Editor’s Picks: Brookdale’s Big Wellness Rollout

It’s starting to feel like summer at our Chicago headquarters, and we were eager to bring our readers the latest buzz from the industry this week. 

Everyone was interested in the latest news from the nation’s largest senior housing provider, including its upcoming plans for the year and a new wellness program for brain health. We also broke the news that a major senior housing real estate owner, its management company and a giant private equity group announced a merger to create a new $17 billion REIT.

Most Read

Brookdale CEO: ‘Execution, Execution, Execution’ is Mantra for Mega Earnings—Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD) executives are saying full speed ahead on growth in its efforts to leave integration woes in the past. The nation’s largest senior housing provider is keeping two-year-old acquisition of Emeritus Corp. in the “rearview mirror” and looking for a big earnings year.

Residents Help Shrink CCRC Expenses, Carbon Footprint—Asbury Communities Inc. has reaped plenty of rewards since implementing an innovative sustainability and energy efficiency program across its six continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) just over a year ago. To create an innovative, attractive program, Asbury worked with its long-term partner, Sodexo, a global company based in France that delivers sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations.

Brookdale Rolls Out New Wellness Program—Brookdale has enlisted the help of a neuropsychologist to get as many residents as possible actively involved in their own brain health, through a multidimensional program being rolled out in communities across the country. The wellness programming explores the concept of brain health through hands-on activities and classroom learning.

NorthStar, Colony Merger to Create $17 Billion REIT—NorthStar Realty Finance (NYSE: NRF), a real estate investment trust (REIT) that is a major owner of senior housing estate, will merging with its current external manager, NorthStar Asset Management (NSAM), and private equity firm Colony Capital Inc. (NYSE: CLNY). 

Around the Web

Why Encouraging Older Adults to Stay In their Homes Isn’t Always Smart—While most Americans say they want to age in their own homes, the reality is that not everyone can—or should. Howard Gleckman pens an essay for Forbes on why not all older adults should remain at home through retirement, noting reasons ranging from loneliness to the dangers of declining health and financial feasibility,

What Nursing Home ‘Memory Care’ Means—“Memory care” has a gentle ring to it, a sense of precious keepsakes highly valued and lovingly tended. With demand rising for this type of care to treat seniors with dementia, US News created a list of considerations for finding memory care for a family member. 

Amy’s Adds

Trio of Siblings in their 90s Together Again in Same Senior Living Center—After going their separate ways and living their own lives for decades, the three O’Neil siblings—all in their 90s—are together under the same roof at Arbor North Living Center, an assisted living community in Jackson, Mississippi. 

Written by Amy Baxter