Senior living operator Silver Birch Living is gearing up to grow in the affordable assisted living space in the Midwest in the coming years..
As the largest owner and operator of affordable assisted living communities in Indiana with nine properties, Silver Birch Living is prepared to start developing eight to 10 more communities in Ohio “in the next few years” if construction costs and interest rates ease, according to CEO Jo Ellen Bleavins.
The company’s development wing, Vermillion Development, is primed to go, with multiple sites under contract ready to move as soon as financing is secured.
“We’re prepared to develop that, and it’s really working in the state of Ohio to make it more feasible for that type of investment,” Bleavins told SHN.
The company’s“sweet spot lies with communities in the 100-unit to 120-unit range, he added. Typical amenities include private apartments with kitchenette, bedroom, bathroom and emergency alert system. Other amenities include medication management, assistance with daily activities, restaurant-style dining along with laundry and housekeeping services. Shared amenities include an outdoor patio, walking paths, community gardens, a library, hair salon, computer lounge and resident community lounge areas.
The company also offers a financing program wherein assisted living residents can offset the costs of their care through Medicaid.
Getting affordable-rate assisted living communities off the ground depends on many factors, primarily how financing for these projects comes together, Bleavins said. Silver Birch has lobbied Ohio state healthcare and state legislative members to increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate in the state.
Development prototypes for these future affordable senior living communities in Ohio would include 120-unit builds with studio, one- and two-bedroom layouts, Bleavins said. In the meantime, Silver Birch will pursue the necessary approvals needed to expand into the Buckeye State.
The existing properties in the Silver Birch portfolio were all ground-up developments built in 2017, with apartment layouts, common areas, and amenities, including partnerships with salons and therapy services for residents.
“We’ve prepared well in advance, and we’re sitting in a pretty good place,” Bleavins said. “We really try to look at the function of our buildings, and I think one thing we’ve done well is working with our architect and designers.”
This year, Silver Birch branded its culinary program to diversify dining options for residents across its communities, along with getting resident input to inform future design.
“The days of just having an outdoor gazebo are over, and you need to be able to play bags or cook outside and have different activities because I think socialization is more normalized now than ever before,” Bleavins said.
While Silver Birch waits on Medicaid waivers for new resident move-ins to enter communities, Bleavins said the organization was preparing plans for future growth.
“My hope as we look to the future and 2025 is that we get these things ironed out in time,” she added.
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