During the pandemic, the digital universe became a vital part of daily life, particularly for older adults. And that importance has continued.  When the world shut down, senior living residents and other older adults had to learn new ways to connect with their families; the internet became that lifeline. The pandemic also showed people less familiar with the digital realm all that is possible online. Today, 61% of those aged 65 or more years use smartphones, embracing social media, video chats, online shopping and even online dating. Smartphones are not just communication tools; they’re ..read more

There’s no denying that technology-driven breakthroughs are helping senior living operators enhance care, streamline operations and improve bottom lines. But it’s not just the good guys who’ve noticed that tons of insightful information is getting neatly stored for easy extraction. As never before, senior living communities are vulnerable to cyberattacks, particularly ransomware and data breaches. The reasons are manifold: extensive collections of sensitive resident information, limited resources for cybersecurity, and reliance on outdated software, to name just a few. These thefts can disrup ..read more

[Partner content] Listen as ALIS by Medtelligent founder and CEO John Shafaee speaks with McKnight’s Senior Living Editor Lois A. Bowers to demystify the hype surrounding artificial intelligence and machine learning in the assisted living industry. He also shares specific tools to help investors and operators navigate this new space ..read more

Older Americans Month is coming to an end on Friday, but there’s still time to explore the 2024 theme of “Powered by Connection” as relates to senior living. In fact, it’s always a good time to communicate the difference senior living can make in the lives of older adults. The Administration for Community Living, the federal agency that leads the annual observance, said it chose this year’s theme to recognize “the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being.” Much research has shown that senior living is one place that such relationsh ..read more

People with serious mental illness are more likely to be admitted to nursing homes and to have their stays converted from short-term to long-term, even when they have low nursing needs. Many older adults simply do not need this intensive level of care. Instead, they may only need a stable support base: somewhere to live, help with meals and housekeeping, and reminders to continue to take their medical and psychiatric medications. They may particularly benefit from an organized community to decrease social isolation and enhance well-being. To address this, New York created a streamlined Assist ..read more

Following a White House push, the Drug Enforcement Administration is working to shift marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug. This move marks a significant shift from a strict anti-drug stance of the past, famously symbolized by the Reagan era’s  “Just Say No” campaign. In a way, the change would allow marijuana to hang out with a more respectable crowd. Under the reclassification, marijuana would share the shelf with drugs that include ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone. This sounds a lot less alarming than being grouped with heroin and LSD, which currently is the ..read more

The senior living landscape is evolving, and a growing emphasis is being placed on active, independent lifestyles for older adults. As more individuals seek communities that offer both comfort and enrichment, the concept of active adult living will only continue to gain further momentum. These age-focused communities provide havens where residents can enjoy their retirement years surrounded by like-minded peers, in spaces designed to foster social connections and well-being. So, what exactly are active adult communities? Although various models are emerging, the common thread is choice. It’s ..read more

Chapter 11 bankruptcies in healthcare, including senior living reached a multiyear high in the first quarter of 2024. That’s according to the newest Polsinelli-TrBK Distress Indices Report, published Wednesday.  “We continue to see intense stress in senior living,” Jeremy R. Johnson, a bankruptcy and restructuring attorney at Polsinelli and co-author of the report, said in a press release issued in conjunction with the report. “We have seen several skilled nursing operators singing a similar refrain in the senior living space, with inflation, staffing issues, difficulty in providing prof ..read more

Kunaal Goel One of the biggest challenges that the senior living industry has faced over the past few years has been attracting and retaining staff. Thus, it is important to use technology to optimize staff efficiency and avoid staff burnout, especially as we consider the incoming demographic changes with members of the Baby Boom generation start aging into senior living communities. The time is now for analytics to become a core resource for operators to help their residents and staff thrive. Analytics will evolve from their current state, where they commonly are limited to simple utilizatio ..read more

The past couple of weeks have brought news of two upcoming documentaries that promise to shine a spotlight on senior living, warts and all. One, “Caregiving,” will focus on professional and family caregivers “as the United States’ long-term care system threatens to tip into crisis,” according to public media station WETA. The two-hour film will debut on PBS in spring 2025. No doubt the project will draw attention because one of the executive producers is Bradley Cooper, who was a caregiver to his late father when he had lung cancer. “That was a wake-up call for me, one that really opened my e ..read more