Literature Review

A looming crisis: Millennials caring for aging parentsFalls Church News-Press, by Brian Reach; 1/11/24... Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, comprise roughly 73 million Americans. By 2030, all boomers, and over 70 million Americans in total, will be ages 65 and older. This represents an at least 25 percent increase in the number of senior citizens — in just over five years.

Assisted living scrutiny by lay media continues into new yearMcKnights Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 1/8/24It’s been a rough few months for the assisted living sector as lay media reports put a spotlight on the varying — or a lack of — regulations covering operators, a situation they said has led to tragic outcomes for some residents. Georgia assisted living operators are the latest to come under scrutiny. ... Industry advocates say that it is unfair to paint all providers with one brush, but they acknowledge that the attention is a reminder that “good policies and procedures, routine staff training, and oversight to ensure staff are following the policies are vital for providing great care.”

Cap rates increase by 74 basis points across all segments of senior living and careMcKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin, 1/3/24The average senior housing and care capitalization rate across all segments increased by 74 basis points between April and October, according to results of the 13th edition of CBRE’s US Senior Housing & Care Investor Survey for the second half of 2023. An April survey had found that cap rates had increased for all sectors but skilled nursing. The commercial real estate services and investment company sought feedback from senior housing investors, developers, lenders and brokers throughout the United States. The survey was conducted in October, and results were released in December.

NY healthcare orgs collab to deliver value-based hospice, palliative careTechTarget, by Victoria Bailey; 1/3/24Bassett Healthcare Network, a New York-based health system, has partnered with Helios Care to provide patients with value-based hospice and palliative care. ... Together, the two organizations will create an electronically driven referral process that will promote value-based contracting for hospice and palliative care services and establish a comprehensive palliative care and hospice service to treat patients in the hospital, in outpatient settings, and at home. In addition, the partnership will prioritize developing a transitional care program to provide in-home care for patients with serious illnesses, chronic diseases, and end-of-life needs.

‘Profound’ financial, workforce challenges persist for senior living providers as 2024 beginsMcKnights Senior Living, by Lois Bowers; 1/2/24Senior living operators will continue to face inflationary pressures and capital market challenges in 2024, but some effects may lessen before the year is out, according to industry experts.

New services help post-acute, hospital partnershipsModern HealthcareDecember 27, 2023Nursing homes and home healthcare companies are branching into new lines of business to increase revenue as demand for post-acute care rises and Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements stagnate. It is a trend that Ash Shehata, a partner at business consulting firm KPMG, has been tracking for the past two years. Healthcare providers are under increasing pressure from insurers to quicken the move of patients to less-costly settings. 

148 assisted living workers will share in $5.5 million wage theft settlementMcKnight’s Senior Living, 12/21/23Almost 150 senior living caregivers in California will share in a $5.5 million settlement, the state’s largest judgment in a residential care facility wage theft case. The settlement includes a $2 million award announced Dec. 6 by the California labor commissioner’s office, bringing the eventual payout to caregivers at Adat Shalom Board & Care to $5.5 million. Adat Shalom operated six assisted living communities in West Hills, CA, and provided services for residents living with dementia or Parkinson’s disease, as well as hospice care. A seven-year investigation into the company found that from July 2014 to July 2017, live-in workers at Adat Shalom’s facilities were paid less than the minimum wage, were denied overtime and did not receive meal or rest breaks, according to the labor commissioner.

Healthcare organizations hiring, retaining more employees—FitchModern HealthcareDecember 20, 2023Hospital employment numbers have increased, while healthcare job openings are on the decline—though the industry is still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 17.2 million individuals were on the payroll at healthcare organizations in November 2023, compared with 16.6 million in December 2022, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Announcing the Winners of the 2023 SHN Architecture & Design AwardsSenior Housing NewsDecember 18, 2023Senior Housing News, an Aging Media Network publication, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Senior Housing News Architecture & Design Awards. Communities across the United States and the globe submitted new construction and renovation/repositioning projects this year, vying for top honors across 17 categories.Hospice

Study uncovers racial, geographic disparities in LTSS accessMcKnight’s Home Care DailyDecember 19, 2023Disparities in access to long-term services and supports (LTSS) create greater financial and health-related challenges for people of color, according to new research by healthcare research firm ATI Advisory. Using data from a University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, the ATI study sampled 6,232 people aged 55 years old and living in home- or community-based settings. 

Washington Post Reports Highlight Assisted Living Resident Elopements and Staffing Problems, Industry Pushes BackSenior Housing NewsDecember 17, 2023A new Washington Post investigation has detailed dozens of incidents where senior living residents have wandered away and died as well as “bare-bones” staffing levels at communities across the country. In one article published over the weekend, the Post examined thousands of cases since 2018 where senior living residents wandered away from their communities, resulting in nearly 100 deaths in that time. ... The articles underscore the challenges senior living operators will surely have in the coming years, in terms of both staffing and managing communities and maintaining positive perceptions among the public. 

Dozens of assisted-living residents died after wandering away unnoticedWashington PostDecember 17, 2023... Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive problems walk away from assisted-living facilities just about every day in America, a pattern of neglect by an industry that charges families an average of $6,000 a month for the explicit promise of safeguarding their loved ones, a Washington Post investigation has found. Since 2018, more than 2,000 people have wandered away from assisted-living and dementia-care units or been left unattended outside, according to The Post’s exhaustive search of inspection results, incident reports and media accounts nationwide. 

22 states to increase minimum wage on Jan. 1McKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 13, 2023Almost half of the states, along with 40 local jurisdictions, are set to ring in 2024 with increases to minimum wage, according to Polsinelli law firm. The 22 states with minimum wage increases coming in the new year: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Washington.