Senior Housing News recognizes the seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic, so we will be updating this bulletin to keep you apprised of the latest developments, focusing on news and information that we identify as especially pertinent to senior living. The team at SHN knows how important your work is right now; we thank you and your teams, and encourage you to reach out to us individually or at editor@seniorhousingnews.com with news items, topics that you believe are important for coverage, or other feedback.
Each day brings news of more senior living residents and staff members diagnosed with Covid-19. Some of the nation’s largest providers, including Atria Senior Living and Five Star Senior Living, as well as major regional players such as Benchmark, are now responding to these situations. Meanwhile, Cindy Baier — CEO of Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD), the nation’s largest provider — appeared in a video message to provide an update on the company’s latest policies. The company is restricting all visitors to buildings, except in end-of-life situations or pursuant to guidance of public health officials.
Here’s what you need to know for Thursday, March 19, 2020:
— Among the latest reports of new Covid-19 cases in senior living: five residents of Atria Burlingame in California; a resident of The Kensington in Falls Church, Virginia; five residents of Camellia at Deerwood in Jacksonville, Florida; a staff member at Church Creek, a community located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, operated by Five Star Senior Living; six people at Laurel Manor Care Center, operated by Volunteers of America, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A resident of Bonaventure of Tri-Cities in Richland, Washington, who died last Saturday was subsequently diagnosed as having had Covid-19. A man who resided at Benchmark Senior Living at Ridgefield Crossings also passed away after being hospitalized and diagnosed with Covid-19.
The following statement from Atria CEO John Moore was provided to Senior Housing News on Thursday:
“As you can imagine, we’re very busy. People are stepping up and doing great things. I couldn’t be more proud of how our team is facing these challenges.
There is and will be so much more to say about how we are learning to both keep our residents safe and also find ways to allow our residents to have community, engagement and continued connection to family and friends in a mostly quarantined environment.”
— “In light of the changing guidelines, Brookdale is tightening up our current policies and protocols. At this time, we are restricting all visitors and non-essential health care personnel to our communities. There is an exception for certain compassionate care situations, such as the end of life, or pursuant to the guidance of public health officials,” Brookdale CEO Cindy Baier said in an updated video message posted Thursday.
— Only 33 people in Florida retirement haven The Villages have been tested for Covid-19, and the state’s large population of seniors could be at particular risk, The New York Times reported.
— Family members of residents understand the need for visitor restrictions at senior living communities, but they are struggling with emotional fallout as a result of being separated from loved ones during the pandemic, according to a story in the San Diego Union Tribune.
— Cleveland, Tennessee-based Legacy Senior Living canceled its leadership retreat and funneled the funds into Covid-19 response at the community level. The company has installed “immunity boost” stations at all of its 14 communities, featuring healthy food and vitamin-infused hydration. “We believe these proactive wellness efforts can give residents a positive outlook, a sense of calm and perhaps even a stronger immune system,” said Bryan Cook, co-founder and president of Legacy Senior Living.
Here’s what you need to know for Wednesday, March 18, 2020:
- “Limitations in effective infection control and prevention and staff members working in multiple facilities contributed to intra- and interfacility spread.” Read the whole CDC report on how Covid-19 spread through long-term care settings in Washington.
- National Health Investors (NYSE: NHI) has updated its website to segment its portfolio by coronavirus testing and diagnosis status. So far, no active cases have been reported in communities owned by the Murfreesboro, Tennessee-based REIT.
- The New York Times reports on social isolation among seniors as a result of Covid-19.
- Older adults living at home face a “host of challenges,” Kaiser Health News reported.
- “Our experienced staff remains onsite and has implemented additional quarantine protocols,” Atria Senior Living stated, as the large Louisville, Kentucky-based provider responded to a Covid-19 outbreak at a Fort Lauderdale community.
Here’s what you need to know for Tuesday, March 17, 2020:
- Ventas drew $2.75B from revolving line of credit, withdrew 2020 guidance.
- Welltower announced two Covid-19 diagnoses in its senior housing portfolio; CEO Tom DeRosa touted senior living as a key setting for keeping coronavirus patients out of hospitals to maintain bed availability.
- Brookdale has drawn on its full revolving line of credit, stopped its share repurchasing program and halted some capex projects as expenses have grown due to Covid-19.
- The first cases of coronavirus in senior living in the state of Georgia were reported, involving three residents and an employee of a Phoenix Senior Living building.
- CMS updated guidance for PACE programs.
Here’s what you need to know for Monday, March 16, 2020:
- Two more senior living communities in Kirkland, Washington, have reported cases of Covid-19. A Life Care Centers community here was hit in the early days of the U.S. outbreak and has lost more than two-dozen residents to the virus.
- The Dow plummeted nearly 3,000 points on Monday after plunging late last week. Senior housing related stocks continued to be affected, with the “Big 3” REITs all down more than 20% and Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD) trading down nearly 36% at the close.
- Irvine, California-based Healthpeak (NYSE: PEAK) — one of the Big 3 REITs — issued a Covid-19 update. The company expects a deterioration in performance relative to expectations at least for the next few months.
- Industry associations Argentum and ASHA urged Congress to exempt senior living providers from certain provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that they argued would “decimate” providers’ workforces.
- Personal care aides are among the workers most at-risk from Covid-19, according to a New York Times analysis.
- Covid-19 infections continue to spread among health care professionals generally, with workers in five states testing positive over the weekend.
- Testing for an experimental coronavirus vaccine got underway Monday, with the first volunteer receiving the shot in Seattle.
The post Covid-19 News Bulletin: Senior Living Cases Accelerate; Brookdale CEO Explains Tighter Policies appeared first on Senior Housing News.
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