Taxes on nursing homes in Alabama have doubled since 2008. You’d probably think the Alabama Nursing Home Association, which is the political voice for nursing home operators, would have spent the last five years protesting the increases, no? No! The ANHA has consistently supported state tax hikes on its members. What gives? It’s the same ol’ Medicaid … Continue reading
Tax breaks for senior housing projects are widespread nationally and rarely attract opposition. Politicians and developers alike constantly remind us that retired people, w few exceptions, cannot afford market-rate apartments. A columnist in Buffalo thinks otherwise. David Robinson writing in the Buffalo News cites a study conducted by the University at Buffalo showing that fewer … Continue reading
Publicly owned nursing have a big problem. But first the good news…they do better on average than their privately owned counterparts. A recent study showed that publicly owned and non-profit nursing homes had less citations and serious deficiencies than the ten largest for-profit nursing home companies. However, at what cost? Literally? This story from the … Continue reading
Managing a nursing home is tough. Managing a nursing home while turning a profit is even tougher. So, when a nursing home does close, it’s hardly a surprise. Nursing homes must adhere to strict state laws that dictate staffing levels. Most nursing homes accept Medicaid which has been reducing payments to nursing homes since 2011. … Continue reading
America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) published a study two years ago, tracking long-term care insurance (LTC) buyers between 1990 and 2010. They also compared buyers with the general population. Although most assisted living communities and home care agencies mention LTC insurance as a means to pay for their services, few people buy it. For those interested in … Continue reading
How do seniors vote when it comes to the local school budget? How should they vote? There are several factors that intersect when considering seniors and school bond issues: Declining birth rates An increasing senior population More seniors aging in place Declining revenue for public schools Shaky consumer confidence School budgets more often pass than … Continue reading
Does fee-for-service pricing alienate residents of assisted living? It would seem to be a foolish question, as the a la carte pricing model is the norm for assisted living communities. It is often the reason younger retirees opt for assisted living homes rather than CCRC’s. However, there are numerous published articles implying that fee-for-service communities … Continue reading
Tennessee Supreme Court rules against Assisted Living Company Tennessee’s Supreme Court reversed a decision by the Appeals Court and found Americare Systems, Inc. liable for the staffing shortage that led to a resident’s death. The case first went to trial in April 2010. The plaintiff’s were the daughters of a woman (Ms. Farrar) who died … Continue reading
A sales method that spends more time “selling” is more successful at moving younger seniors into independent and assisted living communities than the traditional method. At least according to an article published last year in the Senior Housing and Care Journal.* The study compared the traditional sales method used by most teams in the senior … Continue reading
Developers of assisted living communities face a significant hurdle whenever the local planning commission challenges their projects. The planning board is a political entity; its members are either elected or appointed and as such they often respond to public pressure. If a proposed project attracts vocal opponents, developers will need to make alliances that will counter bad … Continue reading
