How hard would it be for you to publicly admit that another operator is doing a great job?

We journalists are no different. We hate it when great work appears elsewhere. But fair is fair. And credit must be given where it is earned.

So a sincere tip of the hat to Forbes for publishing “How Retirement Housing Will Change for the Better.”

Simply put, the piece is a must read for anyone who wants to be well-informed. Although a better headline might have been this: “Bob Kramer tells you all you really need to know about the road ahead.”

It is hard to overstate how much Bob has done to legitimize and improve seniors housing and care. Or how he continues to light the way for the rest of us.

Generous dollops of the latter are served up in this article. Here’s but a taste:

On how boomers will change the field: Boomers won’t retire, they’ll transition. They certainly won’t want to be insulated from the action; they will remain engaged and will be seeking new adventures, he notes.

On two looming challenges: Operators first and foremost will need to step up their game. Future customers will demand more. So will the people making a career in this sector. The bottom line is that management will need to be better than it is now, Kramer insists.

Then there’s the largely untapped middle-income market. People in this demographic will need choices that are currently off limits. Their checkbooks may not boast as many commas, but their sheer numbers will be an irresistible invitation to the better mousetrap builders of tomorrow.

To get a fuller sense of what’s ahead, I invite you to read the entire article.

Even better, make it a point to connect with Bob at the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care’s Fall Conference, which kicks off next Wednesday in Chicago.

My ability to predict the future pales in comparison. But this I can promise: any conversation you have with Bob will be time well spent.