Literature Review

Assisted living scrutiny by lay media continues into new yearMcKnights Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 1/8/24It’s been a rough few months for the assisted living sector as lay media reports put a spotlight on the varying — or a lack of — regulations covering operators, a situation they said has led to tragic outcomes for some residents. Georgia assisted living operators are the latest to come under scrutiny. ... Industry advocates say that it is unfair to paint all providers with one brush, but they acknowledge that the attention is a reminder that “good policies and procedures, routine staff training, and oversight to ensure staff are following the policies are vital for providing great care.”

Cap rates increase by 74 basis points across all segments of senior living and careMcKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin, 1/3/24The average senior housing and care capitalization rate across all segments increased by 74 basis points between April and October, according to results of the 13th edition of CBRE’s US Senior Housing & Care Investor Survey for the second half of 2023. An April survey had found that cap rates had increased for all sectors but skilled nursing. The commercial real estate services and investment company sought feedback from senior housing investors, developers, lenders and brokers throughout the United States. The survey was conducted in October, and results were released in December.

Home health agencies grapple with 'acuity creep' as patient needs become more complexHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/5/24As the demand for home-based care continues to rise, so does the need for more intensive care plans as patients continue to be sicker and more complex. Home health agencies are feeling this “acuity creep,” and they’re adjusting. But at times, it’s hard to keep up. “When I’m talking about acuity creep, I’m thinking about how much need do the patients in our care models require?” Michael Johnson, president of home health and hospice at Bayada Home Health Care, said. “It’s not just medical needs, either — there’s a social need as well."

Cap rates increase by 74 basis points across all segments of senior living and careMcKnight's Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele GaivinThe average senior housing and care capitalization rate across all segments increased by 74 basis points between April and October, according to results of the 13th edition of CBRE’s US Senior Housing & Care Investor Survey for the second half of 2023. An April survey had found that cap rates had increased for all sectors but skilled nursing. 

Nursing home struggles expected to worsen hospital backlogsMcKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 1/4/24Nursing homes’ familiar struggles with insufficient staffing and insurance reimbursements are contributing to growing backlogs of patients awaiting throughput from hospitals to post-acute care across the US. Those waitlists are set to grow more congested in 2024 and cause even bigger disruption throughout the US healthcare system, according to recent state-level reports.Editor's Notes: Hospice leaders, how might your organization help reduce these backlogs and delays?

Compassus, Pennant Group expand home health JV portfoliosHome Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 1/3/24Two home-based care providers – Compassus and the Pennant Group (Nasdaq: PNTG) – have expanded their JV portfolios this week. On Wednesday, Compassus and Ascension announced the expansion of their Tennessee-based home health partnership, which is dubbed Ascension Saint Thomas at Home. Subsequently, Ascension Saint Thomas at Home’s service area now covers 17 Tennessee counties in the mid and west parts of the state.

We’re college students with ideas of how to promote senior living careers to a younger generation

Best Buy Health plans bigger healthcare presence in 2024Becker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 12/28/23Best Buy Health became a major player in healthcare over the last 12 months by partnering with some of the largest health systems in the U.S. to support in-home services, virtual care, supply chain management and more. The company partnered with Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium, a part of Advocate Health, in March to deliver hospital-level care at home. Best Buy provides patient education and enabling technologies, and deploys the Geek Squad to provide logistics and technical support. The company also has a partnership with Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger to deliver in-home care for chronic conditions.

Executives detail UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health's growth plansModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 12/28/23At its annual investor conference, company executives provided an update on how the healthcare behemoth has sought to minimize the financial impact of Medicare Advantage rate changes, its progress hiring physicians and its use of technology to improve the patient, provider and payer experiences. The company said it projects 2024 revenue to hit $400 billion, a 9.1% increase over 2023's anticipated revenue, after accounting for Medicare funding reductions. The company's insurance arm expects revenue of $302 billion to $304 billion next year.

New services help post-acute, hospital partnershipsModern HealthcareDecember 27, 2023Nursing homes and home healthcare companies are branching into new lines of business to increase revenue as demand for post-acute care rises and Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements stagnate. It is a trend that Ash Shehata, a partner at business consulting firm KPMG, has been tracking for the past two years. Healthcare providers are under increasing pressure from insurers to quicken the move of patients to less-costly settings. 

After the chaotic closure of a St. Louis nursing home, will others also shut down?St. Louis Post-DispatchDecember 24, 2023St. Louis, MO—The north St. Louis nursing home that closed abruptly last weekend, setting off a chaotic relocation of residents and layoffs of workers without warning, had been in decline for several years. ... Other area nursing homes face similar financial pressures and lingering damage from the COVID-19 pandemic. ... “I think we’re going to see a lot of nursing homes close, that’s my prediction—I mean a lot of nursing homes,” [Harvey] Tettlebaum [a lawyer who for decades has represented the Missouri Healthcare Association, a group for long-term health care organizations] said. “I think it’s going to escalate next year.” Among the most vulnerable are providers that primarily serve residents who rely on Medicaid. 

Family Caregivers Far Prefer Hospital At Home Over Brick-And-Mortar AlternativeHome Health Care News, 12/22/23The hospital-at-home model can help alleviate caregiver stress, and that could be one of the model’s main selling points moving forward. The evidence behind that is from a new DispatchHealth case study, which explored caregiver fatigue within the hospital-at-home model by asking, “Does this innovative care model alleviate or exacerbate caregiver stress?” The results were encouraging, Kevin Riddleberger—the co-founder and chief strategy officer of DispatchHealth—told Home Health Care News. ... An overwhelming majority (95%) of respondents preferred in-home care over the traditional hospital setting, with 68% saying they had a strong preference for hospital-level care in the home. The other 5% selected hospital-based care as their preference. An almost identical number of caregivers—96%—found in-home care less stressful than a previous in-patient hospital experience.