI Tech Benefits
Explored in Upcoming Webinar
What should leaders and investors consider when selecting a business intelligence (BI) solution for senior living? That’s the topic of an upcoming webinar sponsored by Yardi and hosted by McKnight’s Senior Living. The webinar, Differentiators in Business Intelligence Technology, will feature industry experts across senior living. This includes: Trey Allen, Yardi Support Specialist, Dominion Senior LivingMichael Bowles, Project Coordinator, Dial Senior Living Through an informative discussion, attendees will access the tools, tips and insights needed to choose an effective BI solution — and learn how to maximize their use of BI technology. More specifically, attendees will learn: How business intelligence reduces workloads and helps visualize data Key factors to consider when selecting BI software for senior livingAn analysis of Yardi Senior IQ, a single connected BI solution, plus client testimonials The webinar will take place on June 16 at 1 p.m. EDT. Want to learn more about selecting the right BI solution for senior living? Register for the webinar. Looking for additional resources on business intelligence? Explore Yardi’s ebook, Differentiators in BI...
Changemakers Series
Michael Joseph, Clover Group
How can senior living leaders drive change, all while prioritizing resident care in their communities? Ask Michael Joseph, founder and president of Clover Group and member of the 2021 Changemakers class. From building a company model to serve middle-income seniors in independent living — to operating 40 communities with expansions on the way — Michael has become quite the industry trailblazer. In this year’s Changemakers series, a collaboration between Yardi and Senior Housing News (SHN), interviews are conducted with pioneers across the industry. For Michael Joseph, his unique pathway to serving the middle market has earned him the Changemaker honor. Check out this excerpt from the SHN interview where Michael highlights his approach in navigating change, along with his strategies for shaping the middle-income segment in senior living. Can you highlight a few changes that you have driven that you are most proud of, or that you believe have been most significant to Clover or the industry? I think the greatest achievement we’ve done at Clover started with the very first deal. I think the greatest achievement is that we focused on a segment of the society that no one else focused on, which was the middle-income, independent living person. The focus at the time and frankly until very recently was the wealthy — with either what was then called assisted living, or upscale senior communities like Del Webb-type places — and then the poor, where you had low- to moderate-income tax credit deals to provide senior housing, and subsidized nursing homes. What we didn’t have was anybody focusing on the healthy, middle-income person, who had very terrible options at the time. Their options were to move in with one of their kids, stay in a house that they could no longer really live...
Cascadia’s Success
With Senior IQ
How does Yardi Senior IQ help senior living leaders streamline operations, save time and ensure data integrity? Here to share first-hand experience is Cascadia Senior Living & Development, a Yardi client operating 13 senior living communities — with new developments and expansions on the way. Founded in 2013 and based in the Pacific Northwest, Cascadia manages senior housing properties with a focus on independent living, assisted living, memory care and respite care. With communities in Washington and Oregon, Cascadia provides excellent care in settings intentionally designed for interaction and engagement. To learn more about their journey with Senior IQ, we interviewed Chief Financial Officer Michael Schefter. He broke down Cascadia’s challenges prior to using Senior IQ — and how the solution led the company to success. The Challenge: Jeopardized Data Cascadia was manually pulling data from disparate sources. With rapidly expanding communities and a larger pool of metrics, data integrity became a primary concern. The demand for accurate, high-level insights meant Cascadia needed a single connected solution to minimize risks, streamline operations and save time. The Solution: Yardi Senior IQ Yardi Senior IQ is a business intelligence solution that surfaces real-time data in attractive, sharable dashboards. Drawing portfolio-wide data from Yardi Voyager, the solution provides pre-configured Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that help visualize important metrics and industry benchmarks. Senior IQ provides the insights needed to act confidently and make smarter, faster decisions. The Story: Real-Time Data, Precise Insights & Streamlined Operations With Senior IQ as their BI solution, Cascadia’s data-pulling processes became automatic. No more devoting hours extracting raw data each month — manually searching for specific metrics, making calculations and transposing data into graphs and slide decks. And by working with the Yardi team to build custom dashboards, Cascadia began targeting...
Changemakers Series
Les Strech, Thrive Senior Living
With challenges on every horizon, the senior living industry needs leaders who aren’t afraid to channel new ideas — and invoke change. For Les Strech, a recognized Changemaker, being a catalyst for change is second nature. Through the Yardi-sponsored interview series with Senior Housing News (SHN), leaders are honored for their insightful contributions in senior living. Namely, their ability to pair difficult conditions with forward-thinking strategies and transformative actions. Deemed the second member of the 2021 Changemakers class, Les Strech embodies this fully — having led Thrive Senior Living through various challenges in the last decade. Journey to Changemaker Les Strech is president of Thrive Senior Living and a longstanding Yardi client. With extensive experience in senior housing, he’s continued to stand out as a visionary leader who redefines standards and challenges long-held design beliefs. In streamlining operations over the years, Thrive has implemented senior living suite products including RentCafe Senior Living, RENTCafé Senior CRM and Job Cost. In this excerpt from the SHN interview, Les talks about the various facets of change within senior living today — sharing the steps he’s taken to stay ahead of the curve. Can you talk about the early days of the company and the growth plans at that point from the perspective of change? I came into the industry as chief operating officer of a smaller-sized freestanding memory care portfolio. That was my viewpoint, and the heart for me was making a difference for folks with changing cognitive ability. It really became a thirst and a hunger to understand what dementia is and how it impacts people, families and the world. One of the things that I consistently talk about on leadership is that the biggest difference between you today and you five years from now is...
New Tech Solutions
Bring Senior Living Care Home
Editor’s note: This article from Yardi vice president of senior living, Ray Elliott, originally ran in McKnight’s Senior Living. About 90% of seniors intend to remain in their current homes for the next five to 10 years, according to Aging in Place, a seniors and family members resources hub. At the same time, only 43% of seniors over 70 consider it “very easy” to live independently. One of every 5 Americans will be 65 and older by 2030, the U.S Census Bureau reports. These trends suggest that demand for services associated with aging in place will accelerate steadily in the years ahead. Technology as a home care tool Residents and family members opting for home care expect many of the same services and resources that are available from a community. And providers’ home care tasks mirror those executed at a senior living community, such as generating care plans to ensure appropriate treatment, avoiding scheduling conflicts, overseeing remote care delivery with real-time reports, enabling mobile tools for point-of-care charting, and minimizing risk with regulatory compliance. Fortunately, senior living management technology has advanced over the last several years to meet many home care challenges. As provider Comfort Seekers notes, “Technology is an amazing game-changer for helping seniors remain independent, safe and happy in their homes.” Toward that end, Yardi dedicates significant research and development to advancing technology that benefits providers, residents and family members. Listening to our clients and monitoring industry trends gives our senior living team an appreciation of what it takes to transfer a senior living community’s resources to the home environment. That input led to the development of Yardi At Home Care, a software solution that makes it easy to schedule, manage and bill for non-medical home care services. Its features include convenient...
LeadingAge Recognizes
Older Americans Month
Yardi is pleased to join LeadingAge in recognizing Older Americans Month (OAM) — a time to celebrate the contributions of seniors across the nation. And given the challenges older adults have faced in the last year, OAM is an exceptional opportunity to highlight their resilience, strength and personal experiences. For LeadingAge — an association that represents more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers — it’s also a time to advocate for support of aging services care infrastructure. The importance of OAM During the month of May, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads the nation’s observance to recognize the contributions of older Americans. While LeadingAge supports OAM every year, this year’s observance is particularly important. In light of the difficulties seniors have endured throughout the pandemic, ACL’s theme for 2021 is “Communities of Strength.” In turn, LeadingAge has emphasized the importance of advocating for older Americans during this time — as the country debates the value of supporting national care infrastructure. “Now, as our nation emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re at a critical time — the most important moment in a generation for our country to renew and revitalize how we support older Americans and their families as millions of us live longer,” wrote LeadingAge. The association also expressed their ongoing effort to combat misperceptions in senior living. Along with advocacy during OAM, LeadingAge continuously aims to showcase the rich and diverse life experiences happening within aging services. Yardi in senior living For over two decades, the Yardi Senior Living Suite has supported senior living operators, caregivers, residents and families. It eliminates the gap between property management and clinical services by uniting property management, finance, marketing, business intelligence and resident care on a single platform. Yardi joins LeadingAge in recognizing the value of seniors during Older Americans Month, as well as year-round. Read more about LeadingAge’s efforts during...
Senior Living Trends
Yardi Presents Live Webinar
While the pandemic has shaped senior living as we know it, there’s no shortage of industry experts to provide guidance, tips and insights as we move forward. Sponsored by Yardi and presented by the National Investment Care for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), an upcoming webinar will huddle experts and leaders alike to share their best practices for 2021 — giving senior housing operators the tools to navigate the pandemic’s aftermath. About the webinar In this live leadership huddle, experts will discuss key trends that have shaped senior living in the last year. Through their insights, attendees will learn what trends to watch for — both in the short and long term — and best practices to stay ahead of the curve. We’re pleased to highlight the primary speaker, Fee Stubblefield, a Yardi client and the founder and CEO of The Springs Living. Fee has firsthand experience navigating the ever-changing landscape in senior living. Co-facilitators include: Joe Kiernan, Chief Strategy Officer/SVP, Network Development, Ocean HealthcareMaria Nadelstumph, SVP-Center of Excellence, Brandywine Living About NIC NIC is a nonprofit organization who supports access and choice for America’s seniors by providing data, analytics and connections that bring together investors and providers. Launched as the first of its kind in collaboration with Yardi, the NIC Actual Rates Initiative compiles actual rates and leasing activity submitted by senior living operators. Yardi clients can easily participate by using Voyager Senior Housing to map and extract rent roll data, which can then be exported to NIC and Excel. For more information or to participate, explore the NIC Actual Rates Initiative and complete the online form. To register for the upcoming webinar — Trends That Will Shape Senior Living Post-Pandemic — visit the NIC leadership huddles. The live discussion is set for Wednesday, May 26...
Changemakers Series
Honors Terri Cunliffe
It’s time to recognize a new wave of senior living leaders! Published by Senior Housing News (SHN) and sponsored by Yardi, the Changemakers series is back for 2021 — highlighting exceptional leadership in the senior living industry. With insights captured through in-depth interviews, this year’s Changemakers are recognized for their unique strategies in navigating industry challenges. And there’s no questioning the obstacles the industry has faced — especially during the pandemic. But these visionaries have pushed forward. They’re utilizing their knowledge and skills to pave a bright future in senior living, and they’re here to share their expertise. Released in batches over the next several months, the first interview is ready for you to explore: Meet Terri Cunliffe Changemaker Terri Cunliffe is President and CEO of Covenant Living Communities & Services, a non-profit operator of senior living communities. Since joining the organization in 1988, Terri has devoted her career to improving the lives of seniors — quickly evolving into the leader she is today. Appointed as COO in 2010 and later CEO in 2015, she’s expanded the efforts of Covenant Living and its many communities, introducing proactive measures every step of the way. And with over three decades of experience, Terri is no stranger to change. In the following excerpt from the SHN interview, see how Terri’s knowledge — and dedication — have proven successful in maneuvering through an ever-changing industry, all while leading Covenant Living’s journey to growth. To be a changemaker, you’ve got to be willing to take risks. Do you agree with that? How would you describe your own risk tolerance? When I think of risk, I think the longer I’m in the role, the more risk I’m willing to take, because I understand the implications of that risk. If we...
McKnight’s Panel
Features Fil Southerland
As optimism in outlasting the COVID-19 crisis continues to grow, senior living providers face a new challenge — navigating the business world in the pandemic’s aftermath. Recognizing the need for expert insight, McKnight’s Senior Living is featuring three industry executives in a digital power panel on May 5, 2021. The session will break down strategies in maneuvering through the coming months and beyond. And set to speak is Yardi’s own Fil Southerland, a seasoned expert in the LTPAC industry. Topics at a glance Sponsored by Yardi, the McKnight’s power panel — Preparing for business after the main COVID-19 storm — will explore a range of topics. With an expert viewpoint and strategies to share, Fil Southerland will cover the following subjects, plus more: How to improve operations, both post-pandemic and in generalWhy digital workflows are a mustThe industry’s shift toward interoperabilityStrengthening resident and family engagement, digitally and in person About Fil Southerland Fil Southerland has been involved with the LTPAC industry for over 15 years, and currently serves as Director of Healthcare Solutions at Yardi, where he leads initiatives in electronic healthcare records and interoperability. Prior to his time at Yardi, Fil served as Founder and CTO of ALMSA, Inc., a nationally recognized cloud-based electronic health provider in the Assisted Living industry. With expertise in Health Information Technology, digital privacy and LTPAC policy and interoperability initiatives, Fil is passionate about using technology to improve outcomes for residents and care providers. Don’t miss Fil’s insightful contribution, along with two other expert speakers, on May 5 at 1 p.m. EDT. Save the date and register...
Streaming Efficiency
Yardi EHR Care Stream App
Working in multiple locations need not hinder efficient record-keeping by nurses and other senior living community care staff thanks to the Yardi EHR Care Stream App. Yardi EHR Care Stream app lets care staff execute point-of-care charting and related administrative tasks on mobile devices. Previously users had to log in to Yardi EHR, a full service electronic health record solution for senior living, to perform order resolutions before charting orders in the Yardi EHR Care Stream app. “This faster, more efficient process for order resolution helps all senior care nurses and especially those who work in multiple communities or remotely. They can spend less time on record-keeping and direct more of their energies to their pressing care responsibilities,” said Ray Elliott, vice president of senior living for Yardi. See how Yardi EHR combines with the rest of the Yardi Senior Living Suite to create a comprehensive technology platform for senior living...
