With Federal Rules Released, Lagging Senior Living Providers Must Mandate Staff Vaccination

Companies that employ more than 100 people — including senior living providers — must implement a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy, under an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule issued Thursday.  All workers in these companies must receive their final Covid-19 vaccination shot by January 4, 2022. Alternately, workers could undergo routine Covid-19 testing and […]

Pennant Says Efforts ‘Fell Short’ in Q3 to Confront Labor Challenges, Covid Outbreaks

A rise in Covid-19 cases and the ongoing labor crunch derailed The Pennant Group’s (Nasdaq: PNTG) momentum in the third quarter of 2021. In a press release distributed ahead of the company’s Nov. 9 earnings call, Pennant leadership warned that the Eagle, Idaho-based company’s third-quarter earnings were negatively affected by its ongoing challenges. “Our efforts […]

The Diversified Senior Living Company of the Future: Providers Look Beyond Housing in Covid’s Wake

There are signs that Covid-19 has propelled more senior living providers to consider diversification strategies, adding new ancillary service lines as a financial and strategic play. The trend was already underway before the pandemic struck, but with Covid-19 eroding occupancy to historically low levels, providers have recognized the risks in tying revenue almost entirely to […]

Eclipse Senior Living Closure Shows Covid is Casting Long Shadow Over Industry

The impending closure of Eclipse Senior Living and the transition of its 90 communities to eight other operators is the latest upheaval to the industry, after nearly 20 months of pandemic-related disruption. Lake Oswego, Oregon-based Eclipse’s closure is obviously bad news, with 171 employees losing their jobs and shares of its real estate investment trust […]

Fall 2021 Senior Housing Outlook: Operating Perils Loom But Providers See Stability, Growth Ahead

Heading into the final three months of 2021, senior living providers, investors and developers face multiple perils. Occupancy gains have slowed in recent weeks while a labor crisis is worsening, and supply chain disruption continues to drive up construction costs. However, compared to where the industry was a year ago, the view in 2021 appears […]

[UPDATED] CDC Panel Recommends Pfizer Boosters for Older Adults, Director Backs Third Shots for Workers

An advisory group with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine booster shots for older adults and other people with health risks. Though the panel initially left out people whose occupations may cause them to frequently come into contact with the coronavirus, such as health care workers, CDC Director Rochelle […]

Brookdale Recovery Slowed — But Not Stopped — By Delta Variant, Labor Pressures

The Covid-19 delta variant has slowed Brookdale Senior Living’s (NYSE: BKD) occupancy recovery, which has been on a six-month upward trend. In particular, growth appears to be slowing in states and markets where the delta variant is spreading the fastest, the Brentwood, Tennessee-based owner-operator declared in a 8-K form filed Tuesday with the Securities and […]

$25.5 Billion Relief Fund Being Released to Assisted Living, Other Health Care Providers After Delay

Another round of Covid-19 relief is being made available to health care groups, including assisted living providers. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday announced that it is releasing $25.5 billion in new funding for health care providers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The portal to apply for funds will open on […]

Senior Living Groups Praise Sweeping New Vaccine Mandates, Blast Lack of Financial Relief

Senior living providers have been on the leading edge of implementing Covid-19 vaccine mandates for employees — and soon, they must be joined by every large company in the United States. President Biden on Thursday announced plans to order companies with 100 or more employees to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for workers or test them for […]