Daily Briefing News

News

COVID-19 vaccine pause spurs concerns about access, staff hesitancy in senior living

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 14, 2021

Vaccine hesitancy among senior living and skilled nursing staff members took another hit Tuesday after federal health officials recommended a pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after reports of blood clots in six women.

Middle-market Truewood brand launches with plan to create efficiencies, career paths

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date April 14, 2021

A new middle-market senior living brand, Truewood by Merrill, has been launched by Merrill Gardens and is gradually rolling out to 23 communities in 13 of the 20 states in which the company operates.

Kansas is latest state to adopt COVID liability protections for senior living operators

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 14, 2021

Kansas is the latest state to adopt COVID-19 immunity protections for assisted living operators. House Bill 2126, signed into law last week by Gov. Laura Kelly, provides immunity from civil liability for COVID-19 claims for adult care homes, including assisted living communities, that were in “substantial compliance with public health directives” during a public health emergency.

HUD moves to reinstate fair housing rules to reduce discrimination

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 14, 2021

The Biden administration is poised to reinstate two federal rules, terminated under the previous administration, that it says are key to enforcing fair housing laws barring discrimination.

Brightview only senior living company on Fortune ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 13, 2021

Baltimore-based Brightview Senior Living has become the first senior living company to land a spot on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list. The list was announced Monday.

Targeting senior living prospects’ social circles, specific needs in marketing efforts may increase move-ins: study

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 13, 2021

Which benefits to emphasize in senior living marketing efforts will depend on individual prospects, but increasingly, such marketing efforts should include older adults’ social circles, according to the authors of a new study.

Improve pipeline, job quality to help fill ‘daunting’ direct care job openings in residential care: PHI

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 13, 2021

Approximately 495,600 direct care job openings will be created in residential care communities when workers exit the labor force over the next eight years, according to estimates based on new data from PHI.

More news for Tuesday, April 13

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 13, 2021

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says challenge to COVID-19 executive orders too vague, could affect assisted living visitation if upheld … Vaccine hesitancy leads to spike in staff COVID-19 cases in Florida assisted living communities … More federal oversight of assisted living needed, comedian John Oliver says in ‘Last Week Tonight’ segment … Sun City, AZ, The Villages in Florida, New York among top cities where retirees move: AdvisorSmith study … Brookdale Senior Living completes COVID vaccination clinics; acceptance rate exceeds 92% among residents

White House topline funding requests include $180 million for new affordable senior housing

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 12, 2021

A $9 billion increase in federal funding to increase the supply and improve energy efficiency in affordable senior housing as well as to end homelessness are part of a White House discretionary funding request for fiscal year 2022 made Friday. HUD noted that the request also includes $180 million to support 2,000 units of new housing for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Providers victims of politics in ‘unfortunate’ repeal of COVID immunity protections, industry rep says

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 12, 2021

Assisted living and other long-term care operators are the victims of politics via legislation signed last week by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo that repeals blanket immunity protections for pandemic-related efforts, according to one industry representative.

New Hampshire tops list of best states for retirees

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 12, 2021

A new ranking puts New Hampshire at the top of the list for retirement locations because of its low crime and poverty scores, as well as its health and well-being scores.

More news for Monday, April 12

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 12, 2021

American House Senior Living Communities to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for staff effective Aug. 1 … Wisconsin Republican stimulus spending plan includes $150 million for assisted living communities and nursing homes … Assisted living resident charged with assault after allegedly attacking 2 employees who tried to stop him from leaving

Five Star to shift focus to larger properties, expand rehab business, exit skilled nursing

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date April 9, 2021

A new strategic plan will see Five Star Senior Living exiting the skilled nursing business completely, and the management of 108 communities transitioning to other operators, as the company shifts its focus to larger senior living communities, the company announced Friday.

‘Somewhat chaotic’ assisted living sector will be part of rethinking care for older adults: report

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 9, 2021

Successful aging requires a range of support services and housing options. But the system is rigged toward nursing homes, with many older adults spending their later years in those institutions because regulations, payment systems and outdated models of care make options difficult to provide.

Former assisted living owner indicted for diverting $800,000 in residents’ benefits for personal expenses

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 9, 2021

A federal grand jury has indicted the former owner of a Virginia assisted living community on 13 counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements for allegedly diverting $823,374 in federal and state benefits intended to pay for the care of the community’s residents.

Proposed bills would create new standards for staff dementia training

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 9, 2021

Creating a standard of dementia training for assisted living and other caregivers is the goal of proposed legislation in Florida, but a senior living organization says that not targeting training by population served is a mistake.

Senior living occupancy declines for sixth quarter in a row, reaches new low: NIC

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date April 8, 2021

Occupancy at U.S. senior living communities — independent living and assisted living combined — reached a record low of 78.8% in the first quarter, according to new NIC MAP data released today. The news marks the sixth consecutive quarter that occupancy has declined. Four of those quarters have been during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Criminal recoveries for Medicaid fraud in assisted living top $1M again due to case discovered after murder

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date April 8, 2021

Fallout from a Medicaid fraud case discovered because of a murder at an assisted living community had an outsized effect on fraud-related criminal monetary recoveries by state Medicaid Fraud Control Units for the second consecutive year, suggests the latest annual report released by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

Faked COVID-19 test results lead to employee firings, response protocol changes for CCRC after ‘horrifying’ lockdown

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 8, 2021

A Seattle continuing care retirement community has fired two employees and revised its COVID-19 response protocols with the public health department after the employees falsified their coronavirus test results, resulting in the facility going into full quarantine.

Assisted living operators exempt from new Texas ‘vaccine passport’ prohibition

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date April 8, 2021

Assisted living operators are exempt from a new executive order in Texas prohibiting the requirement of a “vaccine passport” for services, but one senior living provider organization says the exemption won’t change much in senior living from a practical standpoint.