In case you missed it, here are the top five stories grabbing Senior Housing News readers this week. (We’ll be back on Tuesday after the Columbus Day holiday.)

1. Mainstreet moves forward with hotel-concept rehab model—The company is banking on baby boomers to revolt against existing nursing home options for short-term skilled nursing or rehabilitation stays, and bolstered by a recent survey’s results, it continues to develop a high-end, hotel-inspired product.

2. Emeritus launches first-ever call center and sees early positive response—The company says it has already seen improved conversion rates from inquiry to visit after just a few weeks with the new call center operating. The call center is staffed with a fleet of Emeritus “Family Advocates.”

3. A new Texas Operator is breaking into the high-end senior living market—The new operator, Avanti Senior Living, aims to break ground on its first two properties in early 2014 with plans for a dozen more.

4. Senior living providers can’t ignore home care—When it comes to making new development plans, for some product types home care is seen as competition, for others, it’s being targeted as new opportunity in site and market selection.

5. Senior housing construction is hot. Will it overheat?—Construction is making a comeback and in some markets it’s outpacing pre-recession levels. Some say it may have hit its peak in certain regions, with tell-tale signs to show it.

We’ll be closed Monday for Columbus Day but will resume Senior Housing News on Tuesday, October 15. 

Written by Elizabeth Ecker