Must-See Sites
www.friendlyworks.com A
simplified e-mail service is now available for people with little or no computer
experience. It's offered through Friendlyworks, a provider of integrated
Internet services for seniors. The product is designed to help residents of
senior-living communities stay connected to family, friends and the world. For
more information, visit the Web site.
www.carescout.com This site is
designed for those who need information with unbiased, comprehensive and
comparative data on more than 53,000 senior facilities throughout the United
States. Carescout developed its proprietary rating and ranking methodology in
1996, using objective information from government inspections, public health
surveys and other private resources.
www.TotalLivingChoices.com
or www.TLChoices.com TLChoices offers
free personalized assistance on everything from selecting the right living
facility, to ways seniors can continue to live in their present homes.
www.csdarch.com This
architectural and interior design firm has created a site for owners/operators
to view updated information that can affect facilities planning decisions.
Information is available on financing, education and marketing.
Industry Events
American Academy of Nursing--27th Annual Meeting and Conference
Nov. 2-4;
Hotel Del Coronado; San Diego;
(202) 554-2641
American Hospital Association--Beyond the Barriers
Nov. 2-4;
Denver;
(312) 422-2613
CALFA Fall State Conference and Trade Show
Nov. 5-7;
The Irvine Marriott; Irvine, Calif.;
(916) 448-1900
Care Providers of Minnesota Convention and Expo
Nov. 14-15;
Hyatt Regency Hotel; Minneapolis;
(612) 854-2844
Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting
Nov. 17-21;
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel; Washington, D.C.;
(202) 842-1275
2001 Events
American Seniors Housing Association 2001 Annual Meeting
Jan. 8-9;
The Arizona Biltmore; Phoenix;
(202) 974-2300
ADEAR's Alzheimer's 2001:Translating Science to Practice
Feb. 8-9;
Durham, N.C.;
(919) 660-7510
First Annual Conference of American Society on Aging and the National
Council on Aging
March 8-11;
New Orleans;
(414) 974-9600
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging Spring Conference
March 12-14;
Omni Shoreham; Washington;
(202) 783-2255
ALFA Spring National Conference and EXPO
April 4-6; The Venetian; Las Vegas;
(703) 691-8100
Extendicare Foundation Awards Grants
The national, nonprofit organization, Extendicare, has awarded nearly $80,000
in grants to a variety of health groups this year. John Douglas French
Alzheimer's Foundation in Los Angeles received $35,000; Philadelphia Geriatric
Center received $25,383; Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly in Minneapolis
received $7,000; Alzheimer's Association of Southeastern Wisconsin received
$5,000; Northwest Dane Senior Services in Black Earth, Wis., received $5,000;
and the Wisconsin Coalition to Improve Pallative Care in Appleton, Wis.,
received $2,000.
The Extendicare Foundation is funded through the efforts of the nearly 20,000
employees of Extendicare Health Services Inc. and Extendicare Health Facilities
Inc. Extendicare Health Services Inc. is a national provider of long-term-care
services with 240 nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in 14 states.
DMA and Hormel HealthLabs Award $10,000 in Scholarships
The Dietary Managers Association and Hormel HealthLabs awarded $1,000
scholarships to 10 individuals who are completing their education to become
certified dietary managers. The recipients included Lisa Holmquist (Long
Prairie, Minn.); Barbara E. Sykes (Virginia Beach, Va.); Tammy Risner (Ionia,
Mich.); Karen Henry (Orlando, Fla.); Barbara Raguse (Wheaton, Minn.); Stephanie
Nathan (Kentwood, Mich.); Shona McCue (Cook, Minn.); Ruby Campbell (Houston,
Texas); Amanda Paulus (Cottonwood, Ariz.) and Harold Havron (Hillsboro, Ill.).
Hormel HealthLabs Inc., a subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corp., markets food for
people with special dietary needs. In order to apply for the 2001 scholarship,
visit www.hormelhealthlabs.com.
For more information about the DMA, go to www.dmaonline.org.
NIC Survey Results:'Cautiously Optimistic'
The National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industries
(NIC) has released the results of a survey of major operating company CEOs
showing they are "cautiously optimistic" about the future and that
they expect their company revenues and earnings to expand. The "Survey of
Seniors Housing & Care CEOs" was completed in conjunction with the
American Seniors Housing Association's "State of Seniors Housing"
report. The CEO survey asked 40 industry leaders to comment on a number of
important issues, including expectations about capital formation, industry
operating benchmarks, current strategies and employment outlook.
The 32-page report is available through NIC. For more information, visit www.NIC.org
or call (410) 267-0504.
Scholarship winners display award plaques.
Rude & Associates Obtain Wellness Program Contracts
John Rude & Associates, a national maturity market consulting firm, is
currently involved with wellness-center development and programming for a number
of continuing-care retirement communities (CCRCs). These include: Meadow Lakes
Retirement Community, Highstown, N.J.; North Hill Retirement Community, Needham,
Mass; Pohai Nani, Kaneohe, Hawaii; and Sunny View Retirement Community,
Cupertino, Calif.
In addition, Rude & Associates has been awarded consulting contracts, to
support the development of wellness centers at Carolina Meadows Retirement
Community, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Casa Dorinda Retirement Community, Santa Barbara,
Calif.; and Rockynol, Akron, Ohio.
To contact the firm, call (800) 929-2719; or visit www.agedynamics.com.
ASHA Partners With Senior Crimestoppers Program
The American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) recently announced a
strategic alliance with the Senior Crimestoppers program for use in seniors
housing communities nationwide. "Petty theft, the most common crime in a
long-term-care or senior-housing residence, can truly tarnish the reputation of
a residence in the community and among residents and their families," said
David S. Schless, ASHA executive director.
The Senior Crimestoppers program attempts to provide safety through personal
lock boxes for residents' items, enforcing a zero-tolerance crime policy and
offering an anonymous 800 number tip-line to report incidents. Financial awards
up to $1,000 also are offered. For more information, visit www.asha.nmhc.org
or call (202) 974.2300.
People on the Move
Sienna Crest Assisted Living Inc., Oregon, Wis., selected four new managers. Judy
Corwin manages the Marshall community; Jean O'Neill, manages the
Mineral Point community; Becky Nordness manages the Alzheimer's community
in Fort Atkinson and Chris Kiesz manages the Oregon community.
Tel-Tron Systems Solutions announced that Brian Robinson has joined
its staff as national account executive. Tel-Tron is located in Daytona Beach,
Fla.
Michael A. Fornaro has joined the architectural staff of Dorsky
Hodgson + Partners, a Cleveland, Ohio-based group focused on interior
architecture and environments for the aging.
Trace Marketing Inc. (TMI) appointed Andrea Coblentz director of Trace
Executive Search, a division of TMI. Coblentz also will serve as a consultant
for the Sarasota, Fla., company.
Gregory C. Kowert has been named vice president, chief financial
officer and secretary for Allied Healthcare Products Inc., located in St. Louis.
Aegis Assisted Living, based in Redmond, Wash., appointed Nicolo Amari
as the new executive director of Aegis of Corte Madera, Calif.
Guilford Capital Corp., a Montgomery, Ala.-based investment-banking firm, has
hired Sam Colson to serve as chief financial officer.
Tim Chamberlain was appointed quality control auditor for Copesan
Services Inc. Copesan provides pest-management services to senior-living
facilities.
Government Watch
Sietsema Appointed by Nebraska Governor
Lois Sietsema has been appointed by Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns to serve
on the newly formed Nebraska Center for Nursing board. Sietsema is a registered
nurse from Omaha and director of Assisted Living for Midwest Geriatrics Inc.,
where she is responsible for two communities. The Center was established by the
state legislature under the Nebraska Center for Nursing Act and will address
issues of supply and demand for nurses, including recruitment, retention and
utilization of nurses. The board will set the policy for the center and will
advise the legislature and public on various issues in the nursing field.
Eastman Kodak Briefs Congress
Representatives from Eastman Kodak recently briefed the House Rural Health
Coalition on the benefits of telehealth technology. Included on the coalition
were Rep. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas). A demonstration of
Kodak's "LifeView Care Station," designed to serve home health
patients, was also provided. Eastman Kodak urged Congress to support house bill
4841, the Medicare Access to Teleheath Services Act.
The company believes that telehealth technology is an important tool in the
delivery of quality health care, and has sought to educate policymakers and the
public about the benefits of telehealth. Telehealth technology will help
assisted-living caregivers and other health providers to spend more time
interacting with larger numbers of patients.
Eden Alternative Founder Seeks Senate Support
A new project, created by Dr. William H. Thomas, founder of the Eden
Alternative, was presented to the Senate Special Committee on Aging in late
September. The new initiative is called The Green House Project. Thomas plans to
develop small community homes, called Green Houses, where people requiring
skilled-nursing services can live and receive care. Each house will be linked
with a healthcare delivery network. For more information, visit www.thegreenhouseproject.org.
OSHA Reviewing Grant Proposals
Safety and health training grants, in the amount of $4.7 million, will be
available to nonprofit organizations from the Occupation Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA). Proposals were accepted through the end of October. The
grants are for groups that target immigrant, contingent and other vulnerable
workers, small-business employers and employees and workers in jobs with
high-risk activities or hazards. Visit www.osha.gov
for more information.
Focus on Finance
Heller Financial Reports Loan Activity
Heller Financial Inc. Healthcare Finance group recently provided a $15.8
million loan to Epoch Senior Living, a senior-housing operator located in
Waltham, Mass. The loan was used to finance the acquisition and repositioning of
a 147-unit continuing-care retirement community located in Providence, R.I.
In addition to the Epoch Senior Living transaction, Heller provided a $46.74
million loan to Gordon Health Ventures, a senior-housing operator in Pittsburgh.
The money was used to finance the acquisition of six assisted-living communities
located throughout the metropolitan Pittsburgh area.
Heller also provided two loans totaling $26.87 million to Southern Assisted
Living, a senior-housing operator located in Chapel Hill, N.C. The money was
used for the acquisition of six assisted-living and Alzheimer's facilities
located throughout North Carolina and Virginia.
Finally, Heller provided loans totaling $17.5 million to American Retirement
Corp. to finance three facilities. The money was used to refinance a continuing
care retirement community, a newly constructed assisted-living community and a
skilled-nursing facility.
Cambridge Closes $75 Million in First-Half Loans
During the first half of 2000, Cambridge Realty Capital Companies, a
senior-housing and healthcare-financing specialist, reported closing nine
separate transactions totaling $75 million.
Cambridge Chairman Jeffery A. Davis said the funded properties, located in
California, Colorado and Illinois, totaled 1,500 beds. "We're enthusiastic
about this level of production, given the industry-wide contraction of
healthcare lending in recent months," Davis added. "Eight of the nine
loans closed were HUD-insured transactions, but new conventional programs began
to attract more attention in the second quarter of the year with numerous
closings expected during the second half of 2000."
TRI Closes Loan Under MAP Program
TRI Capital Corp. became the first FHA mortgagee in the nation to close a
221(d)4 new construction loan under the Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP)
program. TRI finalized funding for the construction of a 288-unit garden-style
apartment complex to be known as Westgate at Jordan Landing, in West Jordan,
Utah. The loan was made in the amount of $17 million.
MAP is HUD's response to concerns from the lender community regarding
consistency and timeliness in HUD's review of applications for mortgage
insurance.
New Developments
The New York City Economic Development Corp. has issued a request for
proposals for the redevelopment of surplus portions of the Queens Hospital
campus in Jamaica, Queens, N.Y., which is currently undergoing a $147 million
reconstruction program. The city is seeking development proposals for
reorganization of the hospital for functions such as assisted living, biomedical
research, staff housing and wellness/health or child-care centers.
Some affiliates of Chancellor Senior Housing Group Inc. have closed on
an agreement to sell seven properties. The announcement was made by CareMatrix
Corp., a Needham, Mass.-based provider of senior housing and assisted-living
services. Of the seven facilities located in Florida and New Jersey, CareMatrix
had management agreements on four of the facilities, lease agreements on two,
and a development agreement on one. The transaction has been valued at about $90
million.
Legat Architects recently completed the design of a 60-unit
assisted-living community at Rolling Hills Manor, Slovak American
Charitable Association's skilled-nursing facility in Zion, Ill.
VillageCare Assisted Living Corp. acquired Casa La Villa and Villa
Michele in Pasadena, Calif. According to CEO of VillageCare Assisted Living
Corp., Craig Johnson, the acquisition represents the third of four senior-living
communities planned for VillageCare this year.
Paric Corp. is developing a retirement community in metropolitan St.
Louis. The $65 million senior-living complex, which will cover 750,000 square
feet, has been named Meramec Bluffs. It will include 25 patio homes, a two-story
assisted-living facility and a three-story skilled-nursing facility.
Montereau in Warren Woods, a continuing-care retirement community in
the works in Tulsa, Okla., has selected Manhattan Construction Co. as
construction manager for the building project. Construction is scheduled to
begin in 2001.
RC Dolner LLC has been selected as construction manager for a
retirement-living services community going up in Valhalla, N.Y. The new
community is named Winchester Meadows and will offer a continuum of care for
senior citizens.
Walker Management & Develop- ment Inc., a senior healthcare and
housing consulting company, has been awarded marketing audit contracts with
Orangewood Retirement Community of Phoenix and Hartsfield Village of Munster,
Ind.
Resources for Senior Living, a Charlotte, N.C.-based assisted-living
company, and William E. Simon & Sons Realty, a private investment
firm, closed a $25 million equity joint venture--RSL-Simon LLC--to pursue
new development and acquisition opportunities. Development will include new
residences in Charlotte, N.C.; Columbia and Greenville, S.C.; Baton Rouge, La.;
and Round Rock and San Antonio, Texas. These projects will include the signature
assisted-living communities The Laurels and The Haven.
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