Evergreen Management sees many opportunities ahead to grow in high acuity senior living as the company absorbs over 50 new memory care communities from ProMedica’s Arden Courts brand.

In August, Evergreen assumed management of the operating business from ProMedica for 53 Arden Courts memory care communities along with 11 Auberge memory care properties.

Evergreen is no stranger to these properties, having been the operator of the communities over the last three years in which occupancy increased from 69% in 2022 to over 85% this year.

At the same time, the company also has successfully reduced the use of agency staffing that previously cost $22 million annually for the portfolio. Toledo, Ohio-based Evergreen now operates 68 communities in 12 states.

In the last five years, families of senior living residents have put “even greater value” on personalization, safety and transparency, according to Evergreen President and COO Luke Pile. In assisted living, residents are arriving with higher acuity care needs while still demanding comfort and independence, Pile told Memory Care Business.

“This has led to more clinical oversight, expanded staff training, and the use of adaptive technologies, all while maintaining a homelike environment,” Pile said.

Evergreen prepared for growth with ‘stronger investment’ in workforce

As operations in higher acuity senior living continue to become more complex, senior living providers have had to make tough decisions in where to place resources to support operations.

For Evergreen, that means making a “stronger investment in our workforce,” Pile said.

“Well-supported, well-trained teams are essential to meeting rising expectations and delivering the quality-of-care families trust,” Pile said.

That meant more specialized training for caregivers who are given advanced dementia care training, allowing them to give compassionate, informed and skilled support as care needs drive complexity in memory care.

During the last five years, the Arden Courts brand has expanded its reach and added new offerings including family communication tools via a digital platform and the addition of advanced health monitoring systems. New programming was also added to enrich memory care experiences for residents.

This is all aimed at meeting the “changing needs of” today’s memory care customers and their families, Pile said.

“We have aligned our operations, equipment, technology investments, and caregiver training to better serve residents with higher acuity needs, with a strong focus on preventing falls and avoidable readmissions,” Pile said.

The biggest challenge ahead for senior living operators remains the ability to hire and retain qualified workers, with Pile calling workforce “the foundation of everything we do” at Evergreen.

“When our workforce is engaged, healthy, and aligned with our mission, the other challenges in the industry become far easier to overcome,” Pile said.

Future growth spurred by demand

Pile said Evergreen was “very bullish” on assisted living and memory care, citing recent research that shows that the rate of dementia could double by 2060. This research has led senior living providers to call to “change the narrative” on how dementia is perceived.

To meet this onset of new demand for high acuity senior living, Pile sees acquisitions and new development in a two-pronged approach to achieve new growth.

“We see opportunity in underserved and underdeveloped markets across the United States, and we intend to grow in locations where the demographics make sense,” Pile said.

Looking ahead, Pile said Evergreen has the “operational flexibility” to take advantage of new growth opportunities as they emerge. New growth in senior living will be driven by strong and growing demand for the sector as demographics skew older and awareness of senior living rises, Pile said.

“There is opportunity to innovate in areas like workforce development, technology integration, and specialized programming to meet higher acuity needs,” Pile said. “Providers who can combine operational excellence with a strong culture of care will be best positioned to thrive in the years ahead.”