Staffing is currently among the senior living industry's biggest challenges -- but Glenn Barclay, CEO of QSL Management and principal of its parent company, QSL, has a plan.

Barclay and his team are rolling out a new position called “retention specialist” aimed at keeping more workers past the 90-day mark. The position significantly reduced turnover in the community where it was piloted, and QSL is in the midst of rolling it out to all of the company’s 10 communities.

In this episode of Transform, learn:

- How QSL is confronting the senior living staffing crisis
- What QSL did to keep residents safe at a community in Louisiana during Hurricane Ida
- Why QSL is one of two senior living companies with communities carrying The Blake brand
- Where Barclay sees the biggest opportunities for growth outside of primary markets

Glenn Barclay, Principal, QSL/CEO, QSL Management

Nine months ago, Transforming Age and Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations (SHAG) announced plans to affiliate. Now with 39 communities, the nonprofit is on the cusp of some big changes.

Helping to lead that charge is Senior Vice President of Development Jay Woolford. Looking ahead, he sees the national senior housing nonprofit putting an even greater emphasis on serving older adults in intergenerational communities suitable for low- and moderate-income residents. The nonprofit is also due to announce the formation of a new property management company.

In this episode of Transform, learn: 

-- How Transforming Age plans to serve more moderate-income older adults
-- Why the nonprofit is focusing on co-locating senior housing with other organizations and uses
-- How the newly combined is growing in 2022

Jay Woolford, SVP of Development, Transforming Age

Stephanie Harris thought she would end up working in politics and eventually running for office. But then she got a job working for a senior living turnaround business and realized the industry was her calling.

Now, Harris is CEO of Arrow Senior Living, and she is putting her deep background in senior living turnarounds to work while leading the St. Louis-based operator through the Covid-19 pandemic and into the uncertain future. 

In this episode of Transform, learn:

-- How Arrow Senior Living achieves middle-market margins in excess of 30% to 40%

-- What Harris believes is the right unit mix for a middle-market senior living community

-- How slow-moving "green banana" leads have been key to Arrow's occupancy recovery

Stephanie Harris, CEO of Arrow Senior Living

Senior living operators have forged different models for middle-market communities in recent years -- but Priority Life Care CEO Sevy Petras believes the industry has only scratched the surface of what it needs to do to meet the massive demand from middle-income residents.

To Petras, the challenge is offering boomers a product they will both want to live in and afford. Priority Life Care is trying to meet market demand through communities such as Celebration Villa, a brand created when the operator took on 17 communities formerly operated by Eclipse Senior Living for Ventas (NYSE: VTR).

In this episode of Transform, learn: 

-- What Priority Life Care is planning for its Celebration Villa portfolio with Ventas

-- How the operator is focused on making employees' lives easier amid a historic staffing challenge

-- Why Petras believes 2023 will be another big year of rate growth for the senior living industry

Sevy Petras, CEO of Priority Life Care

The senior living industry is grappling with a period of staffing challenges known as the "great resignation" -- but Covenant Living Communities & Services President and CEO Terri Cunliffe hopes it ends up more like a "great sabbatical."

And she said she sees signs this is happening. For instance, the Skokie, Illinois-based senior living nonprofit recently held a day of hiring across the country and filled every single CNA position open in the company.

In this episode of Transform, learn:

- Why Cunliffe thinks there might be a "great sabbatical" underway in senior living

- How Covenant Living is piloting robots in its dining operations

- What Cunliffe sees ahead for the industry's labor challenges in 2022

- How the senior living nonprofit handles rate growth amid rising expenses

Terri Cunliffe, President and CEO, Covenant Living Communities & Services

MBK Senior Living’s growth has historically been through acquisitions — and that is still the company’s modus operandi in its upcoming fiscal year.

But growing through acquisitions has become tougher in 2022 amid frothy pricing and plenty of competition for senior living properties. Even so, MBK President Jeff Fischer believes the company can acquire four to six new communities this year, adding to the 35 currently in its portfolio.

In this episode of Transform, learn:

- How MBK onboards new communities after they are acquired 

- What Fischer looks for in new technology and how the company pilots it

- Why MBK follows a culture rooted in the Japanese concept of yoi shigoto

Jeff Fischer, President, MBK Senior Living

After taking the reins in 2019, A Place for Mom CEO Larry Kutscher
laid out a plan to completely reinvent the company — and its
relationship with senior living providers.

Three years later, the company is about halfway through that
transformation. A recent infusion of $175 million in growth equity is
helping the national referral partner propel those efforts this year
and beyond.

In this episode of Transform, learn:

- How Kutscher has worked to improve the company's relationship with
senior living operators
- Why APFM is spending $100 million on marketing in 2022
- What Kutscher believes is the industry's "biggest weakness"

Larry Kutscher, CEO, A Place for Mom

Many senior living operators want to reach the middle-market — but doing so will require them to at least familiarize themselves with adult daycare services, according to Innovation Senior Living CEO and Founder Pilar Carvajal.

The company has five communities open and two more on the way, and Carvajal said adult daycare services will play a role in all of them going forward.

In this episode of Transform, learn:

- Why Carvajal sees adult daycare as an important tool to reach the middle market
- More about the company's growing "The Club at" brand.
- Why Carvajal believes the industry is going to be "crushed" by middle-market demand ahead
- How the company is growing by adding more independent living to its portfolio

Pilar Carvajal, Founder and CEO, Innovation Senior Living

Andrew Moret, Vice President of Culinary Services, Oakmont Management Group

Doris-Ellie Sullivan, President & CEO, Retirement Unlimited

CEO Jimm Biggs and COO Josh Johnson, West Bay Senior Living

Joe Jedlowski, CEO, Distinctive Living

Dan Davis, President and CEO, Presbyterian Senior Living

Marvell Adams Jr., Founder and CEO, W Lawson

Cogir SVP Rob Leinbach and CEO Dave Eskenazy

Denise Falco, Senior Vice President of Operations at Sunrise Senior Living

Tim Nelson, co-principal of Olympus Retirement Living

Ascension Living’s former President Danny Stricker this August announced that he had launched his own senior living operator called Chapters Living. 


Stricker, the co-founder and president of the St. Louis-based senior living operator backed by Green Street Real Estate Ventures, is poised to close the acquisition of a seven-community portfolio with about 500 units of assisted living and memory care in four states. 


In this episode of Transform, Stricker discusses: 

How Chapters Living views the acquisitions market in the Midwest

Why he believes active adult will be a key to success

What he evaluates in an acquisition

Danny Stricker, Co-Founder and President of Chapters Living

Scott Goldberg, President and CEO, Atlas Senior Living

Jayne Sallerson, President and COO, Charter Senior Living

Chuck Bongiovanni, CEO, Majestic Residences

Guy Geller, President of Grace Management and COO of CPF Living

Arun Paul, Founder and CEO of Priya Living

1031 Crowdfunding is in the midst of a push into senior living investment, with an overall goal to have $1 billion in assets under management in two years, and $5 billion in five years, with senior living accounting for 40% of that value. Amid a buyers’ market with cap rates attractive in assisted living and memory care, 1031 Crowdfunding is bringing a unique approach to asset management to senior living.

1031 Crowdfunding CEO Edward Fernandez

The Brea, California-based senior living management company operates communities across four western states, with future plans including potential new development, acquisition and joint venture growth. Insight Living continues to seek growth while aiming to transform its operating model with actionable data-driven insights. To achieve operational success, Principal Bryan Ziebart believes the company's path forward will be paved by artificial intelligence and data-intensive solutions for operations.

Insight Living Principal Bryan Ziebart

Goodwin Living is looking to improve employee retention efforts while finding ways to grow senior living and care offerings. And to grow, CEO Rob Liebreich says Goodwin Living must return to basics on operations to improve its business model.

Learn more about the organization's plans for future growth, includes expanded memory care services through its StrongerMemory program and greater home health offerings to extend the company’s reach, in this episode of Transform.

Rob Liebreich, President and CEO, Goodwin Living

Avendelle Assisted Living is preparing for explosive growth through its franchise model in the coming year. COO Bill Bunting says this expansion will solidify Avendelle’s footprint in South Carolina and prepare the company for growth outside the state.

Learn more about the company’s growth plans and how Avendelle is leveraging the franchise model in this episode of Transform.

Bill Bunting, COO, Avendelle Assisted Living

Lasell Village, located in the Boston area, continues to innovate in fostering intergenerational connections with its university-based senior living model.

In this episode of the Senior Housing News TRANSFORM podcast, learn how the unique continuing care retirement community is building on its legacy as a pioneer of university partnerships with senior living, including by pursuing an ambitious renovation project while expanding programming opportunities for residents.

Lasell Village President Zehra Abid-Wood

Denver, Colorado-based senior living operator ONELIFE Senior Living recently completed a merger bringing in Ally Senior Living to create a 19-community owner and third-party management company. In 2024, ONELIFE will continue to deepen integration between organizations, while looking outwardly for acquisition opportunities. Tune in to this episode of TRANSFORM to hear more about the plans from CEO Dan Williams.

Dan Williams, CEO, ONELIFE Senior Living

In this episode of Transform, hear from senior living industry veteran Jason Kohler. As Executive Vice President, Senior Living, Kohler currently leads the senior living division for Beztak, including the firm's All Seasons brand. Learn how Beztak plans to grow its senior living platform in 2024 with scheduled renovations to multiple communities along with plans for a new build project.

Jason Kohler, Executive Vice President, Senior Living, Beztak

Senior Housing News is an independent source for breaking news and up-to-date information on the senior living industry. Our podcast, Transform, will highlight the individuals making a difference in the senior housing industry.

Senior Housing News

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