GerAssist Acquires FASF
Brentwood, Tenn.-based GerAssist Inc., a provider of comprehensive, integrated,
healthcare services for seniors, announced the acquisition of Friends Assisting Seniors
and Families™(FASF) of West Palm Beach, Fla. FASF is a provider of home-care senior
services, including those necessary to help keep seniors living independently. It also
offers specialty care-management services, ranging from advocacy to assessment to
evaluation of seniors. For more information, call (615) 221-5200; Web www.gerassist.com.
NCAL Releases Facts and Trends
The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), the assisted-living branch of the
American Health Care Association (AHCA), published new data on trends and issues affecting
the assisted-living industry. Facts and Trends: The Assisted Living Sourcebook is a
comprehensive resource on the dynamic and evolving industry. The book includes a salary
report on key positions in assisted-living settings, an expanded state-by-state regulatory
summary, new findings on contract services, data on special-care units and annual
staff-turnover rates. Facts and Trends is available to AHCA members for $29.95 and
non-members for $69.95 by contacting AHCA Publications, Department 033RM, P.O. Box 96906,
Washington, DC 20090-6906; phone (800) 321-0343.
Greenbriar Under Investigation, Sells Nine Properties
Addison, Texas-based Greenbriar Corp. announced the sale of nine leased retirement and
assisted-living communities, all of which are allegedly problem-ridden. With a total
resident capacity of 650, the nine North Carolina communities are primarily state-assisted
revenue properties and were acquired by Sarasota, N.C.-based Abaris House Acquisition.
Greenbriar plans to reduce the number of state reimbursed properties in its portfolio in
order to concentrate on private-pay communities. According to Assisted Living Business
Week, a national newsletter from Eli Research, Greenbriar is under investigation by
the North Carolina Attorney General's Office for allegedly embezzling resident funds.
Greenbriar denies any wrongdoing. For more information, call (972) 407-8420.
AAHSA Endorses Crimestoppers Program
The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging endorsed the Senior
Crimestoppers program for use in senior-living settings. Petty theft, the most common
crime in a senior setting, can damage the reputation of a facility in the surrounding
community. The three major components are fostering an attitude of zero tolerance of
crime, putting in place a system for anonymous tips--such as rewards--and providing lock
boxes in which residents can store personal items. Since its inception in 1994, Senior
Crimestoppers has seen a reduction in community crime by approximately 90.5 percent. In
addition, the program protects against resident abuse and neglect, workers' compensation
fraud and workplace violence. For more information, call (202) 783-2242; Web
www.aahsa.org.
Club 24 Delivers Home-Care Services Package
HomeServe Development Corp., a subsidiary of Presbyterian Residence Center Corp.
(PRCC), opened its market to Seattle, where it offers a service package that enables
organizations serving the senior market to implement a home-delivered services program.
PRCC originated the Club 24 Senior Living at Home® program, which provides meals,
housekeeping, companions, maintenance, transportation and other services in the homes of
people 55 or older in the Rochester, N.Y., area. The HomeServe Package was designed to
assist others in starting or improving their own home-delivered services, and is
supplemented by an optional training program. For more information, call (716) 256-4302.
IRS Ruling Distinguishes Facilities for Exemptions
The Internal Revenue Service Revenue Ruling 98-47 was released and addresses the
confusion created by IRS Private Letter Ruling 9740007 regarding the use of
tax-exempt bonds to finance assisted living. The Private Letter Ruling implied that
depending on a facility's level of services, assisted-living facilities could not qualify
as "residential rental properties" within the meaning of 142 of the Internal
Revenue Code and, therefore, may not be financed with the proceeds of a tax-exempt bond
offering unless the operator is a 501(c)(3) organization, according to the American
Seniors Housing Association.
The Revenue Ruling 98-47 presents facts describing a continuing-care retirement
community with three buildings--X (independent living), Y (assisted living) and Z (skilled
nursing). The ruling distinguishes "residential rental properties" and
"healthcare facilities" by focusing on the extent to which frequent or continual
nursing, medical or psychiatric services are provided to residents. For example, even
though non-housing services, such as meals, are available to Building X and Building Y,
services do not include continual or frequent nursing, medical or psychiatric services, so
those would be considered residential rental property. For more information, call the
American Seniors Housing Association at (202) 974-2300.
Video Helps Staff Cope With Changes
American Media Inc. released its newest video, Finding the Up in Upheaval, a
how-to video that helps employees develop the skills and the mind set necessary to face
change and handle it in a positive manner. The video teaches:
- How to best respond when change happens.
- How to accept and deal with change positively.
- How to communicate openly and honestly.
- How to look for opportunities and plan for the future.
For more information, call (800) 262-2557.
Must-See Sites
Copesan Services
www.copesan.com
Senior Living Alternatives On-Line Free Referral Assistance Program
www.senioralternatives.com
National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long-Term-Care Administrators
Residential Care/Assisted Living Administrators Exam Study Guide
www.nabweb.org |
HELP Joins With ResourceLINK
Lawrence, Kan.-based HELP Innovations Inc. announced that resourceLINK™, its
joint-venture project with the University of Iowa Health System, has partnered with Home
Care Iowa to provide statewide tele-homecare services. The agreement gives the association
access to resourceLINK's home tele-medicine services as well as the venture's access to
home-health agencies. Both organizations will benefit by sharing services, reducing
healthcare costs and improving patient outcomes.
Healthcare Professionals Receive New Domain Address
Naples, Fla.-based Domain Name Trust Inc. acquired the world rights to the
international, top-level domain .md, an instantly recognizable Internet address for
medical professionals. Other domains, such as .com, .net, .org and .edu, are generic;
however, .md is the first business-specific address offered. The new address allows the
healthcare professional to use his name followed by .md for an easily remembered address.
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Assisted Living Success Expo
Feb. 3-5; Alexis Park Resort and Spa, Las Vegas; (602) 990-1101, ext. 1151
Second Annual Geriatric Continuum 1999
Feb. 22-23; Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (800) 409-4242
Senior Housing Exposition
March 1-2; Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Fla.; and March 11-12; Los
Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles; "Exposition and Conference for the Design and
Management of Long-Term-Care Facilities"; (312) 527-7959
39th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the Association of Jewish Aging Services
March 13-16; The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colo.; (202) 543-7500
ACHCA 33rd Annual Convocation & Exposition
April 10-14;"Navigating New Directions"; Providence, R.I.; (888) 88-ACHCA
Subacute Care '99
May 14-16; Denver; (212) 592-6484
The Outcome Imperative: Implementing and Evaluating Performance Measurement in
Health Care
July 30-31; Penn State Conference Center Hotel, State College, Pa.; (888) 88-ACHCA |
First-Ever National Quality Initiative
A coalition of six organizations representing assisted-living providers and consumers
announced an agreement on the first-ever, national, quality initiative for the
assisted-living industry. The coalition recommendations have been released in a new
document entitled Assisted Living Quality Initiative: Building a Structure That
Promotes Quality. Coalition members hope the initiative will offer a way for
consumers, providers, government and third-party payers to work together to provide a
system that serves the unique needs of each resident. The goal for the initiative is to
provide an innovative and efficient monitoring and improvement system focused on achieving
outcomes to better meet individuals' needs and preferences. The coalition was made up of
the Alzheimer's Association, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging,
American Association of Retired Persons, American Health Care Association's National
Center for Assisted Living, American Seniors Housing Association and Assisted Living
Federation of America.
SunCare Acquires Three Premier Companies
SunCare Respiratory Services Inc., a subsidiary of Sun Healthcare Group Inc., acquired
Premier Medical Systems Inc., Premier Oxygen Systems Inc. and Premier Express Inc. in
order to increase SunCare's presence in six Midwestern states and two Southwestern states.
The acquisitions bring the total of SunCare's long-term-care facility contracts to 1,081
with its Respacute™ program for post-acute patients in 428 of the facilities. For
more information, call (505) 821-3355.
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