With COVID-19 vaccines readily available across the nation — and with vaccine mandates becoming more common — senior living providers have an important job to do. They’re tasked with helping residents receive vaccinations, offering resources and lending support. But how can providers manage the process? Monitor symptoms? Track vaccination statuses? It’s all possible thanks to the latest upgrades in Yardi’s electronic health record solution. Tracking vaccinations with Yardi EHR Yardi EHR is a full-service solution that helps providers deliver the best resident care. And with the ongoing pandemic, the newest functionality in managing resident vaccinations may be most helpful for today’s providers. With the system’s latest infection surveillance and immunization dashboard, providers and senior care staff can document essential information relating to COVID-19 and other diseases. More specifically, staff can … Document if a resident has received, declined or missed COVID-19 vaccination appointmentsCollectively schedule vaccination appointments and track follow up assessments for community-wide vaccine clinicsBulk chart vaccine administration during clinicsLog information on a resident’s side effects post-vaccineIdentify residents who show symptoms consistent with COVID-19Send alerts to the dashboard when COVID-19 symptoms are documentedRecord when residents receive booster shots for their COVID-19 vaccineAdd indicators for other infectious diseases — all populated to the dashboard in real-time Best of all, the assessments are built-in and easy to navigate. Each assessment incorporates Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for administering COVID-19 vaccines. If you’re an existing Yardi EHR client, adding the infection surveillance and immunization dashboard couldn’t be easier. The implementation and training process is quick — and efficient. This is especially beneficial for providers today, given the roll out of COVID-19 booster shots is around the corner. Senior living providers are navigating the pandemic day by day. And while there are many challenges, managing...
Changemakers Series
Honors Fee Stubblefield
This year, Senior Housing News (SHN) has honored a variety of senior living leaders through their Changemakers series. And without fail, each member of the Changemakers class is inspirational, unwavering and transformative in their approach to industry obstacles. That certainly describes Yardi client Fee Stubblefield, founder and CEO of The Springs Living. Headquartered in McMinnville, Oregon, The Springs Living owns and operates multiple senior living communities across Oregon and Montana. Fee started the company in 1996 with a mission to create communities that felt like home and since then, he’s elected positive change in the company’s design and operations. That’s exactly why he was chosen as a 2021 Changemaker and interviewed in this special series, sponsored by Yardi. In this excerpt from his SHN interview, you’ll learn how Fee has led The Springs Living through a period of change — and how he’s preparing for the future. Plus, you’ll get an inside look at Fee’s approach to innovation, his dedication to senior living and his tolerance for risk. Do you agree that change-makers are risk-takers, and secondly, how do you describe your own personal tolerance for risk? I would say that we’re probably categorized as both innovators and risk-takers, but I don’t see it that way. I don’t see it as risky. This is what we’ve learned. This is what we believe the market wants and we have hedged it in ways that we think makes sense — that eliminates risk. It’s been really fascinating to see how different people look at the mountain from a different side. When you go on a hike, you look up the hill and you think, okay, I’ll remember that spot when I get there, and then when you get up there, it looks completely different. Our view...
Seniors’ Housing Survey
Vacancies & Rent in Canada
The results are in! Conducted in April and May of 2021, the Seniors’ Housing Survey collected information on rent prices, vacancy rates and more in seven regions across Canada. Ready to be explored, the survey revealed eye-opening findings on the Canadian seniors’ housing market. Let’s take a look: The findings: Higher vacancies and rent prices Starting with vacancies, the survey showed that vacancy rates in seniors’ residences are on the rise in provinces throughout Canada, with the exception of two. Interestingly, the vacancy rate for standard spaces grew 7%, meaning it now stands at 15.6%. And although an increase in supply was found, the number of residents has actually decreased, or only moderately increased. In turn, higher vacancy rates have become the new normal. The survey suggests that the weak demand could be a result of reluctancy to move into senior living communities during COVID-19. The seven Canadian regions assessed included: British ColumbiaAlbertaSaskatchewanManitobaOntarioQuebecAtlantic Canada Quebec showed the highest capture rate in the country, despite the decrease in resident retention. Here 17% of seniors aged 75 and older lived in seniors’ housing, whereas in other Canadian provinces, this proportion ranged from 5-10%. And in terms of regional average rents, five out of seven provinces saw in increase in price. The two exceptions, in which rent prices lowered, were Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador. A guide for senior living providers As vacancy rates and rent prices rise in Canada, senior living providers need effective tools to attract new residents, streamline operations, enhance resident care and more. The Yardi Senior Living Suite contains everything providers need to create a foundation for success — with tools united on a single platform. Here are three ways the Yardi Senior Living Suite can benefit you: Reach more seniors who are searching for a place to live with advanced search marketing services. RentCafe Reach helps with SEO, pay-per-click advertising, reputation management and moreReduce manual data entry, meet compliance obligations and optimize resident care with Long Term Care, a comprehensive platform designed for Canadian providersNurture your leads and boost occupancy with RENTCafé Senior CRM, a mobile-friendly customer relationship management tool Read the entire 2021 Seniors’ Housing Survey to explore more findings. To learn how Yardi supports senior living in Canada, start...
Single Connected Success...
Anthology Senior Living
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Fresh Upgrades
In the Senior Living Suite
Yardi regularly works to foster product enhancements, develop new features and improve usability in the Senior Living Suite. From gaining client feedback to testing new ideas throughout the year, upgrades are crafted to make our software more valuable for senior living providers. These upgrades are then compiled into an accessible guide for clients. We’re pleased to announce that Yardi Voyager Senior Housing 7.14 is now available to explore. Here’s an overview of the upgrades included. Yardi Voyager Voyager welcomes an array of exciting updates and new functionality. Namely, the enhancement of several reports such as the Portfolio Census, Resident Days and Resident Ledger. Other Voyager updates include: New trust fund accounting functionalityA Copy Resident tool for seamless community-to-community transfers Watch the overview video Read the Voyager new features guide RentCafe Senior CRM RentCafe Senior CRM provides complete visibility into your marketing and sales activities — and 7.14 is packed with upgrades to help. Included is an improved user interface. Equipped with redesigns of prospect profiles and activity list screens, the enhanced interface allows for a smoother navigation of prospect history. Additional upgrades consist of: Ability to select checkboxes during digital lease signingCentralized pet information tableRevamped calendar integrationDisplay of time spent with leadsNew lead staging workflow with capability to create sales guides and action items Watch the overview video Read the RentCafe Senior CRM new features guide Yardi EHR EHR is full of new features, along with enhancements to several modules. Among these is a brand-new dashboard for infection surveillance and immunization monitoring, designed to help care managers track assessments related to vaccinations and infectious diseases — including COVID-19. Check out the rest, at a glance: Function to copy resident records from one community to anotherTime-saving tools for incident reportingEnhanced Kno2 interfaceAbility to...
Gain Market Data
For Senior Living
How can senior living operators stay competitive in the market? Accessing data on housing rates, pricing and leasing activity is critical. Fortunately, Yardi’s partnership with non-profit National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) allows operators to share data seamlessly — increasing the amount of information available in the senior living sector. NIC Actual Rates Initiative 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. Driven by the need to increase transparency in the seniors housing sector, Actual Rates data includes in-place, move-in and asking rates, as well as leasing activity. 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. Many senior living companies have already committed to providing monthly data feeds for the Actual Rates Initiative — covering more than 250,000 senior housing units nationwide. For more information or to participate, explore the NIC Actual Rates Initiative and complete the online form. NIC MAP Data Service In addition to the Actual Rates Initiative, Yardi collaborates with NIC to provide another avenue for accessing data, benchmarks and insights in senior living. The NIC MAP Data Service offers unbiased market-level data on the entire sector’s property types and care segments — supplying data from more than 15,000 properties within 140 U.S. metro markets. Here’s how it works. To further combat the lack of transparency in senior living pricing, participation in NIC MAP allows data to flow into Senior IQ, our business intelligence solution. Yardi clients who have an active NIC MAP account can benchmark against competitors on occupancy, rent and rent growth. For those that do not yet subscribe to NIC MAP, internal benchmarks are...
Brightview Shines
Fortune 100 ‘Best Company’
Brightview Senior Living, operator of communities in eight Eastern U.S. states, has won accolades over the years from workplace culture authority Great Place to Work® and Fortune magazine for being among the country’s best workplaces for women and for aging services. In April, the Baltimore-based Yardi client claimed yet another honor: a place on the coveted Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list. In an interview with McKnight’s Senior Living, Brightview CEO Marilynn Duker said that the company earned its No. 92 ranking with a supportive work culture and strong core values, which Brightview summarizes as STARS (service, teamwork, action, reputation and success). That foundation, in turn, enables the company to create great places to live. The core values are embedded in all onboarding, training and performance review activities. “We worked really hard to make sure at all 42 of our open communities and our home office that our associates came first,” Duker said. One example of Brightview’s “people first” focus happened last year at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, company president Doug Dollenberg told McKnight’s. The company provided premium pay, food pantries and free meals for workers, among other benefits. Many employees reported that they felt safest at a Brightview community, he said. Fortune 100 Best Companies rankings are based on employees’ responses to a survey that measures trust, daily experiences with company values, the ability to contribute new ideas, leadership effectiveness and other attributes. In compiling this year’s list, Fortune found that 89% of Brightview employees consider the company a great place to work. Ninety-two percent feel a sense of pride and a similar percentage agree that “my work has special meaning: this is not just a job.” “There are a lot of amazing companies doing great work in the...
Aegis Living
Named Great Place to Work
While the past year has been challenging for senior living providers, they haven’t lost sight of what’s important — keeping residents, families and staff safe and healthy. And for Aegis Living, their dedication and genuine efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Not only is the company prioritizing resident care in the face of COVID-19, they’re also working to protect the well-being of their employees. That’s why they’re certified as a great workplace by independent research firm Great Place to Work US. “With nearly 2,000 team members surveyed across 32 locations, Aegis Living received a 75% trust index score after being evaluated on more than 60 criteria of team members’ experience on the job, including community impact and feeling that their work has special meaning,” shared Aegis Living on LinkedIn. “We’re so proud of our teams and our purpose-driven organization.” Building a stronger culture Meeting the criteria for a Great Place to Work certification is no easy feat. Leaders must constantly strive to build a better environment for their employees — laying the groundwork for an inclusive culture, high levels of trust and a true passion for the work being done. Dwayne Clark, founder and CEO of Aegis Living and Senior Housing News/Yardi Changemaker, has built just that. With extensive experience in senior living, Clark has focused on listening to employees, incorporating their ideas and helping them pave a successful career path. And since starting Aegis 20 years ago, company culture has remained a top priority — including during the pandemic. Clark attributes a large part of the company’s success to his team. In this light, Aegis Living’s admirable culture is a combination of excellent leadership and dedicated employees. Becoming an award-winning provider Aegis Living’s recognition doesn’t stop there. In addition to the Great Place to Work...
Promoting Health Sharing
With Senior EHR Tech
Electronic health records, or EHRs, have evolved into a necessity over the past few years in the senior living industry. In fact, a LeadingAge study in 2019 found that nearly 76% of the nation’s 200 largest nonprofit, multi-site senior living organizations use EHRs, as do the majority of single-campus senior living communities. EHRs enable care staff to chart and document residents’ medications and transitions between care settings in real time. Along with this efficiency, notes PharMerica, a pharmacy services provider for the senior living industry, senior community operators “are finding that EHR can help do things like boost occupancy and profitability. And vendors are finding easier to promote EHR benefits around greater resident engagement, streamlined workflow and reduced staff turnover.” Additional benefits of EHRs include facilitating Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements and ensuring compliance. Interoperability is crucial There’s yet another dimension to EHRs. Senior Housing News reports that some providers adopting EHRs “are actually going a step further to connect those EHRs to larger networks in the interest of electronically sharing information with doctors, hospitals or other clinicians.” Making such exchanges securely across multiple systems requires connection to a service provider for health information exchanges, or HIEs. “It’s only a matter of time before mounting state and federal pressure to connect EHRs to HIEs becomes too difficult for senior living providers to ignore,” the news source reports. Some in the industry are still playing catch-up. Clinical information is still often shared via fax, phone or printouts, opening the door to mistakes and omissions. And patients often receive paper medical records when they are discharged, creating additional opportunities for documentation errors and impeded care coordination. “The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the importance of interoperability and the ease in which clinical information needs to be available to an entire healthcare community,” says Jon Elwell, CEO of Scottsdale, Ariz. interoperability provider Kno2. “We cannot rely on paper fax for this important task.” Creating seamless transitions Going forward, the need for interoperability among acute care, private practice, skilled nursing and other healthcare partners will spur the development additional for care transition and coordination. That means “seamless care transitions and sharing of critical patient information between the senior living community and the providers participating in their care, improving coordination and reducing administrative burden from a historically manual process,” Elwell says. Once implemented, this interoperability will spur “increased efficiency and quality outcomes, improved ability to avoid adverse events and timely access to information from your patients’ other providers,” according to the Minnesota Department of Health. “Creating shared care plans and following up on the execution of those plans to optimize outcomes, reduce length of stay, or eliminate unnecessary hospital admissions via HIE will be key,” adds Majd Alwan, senior vice president of technology and executive director of the LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies, an advocate for technologies that improve the aging experience. Yardi’s contribution to EHR interoperability includes a partnership with Kno2®, whose Interoperability as a Service™ drives connectivity for health data networks. Interoperability as a Service’s integration with Yardi EHR lets Yardi clients electronically send and receive health data, ensuring safer clinical care transitions. Look to The Balance Sheet for more updates on the continuing evolution of EHR capabilities, which PharMerica says have the potential to “revolutionize the way seniors are treated and cared for in the years to come.” For more on Yardi’s electronic health record solution for senior living, visit the Yardi EHR product...
