Managing Remote Work and Workers Demands New Skills, New Techniques
January 28, 2021
Senior living communities are a “high-touch” environment. Care just can’t be done from a safe remove. But among those who support the industry, from the software developers to accountants to scientists to digital sales experts, and more—those who can work remotely are being encouraged to do so. And this sets up an entirely different set…
AI Solutions Are Transforming Every Aspect of Senior Living
January 28, 2021
As artificial intelligence solutions grow both more sophisticated and prominent, they increasingly are not only taking root in people’s daily lives but growing in influence in how industries operate. Senior living is no exception. In fact, AI is taking on a more impactful part in an array of roles for senior living operations—from staffing and…
Making Change a Positive
January 28, 2021
At the beginning of 2020, Merrill Gardens was excited and hard at work on a new opportunity: Its new brand for a moderate-priced model. “And then COVID hit,” writes Merrill Gardens president Tana Gall, in an email interview. “Like a lot of operators, at Merrill we went into all-hands-on-deck mode to support our communities as…
Five Steps on the Path to Saving Power Safely: Tips from Energy Star
September 23, 2020
Optimizing energy and better utility management can provide a healthier environment and keep unnecessary costs down—top concerns for senior living leaders. But it can be a tough job to coordinate different elements and sort through all the guidance. Argentum and ENERGY STAR® put our knowledge together to make it easier for senior living leaders, producing…
10 Tried-and-True Methods That Can Take a Bite Out of Food Costs
September 23, 2020
Voices of experience from the senior living culinary world share their tips for efficiency, engagement, and avoiding waste. 1. Go seasonal and local when you can. This makes for better quality and lower costs, but it also pays off in other ways, points out Morrison Living: with increased engagement and curiosity among residents about what’s…
Reducing Electric and Gas Costs Without Feeling the Burn
September 23, 2020
At home, the price of electricity feels like a given: You check your bill, you sigh, and you pay. But as a senior living community or provider, that price can be as negotiable as a professional athlete’s contract—and as complicated to negotiate. Power prices depend on a complex combination of factors in a quickly changing…
Ideas You Can Count On
September 23, 2020
Ultimately, efficiency is not about saving time or money. It’s about continually and effectively improving resident experience. In senior living, saving time or money isn’t sufficient for a program or process to prove itself. The ROI must include mission. The bottom line is quality. Attention to finances and resource use prepares a community to operate…
Federal Government Announcements Offer Significant COVID-19 Relief and Support for the Senior Living Industry
September 2, 2020
(Alexandria, Va.) – On September 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) formally announced a private pay distribution from the CARES Act provider relief funds for licensed assisted living providers. Argentum, its members, and its association partners have been advocating for months for financial relief for the industry, which is caring for vulnerable older…
Changing Perceptions About Aging Means Changing the Words We Use
June 18, 2020
Carol Burnett once said: “Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own.” Words matter. Words label and define us. In the same way that none of us would expect to hear “old folks’ home” used today, so too do we hope to retire outdated expressions that no longer define the work we…
Suiting Every Taste: Communities find solutions to provide a rich range of choices and independence in dining
April 9, 2020
Mealtime has never been only about the food—that’s been true for humans throughout history. It’s a time to share, to converse, to shine, to appreciate what brings us together and to highlight what’s unique about each of us. In senior living communities, the meaningfulness of that experience can be heightened. “Knowing the importance that food…
Make Every Bite Matter: Tips to Cut Waste
April 9, 2020
Reducing food waste is serious for executive directors and dining managers—more than half in our Forecast Report survey named it their top concern. Lower waste is a marker of resident satisfaction, operational excellence, and reaching sustainability goals. To help in the ongoing quest, experts Dana Fillmore, RD, healthcare customer marketing manager at Gordon Food Service…
Landscaping Can Grow Engagement While It’s Shrinking Expenses
February 18, 2020
Just like many other community operations, landscaping today has to do more with the same resources. While it’s important to offer curb appeal that makes every resident and visitor feel at home and welcomed, landscaping needs to work within a community’s budget—that’s both for establishment and maintenance, today and for the long term. On top…