Aligning Senior Housing and Care

Kate Nicholls of Investments at Ventas, Inc. explores the opportunities and challenges of senior housing and care integration

With options for senior housing and care integration continuing to evolve—and the discussions around the options increasing in frequency and volume—senior living operators may be starting to tune in.

Although the senior housing value proposition has not traditionally included healthcare, it has included offerings known to positively impact residents’ overall health, such as socialization, nutrition, and assistance with activities of daily living. With changes in Medicare and potential future healthcare payment reform, seniors housing providers find themselves in a position where formal involvement with healthcare may make more sense.

In the December issue of the NIC Insider newsletter, Kate Nicholls, Director, Investments at Ventas, Inc.,  offers insights into the opportunities and challenges for seniors housing operators looking to align with healthcare.

Nichols details why alignment may offer positive opportunities and prepare operators for future success, covering points such as:

• why improved care coordination may lead to better outcomes,
• the opportunity for increased revenue,
• potential for cost savings, and
• how the healthcare industry is moving in this direction.

Nicholls also lays out potential risks operators should consider when evaluating healthcare alignment:

• potential high cost to implement,
• increased regulatory risk,
• government reimbursement,
• distraction to the core business, and
• unanswered questions.

As Nicholl’s points out, “There is no one right answer, but operators and investors should avail themselves to all of the information available to decide what is best for their respective businesses.”

Read Kate Nicholls’ full article, “Senior Housing and Care Integration: An Opportunity or a Threat?,” in the December issue of the NIC Insider newsletter.