ALFA Announces National Administrator Certification Program
The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) has announced a new voluntary
administrator certification program for assisted-living professionals as part of its
continuing effort to encourage professional training and development within the industry.
The program is offered through ALFA University.
The administrators certification program is available for executive directors,
administrators and professionals seeking to prepare for administrative positions.
For more information contact ALFA University at (800) 258-7030 or e-mail: ALUNIV@aol.com.
Industry Events
4th Annual Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America Conference and Expo
August 23-25; The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Phoenix, Az.; (703) 281-3140
Missouri Association of Homes for the Aging Conference and Expo
Sept. 6-8; Marriott's Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach, Mo.; (573) 635-6244
Assisted Living 2000--ALFA
Sept. 10-13; Seattle Convention Center Seattle, Wa; (703) 691-8100
Illinois Health Care Association 50th Annual Convention & Trade Show
Sept. 11-13; Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, Ill.; (800) 252-8988
2000 Healthcare Food Service Management National Training Conference
Sept. 12-16; The Registry Resort, Naples, Fla.; (202) 546-7236
National Investment Center for the Senior Housing & Care Industries 10th Annual
Conference
Sept. 13-15; Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.; (410) 267-0504
Partners in Caregiving: Mobile Adult Day Services College
Sept. 13-15; Denver; (800) 795-3676
National Gerontological Nursing Association Annual Convention
Sept. 15-17; Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Va.; (800) 723-0560
Virginia Health Care Association
Sept. 18-21; Richmond Marriott Hotel & Richmond Centre, Richmond, Va.; (804) 788-4400
Online Nursing Degree Established
 University
of Wisconsin Learning Innovations (UWLI), University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and
NursingCenter.com have created a new online degree program, called BSN-LINC. The program
will allow registered nurses to earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing exclusively
over the Internet. The partnership was recently announced at the National Student Nurses
Association Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.
BSN-LINC represents the first time an educational institution has partnered with a
nursing website to offer an online degree, according to the American Journal of Nursing.
The program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and
has preliminary approval by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
CNA HealthPro Assigns Lighthouse Exclusive Position
Lighthouse Underwriters is serving as the exclusive wholesaler for assisted-living
business for CNA HealthPro. According to Bryan Baird, director for the Assisted Living
Federation of America Program (ALFA), the strategy involves a three-tiered market program.
In the agreement with CNA HealthPro, all business previously written with Atlantic Mutual
is being considered an automatic submission from Lighthouse to CNA HealthPro.
Lighthouse is recognized as the exclusive wholesaler for the ALFA Business Insurance
Program.
Alzheimer's Association and Marriott Senior Living Services Begin Partnership
One of the assisted-living industry's leaders, Marriott Senior Living Services (MSLS),
is collaborating with the Alzheimer's Association to improve Alzheimer's care services
through education and staff training. In a contractual agreement, the association and MSLS
will work together to develop interactive and experiential training programs.
The education plan for Marriott managers and activities directors focuses on major
areas of study which include identifying meaningful and appropriate activities;
understanding factors that affect the accuracy of assessments; choosing the right style
program; developing programs for a variety of abilities; task analysis; strength-based
programming and activity adaptations.
The first program from the joint venture began in May.
EdenCare President/CEO Nominated for Atlanta Small Business Person of Year
Alfred S. Holbrook, CEO and president of Alpharetta, Ga.-based EdenCare Senior Living
Services, was nominated recently as one of the top-five candidates for Atlanta's Small
Business Person of the Year Award. Sponsored by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the award
honors individuals whose companies have contributed to the Metro-Atlanta business
community. As a candidate for the award, Holbrook was recognized for his achievements with
EdenCare and his work in the senior-living industry in other states around the Southeast.
EdenCare was also recently named the 12th largest provider of assisted-living services
by Contemporary Long Term Care magazine. EdenCare has 34 assisted-living and
independent living communities in development, under construction or in operation in
Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.
HUD Endorses Accessibility Document Prepared by NAHB
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has endorsed a new building
codes document that clarifies the Federal Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines for
builders and will help ensure that new apartments and condominiums are accessible to
people with disabilities. The document describes the federal multifamily construction
accessibility requirements in building code language. It was prepared by the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB), HUD and the International Code Council.
According to the NAHB, this is a major breakthrough for the multifamily industry.
The document is being referred to as the Codes Requirements for Housing Accessibility
(CRHA). It will be available for adoption by local and state jurisdictions as part of
their local building code. NAHB, HUD, disability rights communities and other interested
parties will be working to encourage states and localities to adopt the CRHA into law as
soon as possible.
Holiday, Emeritus Executives Invest in Alterra
Milwaukee, Wis.-based Alterra Healthcare Corporation announced $138 million investment
of private entity involving existing shareholders and top executives of Holiday Retirement
Corporation and Emeritus Corporation. Shareholders received preferred shares of stock for
their investment. Two of those investors included senior executives and directors of
Holiday Retirement Corporation and Emeritus Corporation, Daniel Baty and William Colson.
As part of the agreement, Colson will join Alterra's board of directors after he resigns
as director of Emeritus, increasing the total number on the board to nine members.
New Long-Term-Care Company Created Through Merger
Right Care and Grace Healthcare have joined to become Community Eldercare Services LLC.
According to Douglas M. Wright Jr., president and CEO of Community Eldercare Services, the
new organization hopes to position itself as an industry leader following the fallout from
the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and its Prospective Payment System.
The newly formed company will operate 39 senior-living properties in California,
Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan Mississippi, Tennessee, and
Virginia. Quality of care and community outreach will be top priorities for Community
Eldercare Services' management members and the properties. In addition, a Healthy Aging
Community program will be conducted monthly at each community for anyone wanting tips on
helping mature adults live happily and independently at home for as long as possible.
NIC Lender Locator Online
A searchable database of lenders and financial intermediaries who are active in
providing financing to the seniors housing and care industry is available online through
the National Investment Center (NIC). The "Lender Locator" can be found at www.nic.org.
The directory allows users to view specific lending characteristics of more than 125
lenders and financial intermediaries. Searches can be conducted by property type, type and
volume of financing needed, geographic location, lender or financial intermediary name and
contact name.
The lender locator is the online version of the NIC Lender & Investor Directory,
published separately by NIC. There is no charge to be listed in the database. For more
information, visit www.nic.org or call (410) 267-0504.
People on the Move
H. Linda Berger |
Presbyterian Home & Services Inc., a private, nonprofit provider of retirement
housing and healthcare services, has appointed H. Linda Berger as vice president of
Health Services.
Meadowmere Assisted Living Apartments in Madison, Wis., has announced the appointment
of Kathy Sorum as administrator. Additionally, Meadowmere-Southport Assisted Living
Apartments in Kenosha, Wis., named Scott M. Chappell as administrator.
IMC Construction Company of Malvern, Pa., announces the following appointments:
Ed Shields to senior project manager; Michael Becker to project manager; Vince
Martino to superintendent; Sharon Kachline to administrative assistant; and Kelli
Pedrick to administrative assistant.
Love Funding Corporation, a national mortgage banking firm, announced that Chris
Fenton joined the firm as vice president senior loan originator.
Classic Residence by Hyatt, the senior- living affiliate of Hyatt Corp. has named Randal
J. Richardson president of the privately held, Chicago-based company.
Randal J. Richardson |
Hormel HealthLabs Inc. has announced three managerial appointments. John Bailey
has been named East Central regional manager; Bill Kirch has been named Pacific
West regional manager; and John Reed has been named Northwest regional manager.
Sundt Senior Living, a design, construction and financing firm for the senior- housing
industry, has named Teri L. Jones a principal in its northern California office.
Cheryl Black has been appointed executive director of The Seasons at Glenview
Place, a retirement community in Skokie, Ill.
The R.D. Merrill Co., a holding company for Merrill Gardens LLC, has appointed Steve
Delmore as senior vice president, operations. He will oversee 55 Merrill Gardens
retirement communities across the United States.
Senior Star Living, Oklahoma's largest owner and operator of independent retirement
communities, announced the promotion of Sandra Yeo from director of research and
program development to vice president of corporate development.
JSA Inc. has announced three new appointments: Robert A. Strickland to senior
project manager; Thomas House to senior project manager; and Y.E. Smith to
senior designer. JSA Inc. is an architecture, planning and interior design firm.
Regent Assisted Living, Inc., Portland, Ore., announced the appointment of Richard
Shreder to the position of operations vice president for the Northwest Region.
Emeritus Assisted Living, a national provider of assisted living and related services
to seniors, has appointed vice chairman Raymond R. Brandstrom as interim chief
financial officer and Jim L. Hanson as director of financial services.
Government Watch
Florida Legislature Supports AL Bills
Florida's $51 billion budget, which passed on the final day of the legislative session
for the state, included a $6.9 million increase in the ALF Medicaid Waiver program, which
may mean that nearly 900 additional residents can be served in the program. The budget
also includes an $18.3 million increase in the Optional State Supplement (OSS) program,
where participating providers are reimbursed by the state and federal governments for
caring for OSS clients. The increase stems from the discovery that the program is eligible
for federal funding, which means providers who care for OSS clients will receive $830 per
month per resident. The program is targeted to start in January 2001.
Daschle Leads Fight for Medicare Recipients
Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., has been in the spotlight lately as he joins the president
and leading democrats to press for enacting legislation that would improve access to
prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.
Daschle introduced a plan in May to create the first-ever voluntary, affordable
Medicare prescription-drug benefit for all seniors. His plan covers catastrophic drug
costs for people needing very expensive medicines and uses the bargaining power of
Medicare's 40 million enrollees to create discounts currently used only by large,
private-sector buyers. The bill also ensures access for beneficiaries in rural and
hard-to-serve areas by allowing bonus payments to rural pharmacies and other private
entities.
The move by Daschle has been endorsed by the American Association of Homes and Services
for the Aging.
If the bill is enacted, the benefit would be available by January 1, 2002.
Possible Tax Deductions for LTC Insurance
The Long-Term Care and Retirement Security Act (Johnson-Thurman Bill) was recently
introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., and Nancy
Thurman, D-Fla. The legislation would phase in a 100 percent tax deduction for private LTC
insurance premiums.
The bill would allow people who pay 50 percent or more of the cost of a qualified
long-term care policy a tax deduction, starting at 50 percent the first year and reaching
100 percent by the sixth year. For people over 60, the phase-in schedule would be
accelerated to reach a 100 percent tax deduction by the fourth year.
The bill also gives individuals with LTC needs or their caregivers a $1,000 tax credit
to cover expenses. A final provision of the legislation includes a public- education
campaign on long-term care through the Social Security Administration to be sent through
Social Security mailings.
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