Seniors Housing Business is the magazine that helps you navigate the evolution of the seniors housing industry.
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our own coordinator of care," says Handelson. "At that time, we chose not to do it ourselves, and developed preferred partners." Brookdale Senior Living offers "personalized living" — a program meant to let residents age in place instead of moving to a higher level of care. A staffer can help with medication reminders, offer sev- eral hours a day of companionship, or take a resident to the doctor. Brookdale's personalized living program is available at more than 145 of its communities. "We plan to grow the program in 2015," says Kim Estes, senior vice president of clinical services at Brookdale in Brentwood, Tenn. At Benchmark, the management of acuity creep includes modifca- tions to resident rooms, including specialty towel bars and toilet paper holders that also act as grab bars. New residents considered at risk for a fall — a big danger for the elderly — are asked to participate in a fall program that includes a "high-low" bed, which is an adjustable bed that can be easily lowered close to the foor, and a specialty foor mat next to the bedside to cushion falls. "We're doing things to stay ahead of the curve," says Handelson. Spectrum Retirement Com- munities LLC owns and manages 23 buildings with a variety of unit types. Combination buildings — those with both independent and What exactly is acuity creep? The phrase doesn't sound pleasant, but "acuity creep" has become the standard industry description of the gradual rise (creep) of multiple chronic conditions (acuity) among the growing population of elderly seniors housing residents. The word acuity comes from the hospital sector where it is defned as the measurement of the intensity of nursing care needed by a patient. As acuity rises, more nursing care is required. Older, frailer seniors simply need more help. Rising acuity isn't just an issue at seniors housing and care facilities. Hospitals face a similar situation as more surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, and only the sickest patients are actually admitted to the hospital. Defnitions of acuity vary widely, however. The way one hospital or nursing home measures acuity may differ from how another facility gauges the severity of chronic conditions. As a result, a March 2014 report prepared by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and sent to Congress suggested that payment reforms should be based on standardized patient assessment information, such as acuity, across a number of settings, including nursing homes and other post-acute care providers. The idea is that the information will be used to pro- vide the highest quality of care in the least expensive setting — a goal of healthcare reform. With so much at stake, acuity creep has naturally become a hot topic of conversation. At many industry conferences and meetings, the topic appears on the agenda as an emerging issue that requires urgent attention. But resident acuity has always been a part of the seniors housing and care equation, argues Patricia Will, president and CEO of Houston-based Belmont Village Senior Living. "You hear the phrase acuity creep all the time," she says. "But I don't buy it." The "care" part of the business is just as important as the housing and hospitality component, emphasizes Will. After all, resident acuity or frailness has always existed whether it was talked about or not. Even the healthiest 87-year-old is on the verge of having a problem, she notes. "As an industry we have to be prepared." — Jane Adler Resident acuity has always been a part of the seniors housing and care equation, says Patricia Will, president, CEO, Belmont Village Senior Living. "You hear the phrase acuity creep all the time. But I don't buy it." www.seniorshousingbusiness.com 51 February-March 2015 n Seniors Housing Business