Seniors Housing Business is the magazine that helps you navigate the evolution of the seniors housing industry.
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www.seniorshousingbusiness.com 31 February/March 2017 n Seniors Housing Business © 2017 BOK Financial Corporation. Services provided by BOKF, NA. Member FDIC. BOKF, NA is a subsidiary of BOK Financial Corporation. Your Bottom Line Is Our Top Priority. Solutions you need from bankers who know your business. DEBT CAPITAL | SYNDICATIONS | TREASURY SOLUTIONS | SENIOR HOUSING SPECIALISTS Brian Puckett | 918.588.6230 | www.bokfinancial.com Operators Leverage Programming for Competitive Edge Memory care developers and providers are looking at a different kind of strategy to beat the competition — programming. The latest care protocols, along with new approaches, are being used to help their properties stand out. Irvine, Calif.-based Silverado Senior Liv- ing — an owner and operator of memory care communities — offers the Nexus program. It was developed two years ago, based on the latest research, as a way to maintain cognitive ability in the early stages of dementia. Every Silverado building offers the program, which includes physical and cognitive exercises and stress reduction methods such as yoga and guided meditation. Separately, a clinical trial related to the effect of light on memory care residents is being con- ducted at the Silverado buildings in Orange and Los Angeles counties in California. Sil- verado is collaborating with the University of Southern California (USC) Schools of Architec- ture and Gerontology for the study to measure resident mood and behavior, which research- ers believe are affected by light. Sunrise Senior Living tried something new when it offered an early onset dementia pro- gram for people age 45 to 65 at its building in Dublin, Ohio. Experience showed that younger residents with dementia can have a hard time fitting in with older memory care residents, most of whom are in their late 80s. So Sunrise designed a purpose-built neigh- borhood specially for younger people with the disease at its Dublin prop- erty. The idea was to give them the kind of program- ming they could relate to, such as music geared toward the tastes of younger people. The experiment fizzled, however, when only a cou- ple residents moved in. "It was a great opportunity to learn as you go," says Rita Altman, senior vice president of memory care and program services at Sunrise in McLean, Va. As an alternative, Sunrise now provides special individualized programming for those with early onset dementia. Younger residents are not segregated from older ones, but activi- ties are tailored to the resident's age. In com- munities with several residents with early onset dementia, they are grouped together for activities. "The key is a personalized care plan for every person," says Altman. The LaSalle Group, which operates memory care buildings under the brand name Autumn Leaves, has a new prototype building design with different activity areas to accommodate the latest programming that has proven to be effective. "We have the space," says John Bar- bee, executive vice president at The LaSalle Group based in Irving, Texas. Even food can be a competitive advantage. Watermark Retirement Communities has intro- duced the "Thrive" dining program, meant for those with memory loss who can no longer eat independently or struggle with utensils. Chefs prepare regular meals as two-bite finger food options. For example, beef Wellington with mashed potatoes and green beans becomes a pastry with ground meat and vegetables. "I've seen residents who cannot eat indepen- dently sit and eat a meal," says Rich Howell, managing director of operations at Tucson, Ariz.-based Watermark. "It's amazing." — Jane Adler A memory care resident at Silverado Senior Living plays table tennis as part of the Nexus program to maintain cognitive abilities.