Changing Aging: Most Recent Articles

Innovation in Senior Housing Essential and Not for the Faint of Heart

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:51:00 -0500

Good white paper on innovations in senior housing nationally, including insights from Ecumen CEO Kathryn Roberts.

US sets 2025 goal to tame Alzheimer's

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:03:00 -0500

Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the goal as part of the first National Alzheimer's Plan.

An additional $50m will be added to research funding during 2012.

About 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer's or related dementias, a number expected to reach 16 million by 2050, at a cost of $625 million

In addition, the plan calls for better training of doctors in a bid to better recognise the symptoms of the disease, increased support for care-givers and public awareness of the disease, as well as better data tracking.

President Barack Obama has earmarked an additional $80m in his 2013 budget plan for Alzheimer's research in what was described as an effort to "jumpstart" efforts to reach the 2025 goal.

New research

As part of the plan, the Department of Health and Human Services also launched a website to provide information and resources to care-givers.

Mrs Sebelius said the Alzheimer's plan was a "national" effort and not a centralised push by the federal government.

Reducing the burden of Alzheimer's will require the active engagement of both the public and private sectors”
Kathleen Sebelius

US Health Secretary
"Reducing the burden of Alzheimer's will require the active engagement of both the public and private sectors," she said.

The plan was unveiled as part of a two-day National Institutes for Health (NIH) symposium focused on the fight against the disease, held as researchers prepared to announce two clinical trials designed to treat Alzheimer's.

"We are at an exceptional moment," said Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.

One trial tests the use of a drug that attacks amyloid - a protein thought to be a cause of Alzheimer's. The trial will involve 300 patients from an extended family who show no symptoms but are genetically likely to have the disease earlier in life.

The trial will be funded through the National Institutes of Health as well as the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, but with most of the funding from Genetech, the drug's US manufacturer.

The second trial will test an insulin nasal spray's ability to restore memory for those with the disease.

Previous research has linked Alzheimer's to diabetes, especially to the adult-onset form of the disease.

The plan comes as the US moves to implement its healthcare reform law, which currently faces scrutiny and possible repeal by the Supreme Court.

Research and advocacy group the Alzheimer's Association estimates that treating the disease would carry a $200bn price tag in 2012 and a cost of $1tn by 2050, including $140 billion in costs to government healthcare programmes Medicare and Medicaid.

Housing hot spots - Ecumen featured by Star Tribune

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:32:00 -0500

Click here for full article

The Growth of Memory Care in Assisted Living Development

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:43:00 -0500

The nation is gearing up for an impending “silver tsunami,” and part of that includes making sure senior housing communities are prepared to care for a growing number of seniors with memory impairments.

One trend that’s becoming increasingly common: assisted living communities that didn’t originally offer memory care services are now making moves to provide them.

But memory care is very different from assisted living care, and factors such as financing, loan terms, and structural design requirements for the best quality of care make renovations or expansions a very complicated process.

The Need: Alzheimer’s By the Numbers

The nation’s 65+ demographic, which currently accounts for 13% of the overall population, is expected to more than double by 2050 to more than 89 million (and 20% of the population), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The need for memory care programs is projected to increase substantially too, with the number of 65+ Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease expected to rise from 5.1 million in 2010 to 13.5 million in 2050, according to estimates from the Alzheimer’s Association.

That translates to more than 15% of the 65+ demographic having an Alzheimer’s diagnosis within the next forty years.

“[Memory care is] in huge demand,” says Dana Wollschlager, director of real estate development for Ecumen, a company based in the Twin Cities, Minn. area that owns, manages, and designs senior living communities.

Including memory care as a service offering is vital for Ecumen and the companies with which it works

For full article: Click here

Ecumen Bethany Community begins $3 Million Expansion

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:15:00 -0600

ECHO Press, Alexandria, Minn.
Published February 24, 2012, 12:00 AM

Bethany begins $3 million expansion

Big things are happening at Bethany. Ecumen, a nonprofit senior housing and services company, is expanding senior living and service offerings in Alexandria. Ecumen Bethany Community recently started a $3 million renovation and expansion project that will improve short-term rehabilitation services and introduce memory care.
By: Al Edenloff, Alexandria Echo Press

This artist's rendering shows the dining area at Ecumen Bethany Community.

Big things are happening at Bethany.

Ecumen, a nonprofit senior housing and services company, is expanding senior living and service offerings in Alexandria. Ecumen Bethany Community recently started a $3 million renovation and expansion project that will improve short-term rehabilitation services and introduce memory care. The project will also expand the short-term rehab dining area and centralize administrative offices on the campus.

“We already have an outstanding short-term rehab program, and soon we’ll have an enhanced space in which to continue providing the very best services to the Alexandria community,’’ said Carol Kvidt, Ecumen Bethany Community’s executive director. “Our short-term rehab resident satisfaction rate is 97 percent; the new space will make it even better.” Kvidt added that there’s a growing need in the community for senior living options, including an increasing demand for “quality memory care in a home-like environment.”

When completed, the remodeled short-term rehab unit will be located on one floor with easy access to the therapy gym. The expansion will increase the dining space in the unit and add 11 memory care suites. A new courtyard will be added to Bethany’s outdoor space.

The project, financed through long-term, tax-exempt bonds, is expected to wrap up this summer. Here’s the timeline, according to Kvidt: the new short-term rehab will open in mid-March, the rest of the project, including the new dining space, new front entrance, courtyard and new memory care will all open in early July.

Ecumen Bethany Community offers independent and assisted living, skilled nursing care, short-term rehabilitation services, a senior fitness center, and community outreach services for Alexandria area residents, including adult day services, respite care, and the VoiceCare home medical alert system.

For more information about the expansion or about Ecumen Bethany Community, contact Kvidt at (320) 763-1133 or CarolKvidt@ecumen.org.

ABOUT ECUMEN
Ecumen (ecumen.org), based in Shoreview, is empowering individuals to live richer and fuller lives. Ecumen says it envisions a world in which aging is viewed and understood in radically different ways. Its mission is to create home for older adults wherever they choose to live. Ecumen operates senior housing and services across Minnesota (including Bethany Community in Alexandria), and in North Dakota, Wisconsin and Idaho, and provides senior housing development services nationally. Ecumen has been named seven straight years by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of Minnesota’s “Best Places to Work” and one of Minnesota’s Top Workplaces by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Not-For-Profit Vs. For-Profit Senior Living - National Experts Lead a Panel Discussion

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:06:00 -0600

Feb. 23, 2012, 8:45 a.m. EST

The Big Picture: Not-For-Profit Vs. For-Profit Senior Living

NORWALK, Conn., Feb 23, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Senior Living Business Interactive will be looking at the competitive atmosphere for the two major senior living business models during an online conference on Thursday, March 8th. Times are changing and an in depth comparison between not-for-profit and for-profit business models is now crucial. Though they are traditionally thought of as having more similarities than differences, the narrowed cost gap of debt financing has nearly wiped out the advantage that tax-exempt organizations have always enjoyed. At this online conference, senior living professionals will learn vital information about the current landscape of each model. A panel of senior living industry insiders will examine what is happening in the senior living market right now and guide senior housing and care professionals in a successful direction.

The moderator of the conference, Jim Moore, President of Moore Diversified Services, will pose topical questions including: What's the current competitive picture with regard to financing, the ability to take on debt, and the general operational motivation of the two models? How do long-term expectations differ, for example exit strategy or future sale vs. mission? Generally speaking, for-profits are better able to capitalize on efficiencies with respect to cash flow and maximizing financial returns. Can overleveraging by not-for-profits permanently hamper their success? What's the current environment regarding property tax exemptions?

Our hand-selected panel of seniors living experts will address these strategies and answer any pressing questions the audience chooses to submit, they include: Wyatt R. Ritchie, Managing Director, Cain Brothers, Adam Kane, SVP Corporate Affairs, Erickson Living, Steve Ordahl, SVP of Business & Fund Development, Ecumen. Plus additional speakers to be announced!

The publisher of Senior Living Business Interactive, Jane E. Zarem, invites you to take part in this must-see online conference. All participants will be able to ask the expert panel any questions they may have about the not-for profit and for-profit senior living business models. Details about the current seniors housing environment may surprise many professionals in the industry. The expert panelists have vowed to cover all lingering issues in addition to reviewing basic differences. For example, do lower operating costs of the for-profits put the residents at risk?

This online conference, hosted by Senior Living Business Interactive, is expected to generate a stimulating discussion. If you're interested in business models, strategies, or investing in the senior living industry, you won't want to miss this crucial online conference entitled, 'The Big Picture: Not-For-Profit Vs. For-Profit Senior Living' on Thursday, March 8th at 1:00 pm ET.

Senior Living Business Interactive is published by Irving Levin Associates, Inc., founded in 1948 and the leading publisher of newsletters, reports and online data on mergers and acquisitions data in the seniors housing and health care industry.

Please visit https://www.levinassociates.com/1203-online-conference or call 1-800-248-1668 for more information about this interactive conference.

* To receive this press release via email, send a message to pressreleases@levinassociates.com.

SOURCE: The SeniorCare Investor

The SeniorCare Investor
Stephen M. Monroe, 800-248-1668
Partner
Fax: 203-846-8300

Innovation in Senior Housing and Services and Beyond

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:23:00 -0600

Great article on innovation in senior housing, services and beyond.

Senior Housing Communities Developed by Ecumen Win National Awards for Design Approach for Alzheimer's

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:20:00 -0600

Shoreview, MN (PRWEB) February 12, 2012

Two senior housing communities developed by Ecumen were honored this week with national awards for innovative interior design approaches for housing for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

WoodsEdge at Sanford assisted living community in Bemidji, Minn., was awarded a 2012 SAGE Innovation Design Showcase Citation of Merit. SAGE (the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments) promotes the objective of improving the built environments for older adults.

“We’re seeing that using vintage design that incorporates resident work spaces and items from a person’s past can help trigger memories associated with hobbies and work, and spark interaction and conversations,” said Dana Wollschlager, Ecumen’s director of real estate development.

WoodsEdge at Sanford, which is also Minnesota’s first LEED® Silver certified senior housing development, integrates gardening areas and ‘40s-era vintage-inspired “work spaces” where residents can work on projects or socialize. WoodsEdge also incorporates antique farm implements and country store memorabilia, which has helped draw out memories and conversation among the residents.

GracePointe at Tabitha assisted living community in Lincoln, Neb., was awarded both the 50+ Gold Award and the Innovation Award for Best Assisted Living Project by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). GracePointe interiors embrace the 1940s and ‘50s era, offering environmental cues that encourage familiar memories among residents with memory loss, celebrating life while remembering the past.

Ecumen Business Development Services adds these recent awards to a string of honors for senior living developments, including the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal’s “Best in Real Estate” honors for both Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood (2010) and Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley (2011).

Ecumen (ecumen.org), based in Shoreview, Minn., is the most innovative leader of senior housing and services, empowering individuals to live richer and fuller lives. Ecumen envisions a world in which aging is viewed and understood in radically different ways. Its mission is to create home for older adults wherever they choose to live. Ecumen operates senior housing and services across Minnesota, and in North Dakota, Wisconsin and Idaho, and provides senior housing development services nationally. Ecumen has been named seven straight years by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of Minnesota’s “Best Places to Work” and one of Minnesota’s Top Workplaces by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

St. Mark's Lutheran Home Holds Groundbreaking for Major Expansion

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:18:00 -0600

St. Mark’s Lutheran Home, area business leaders, and families and friends of the senior living community marked the beginning of a year-long redevelopment and expansion with a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, January 27.

The redevelopment will include:

relocating 25 assisted living apartments to newly constructed space
renovating 20 apartments for new memory care assisted living
renovating 16 long term care rooms for short-term rehabilitation services
remodeling the remaining 45 long term care rooms
creating a new occupational and physical therapy area, a multi-purpose gathering room, chapel and living area, all near the new front entrance to the campus on 4th Street
relocating and enhancing the beauty shop and café area

Construction began in late January and will take approximately 13 months, with completion in the spring of 2013. Ecumen, which manages St. Mark’s Lutheran Home, will lead the development of the project.

St. Mark’s, an independent, nonprofit senior living community, has served Austin-area seniors and their families for half a century. It is governed by a board of directors elected by the Austin congregations of St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Grace Lutheran Church, Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church; and Six Mile Grove Lutheran Church and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Lyle. St. Mark’s is managed by Ecumen, based in Shoreview, Minn. Ecumen is the most innovative leader of senior housing and services, empowering individuals to live richer and fuller lives, it has been named seven straight years by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of Minnesota’s “Best Places to Work” and one of Minnesota’s Top Workplaces by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Expanding and Improving Senior Living & Services at St. Mark's in Austin

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:41:00 -0600

The board of directors of St. Mark’s Lutheran Home announced today that St. Mark’s has closed on financing for a major redevelopment and expansion of the Austin senior community. The $13.4 million project will be financed through long-term tax-exempt bonds, which went on sale in early December and quickly sold out.

“The redevelopment of Saint Mark’s is an important part of Austin’s future vitality as it will be a tremendous asset in helping people live more independently and stay in the community,” says Marty Helle, president of St. Mark’s board of directors. “We’re greatly looking forward to this next stage in St. Mark’s long-term commitment to serving Austin area seniors and their families.”

Read the full story about St. Mark's redevelopment and expansion on the Austin Daily Herald website.

Senior Housing and its Impact on Americans' Aging Experience

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:33:00 -0600

Want to share this blog post and a new book that highlights wisdom from America's most experienced citizens. Interesting insight on value of senior housing in one's life.

Aging population growing faster than general population

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:17:00 -0600

More people were 65 years and older in the U.S. in 2010 than in any other census before. Our aging population is growing at a faster rate than the general population. Why is this important information for all to know? Because it helps us implement, evaluate, and challenge our plans for serving the aging generation. Check out this report from the 2010 census for the details. Together, with the right knowledge, we can be prepared and ready for the changes ahead of us. Click on the link below to read the article in detail.

Click Here

In response the demographic trend, Ecumen is working hard to follow the market research to ensure that new projects are being built in areas around the country with the greatest need. (Look for new project announcements coming soon!). We also passionately follow the latest innovative trends to make sure our communities are always great places to call home.

Is HUD 232 financing worth the struggle?

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:48:00 -0600

I recently read a great article about HUD 232 senior housing financing. My industry colleagues and I often talk about HUD financing as a process that feels a lot like beating your head against a concrete wall. This Senior Housing News article seems to be saying what we are all thinking: It’s hard to beat 40-year non-recourse funding at the interest rates provided by the government, but is the application process worth the time and suffering? In this economy, where financing of any kind is tough to come by, the answer seems to be a resounding, YES! Just last year, 473 deals were financed through HUD 232. Ecumen seems to have tapped the secret to financing through the HUD 232 LEAN program. It’s all in the details. It is important to find a trustworthy financing partner with a strong history of effectively working with HUD and to establish clear expectations for timing. Do not expect the process to go quickly. In many situations, it takes up to a year to secure HUD financing. As long as you make time for it in your development plan, it is more than possible to get your projects financed, even in today’s economy.

Julie Murray - Director of Real Estate Development

A Helping Hand at Home

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:59:00 -0500

Throughout my career in aging services, I have had many conversations about how to offer affordable services to seniors who wish to remain in their homes. Ecumen at Home strives to help these very people by providing a wide variety of non-medical and medical services, from cleaning and laundry to assistance with bathing, to match wants and needs. At this point, however, we can only provide our home care services within the Twin Cities area. I receive information daily from other home care companies around the country. Yesterday, I received a mailing titled, “Helping Hands”, which contained information about the home care services being offered to seniors living in Holdingford, Minnesota. Holdingford is a small town of about 780 people in central Minnesota and I am proud to be a Holdingford High School alumnus. My interest peaked; I went online to find out a bit more about Helping Hands. Their work began as an outreach program to help older adults who were experiencing the challenges of aging and remaining safely and comfortably at home. These needs commonly include: transportation, homemaking and chore assistance, and help with insurance and social contacts. Helping Hands relies solely on donations and volunteers to provide its services to the community. Its work within the Holdingford community has made it an invaluable asset. Similar community based programs are sprouting up around the country and can be a great option to keep services affordable and seniors active in their towns. Today, there are nearly 30 million people in the United States over the age of 65. The census bureau expects this number to increase to 73 million by 2030. With the threat of further government reductions in funding, organizations like Helping Hands and Ecumen at Home may be the aging wave of the future as more and more older adults chose to remain at home.

For more information about Ecumen at Home, please visit: www.ecumenathome.org or call: 651-766-4300.

Tom Opatz - Director of Real Estate Development

Senior Housing Developers and Builders to Reap the Benefits of the Age Wave

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:15:00 -0500

Ecumen has recently completed the construction of more than $72 million (410 Units) of new Senior Housing Communities, as this article published in the New York Times demonstrates that other successful developers and builders that waited for the economy to recover will reap the benefits moving forward.

Ecumen, acting as the development consultant, is poised to break ground on two new projects yet this fall, totaling 230 units.

Irene Woods Senior Housing, in partnership with Edward Rose & Sons will be a 140-unit Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care community in Memphis, Tennessee scheduled to open in spring of 2013.

Esprit of Whispering Ridge, in partnership with Esprit Memory Care of Nebraska, LLC will be a 90-unit Assisted Living and Memory Care community in Omaha, Nebraska schedule to open in the fall of 2012.

Dana Wollschlager - Director of Real Estate Development

Reuniting in Senior Housing After Nearly 80 Years and Joining the Ecumen Centenarian Club

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:33:00 -0500

Senior housing is all about community. And at Ecumen's Bethany Community in Alexandria, MN two of our customers are rekindling a friendship after nearly 80 years apart - as they ready to turn 100.

"Not your grandma's nursing home." Indeed!

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:52:00 -0500

Kay and Vince Mattison chose Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley for all the right reasons. Read about senior housing trends, including Ecumen's housing development efforts, in this recent Star Tribune article.

Ecumen Senior Housing Development Leader Interviewed in Minneapolis Star Tribune

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:02:00 -0500

Photo: Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune

Below is the full Q&A from the Minneapolis Star Tribune with Ecumen senior housing development leader Steve Ordahl:

Since 2001, Ecumen has evolved from a nursing home owner to a developer/manager of senior housing projects, provider of in-home services and other alternatives designed to keep seniors living healthy and independently and out of nursing homes, the most expensive housing.

The company operates in 10 states, and has been recognized as an innovator as government tries to slow the spiraling cost of Medicare and Medicaid.

Steve Ordahl, a onetime Army officer who turned the Minnesota State Capitol printing office into a profit center and who also has been part of turnaround teams at the Texas Aquarium and Underwater World at the Mall of America, has been an Ecumen employee since 2003. As senior vice president of business development, he has overseen development of 600-plus housing units at complexes valued at nearly $150 million since 2008.

Q. What's happened at Ecumen since you and CEO Kathryn Roberts arrived nearly a decade ago?

A. In 2003 just about all beds, about 5,000, were nursing home beds. That fall, the board said we're going to challenge you to take the 80 percent of revenue from nursing homes and drop it to 50 percent over five years. And grow the housing, independent, assisted-living and memory-care housing, the businesses that have some profit margin, and grow that to 35 or 38 percent within five years. By end of 2008 we obtained that objective. The other [12 percent or so] comes from ancillary services, management contracting and philanthropy. By gum, we did it.

Q. You also talked about being a better place to work, right?

A. The trust level in 2003-04 was pretty low among our employees. Five years later they voted us one of the best employers in Minnesota, right behind the Mayo Clinic. And they helped us grow our company by about 35 percent over that time period. We repositioned the portfolio, changed our business mix and we changed the culture.

Q. We're sitting in a year-old senior housing complex in Maplewood. Tell me about the place.

A. This development is key to us. You're greeted by a concierge here. It's a 150-unit, $30 million project. We're going for the market-rate housing market. But every one of our communities has an allowance for folks who we believe will spend down their assets ... and qualify for government assistance [Medicaid].

We ask all of those who move in to prove that they can pay privately for at least 24 months. We ask no one to leave [due to inability to pay]. This is a community, including a wellness center, a theater and some pretty cool programming. It's not just a nursing home from back in the day when residents could play bingo and a guy from the museum would come over ... we have lifelong learning programs ... go to the Guthrie.

We focus on physical, spiritual and financial wellness. We are not paternalistic. They are not "our" residents. We at Ecumen have a lifestyle covenant. You live your life the way you want. That means get up at 11:30 a.m. if you want. You can be as independent as you want to be or as service-intensive as you need to be without leaving your building.

Q. Were you immune to the real estate recession?

A. We flourished during a difficult time in the economy. We're fortunate not to be into an entry-fee-based care retirement community. You need a healthy real estate market and healthy bond market. If you're being asked for a downstroke of $200,000 or $300,000, most people need to sell their home. Our properties are rental. What does it cost to get in? The first month's rent. We don't ask for long-term leases. If you don't like living here, you don't have to live here. But our turnover is low and our buildings are full. Our employees are happy. We spend a lot of work on the front end on demographic research by Maxfield Research. They help with locations.

Q. You mentioned that you own 55 sites and that most people come from a 10-mile radius. Have you bought any unfinished condos ... there are still a few around?

ANo, because those developers didn't do their homework. Their buildings are in areas where the market wouldn't sustain them. We've heard from people peddling buildings. But most of the time they are in the wrong area or we would have to put in a commercial kitchen that would cost a lot of money.

Q. What's the future?

A. A lot of folks do want to stay in their home. We need to be able to provide services and companionship and medical and transportation. That will be a bigger part of our business. And there will a nice market for people who don't want to deal with the issues at home. They prefer a "cruise ship" on land. We have to be careful about what and where we build. We're building buildings with 30- or 40-year mortgages.

We also do third-party work. We work with clients to help them figure out their market and decide what, if anything, should be built in that market. And then we may manage the property for them.

Five Tips for Using Facebook to Build Community Outside of Senior Housing's Walls

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:32:00 -0500

Facebook can be a great tool for building community outside of senior housing's walls. Ecumen's Julie O'Neil (pictured above behind and in front of the "Julie Cam") is a community builder. No, she doesn't develop senior housing, but in her role leading a number of enriching social, exercise and intellectual wellness programs at Ecumen Scenic Shores, she also turns to Facebook to build community. You can become a friend of Ecumen Scenic Shores here. Here's insight from Julie on using Facebook to build community and five tips for success:

Our Facebook page has allowed us to stay so closely connected with our community of residents, family, friends, volunteers, and others who are a part of life at Ecumen Scenic Shores Assisted Living.

The most popular aspects for our users are:

- getting up to date information on acitivities and events;

- seeing photos of these activities and events, sometime just moments after it happens;

- being able to fulfill needs by reading postings about requests for very specific donations (like card making materials or baked goods for a fundraiser);

- being able to communicate with the activity director about events,

-RSVP'ing attendance, or to say hello to a loved one for them. This is especially gratifying for family and friends who live in far away places!

The most popular aspects for Ecumen Scenic Shores are:

-having our 100+ "friends" in such close contact;

-using the page as an outreach tool for prospects, they can really follow our daily life here when making a decision about a new home;

- marketing our fundraisers, the weekly and daily reminders make for a great turnout, especially when we post a photo;

-keeping in touch with friends to let them know of events, so they are well attended; and thanking volunteers and others, it's good PR to provide recognition and a great way to show how much we appreciate the good works that provide such a well rounded activity program.

Top 5 tips for maintaining a Facebook page:

1. Invite "friends" via newsletters, word of mouth, and whenever you have a residents family in;

2. Keep the info fresh, try to update daily;

3. Post photos with in 24 hours of an event (I have people tagging them and commenting as I am posting them!);

4. Provide posts about a variety of things to keep everyone engaged;

5. Make it fun and interactive if you can (I occasionally throw in a trivia question about a particular activity that is coming up to get people thinking about us).

I hope you have as much fun and success with your Facebook page as we have!

Senior Housing Development for Niches and Affinity Groups

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:31:00 -0500

Senior housing development . . . the times are a changing.

Ecumen is doing work with a college that wants to develop senior housing on its campus. Senior housing on college campuses is part of an increased trend in senior housing development for niches or affinity groups. Other recent specialized senior housing include:

- An Asian American senior housing community, Aegis Gardens, in Fremont, California, reflects Asian culture in everything from architecture to food and programming.

- The Burbank Senior Artists' Colony caters to people who are interested in the arts.

- The Escapees Care Center in Texas is an assisted living community for fulltime RVers.

- RainbowVision Community in Santa Fe, New Mexico caters to gay and lesbian residents.

What other niche or affinity senior housing communities could you see?