Alexandria, Va. – Argentum’s Board of Directors has voted to establish the new Senior Living Standards Commission, which is charged with developing and maintaining voluntary standards for senior living. The Commission will be comprised of volunteer subject matter experts and other stakeholders having an interest in senior living. “By establishing this new commission, Argentum is…

For two years, Karen Neetz knew it was time for her mother, who is now 90, to move to a senior living community, but she struggled to find one that was a good fit. She started with a list of 22, then narrowed it down to 10. She toured communities, tracked them on a large…

As director of child care at senior living provider Ebenezer, Jody Schumann is passionate about bringing together children and older adults. “It gives the seniors a sense of purpose,” she said. Currently, Ebenezer is working to develop The Pillars of Prospect Park, a 283-residence independent living, assisted living, and memory care community. It will have…

Elder abuse can take many forms in community settings. In one case, a resident was being bullied by her neighbor. She was reluctant to speak out and became depressed, and her family eventually moved her to a different community. Another resident was treated roughly by a caregiver at a community that was understaffed. In another…

As part of OIG’s ongoing efforts to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid, and more than 100 other HHS programs, it recently released a report identifying vulnerabilities to fraud and poor care. The new report covers hospice care since 2005 and increases in utilization and reimbursement. OIG made more than a dozen recommendations…

WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Heritage Senior Living announced a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Partners for Health. The partnership will allow students from the College of Health Sciences and College of Nursing the opportunity to work with residents of Heritage Senior Living communities to research which emerging technologies can improve the health and quality of…

For decades, the senior living dining experience was marked by capacious formal dining rooms with banquet-style seating, white tablecloths, and little palpable difference in atmosphere from one meal to the next. The result was something consistent and pleasant but static, limited, and predictable. Then came the baby boomers. The arrival of a new generation of…

A nutritious, flavorful diet is fundamental to health and quality of life for senior living residents. However, older adults may face physical and cognitive challenges that make it difficult for them to gain adequate nutrition and satisfaction from their meals. How can providers meet these challenges to ensure optimum nutrition among a resident population with a…

Food service operations in senior living communities are increasingly getting attention as a source of competitive advantage. David Koelling, president of Strategic Dining Services, a dining service and hospitality management provider, knows the strategic importance of the dining operation. “For many operators, dining is the number one controllable expense, and the biggest driver of resident…

The House of Representatives is slated to pass over 59 bills coming from five different oversight committees addressing the opioid crisis.  The Senate Finance Committee has also unanimously approved legislation that combines 22 bills recently introduced by committee members.  The Senate opioid package includes provisions that would expand telehealth access for addiction treatment, remove lifetime…