Senior Housing and Assisted Living

Capital Senior Living Corporation (NYSE:CSU) announced operating results for the fourth quarter and full year 2009 that showed an increase in revenues to $48.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to $48.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2008 and net income was $0.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, equal to the adjusted net income reported in the fourth quarter of 2008.  For the full year, CSU had adjusted net income of $2.8 million in 2009 compared to adjusted net income of $4.7 million in 2008.

Some of the highlights from Q4 include:

• Average physical occupancy rate for 58 stabilized communities was 87 percent.
• Operating margins (before property taxes, insurance and management fees) were 49 percent in stabilized independent and assisted living communities.

• At communities under management, excluding three communities undergoing conversions to higher levels of care, same-store revenue increased 1.7 percent versus the fourth quarter of 2008 as a result of a 2.8 percent increase in average monthly rent.
• Same-store expenses decreased 2.1 percent and net income increased 7.7 percent from the comparable period of the prior year.

“We continue to report positive results despite a challenging operating environment,” said Lawrence A. Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “Sequential occupancies in our consolidated communities increased 30 basis points and all communities under management increased 70 basis points from the third quarter. Average monthly rents have continued to grow while both operating expenses and corporate overhead have declined year-over-year. Our focus on expense control and productive use of our resources has resulted in CFFO of $0.63 per share in 2009. We are well-positioned to leverage our competitive strengths and expand care to our residents to generate attractive returns, maximize free cash flow and enhance shareholder value.”

For the full operating results, visit http://www.capitalsenior.com/Documents/release3.10.10.pdf

Faulkner Design Group announced that it has been retained to provide the interior design and planning for Arbor Oaks at Crestview in Bryan, Texas.  Methodist Retirement Communities is investing more than $50 million in the expansion of the current campus of Arbor Oaks at Crestview.  The first phase of the development, slated to open in summer of 2011, will include assisted living residences, skilled nursing accommodations and memory support suites.  Phase II, opening summer 2012, will consist of independent living apartments.  Faulkner will work with developer Greystone Communities and the architecture team at Perkins + Will (Dallas office).

“We are excited to be part of the Arbor Oaks at Crestview project team,” said Adrienne Faulkner, CEO, Faulkner Design Group.  “This will be a great opportunity for our seasoned senior living group to bring their design experience to Bryan, Texas, and we are pleased to be working with Methodist Retirement Communities.”

With the tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti and the more recent one in Chile, many media outlets have provided coverage of the struggle of those in nursing homes in those areas who were not only trapped immediately after the natural disasters but in the ensuing weeks after the quakes.  One of the best articles we’ve seen on this was the Washington Post article, “Old and poor in Haiti suffer mightily after the quake” shows the dire needs of elders in Haiti which was published this past weekend.  Check it out.

A Place for Mom recently announced the addition of an inventory and occupancy module to the company’s online lead management system You’ve Got Leads.  You’ve Got Leads is an online CRM for the senior housing industry that helps companies better manage relationships with prospective residents. The new module will enable the YGL user to track include:  total number of suites occupied by type, occupancy percentage by type, number of vacancies and other pricing and management features.

“The release of the inventory and occupancy module further positions You’ve Got Leads as the senior housing industry’s leading CRM,” said Pamala Temple, president and founder of A Place for Mom, Inc. “What was already a great product used by many of the top companies in the industry, now allows users a powerful competitive edge – the ability to review and analyze vital unit metrics in real time so they can better manage occupancy and availability.”

Politicians and certain special interest groups, still making weak claims concerning electronic cigarettes and esmokes. They are misleading and downplaying the benefits of electric cigarette, but a hospital in Tampa, Florida decided last week to permit the usage of electronic cigarettes within the hospital.

I had a personal experience at a hospital in Fredricksberg, Texas a week or two back, they had no objections to my smoking my GreenSmoke electronic cigarette in the hospital waiting room or corridors.

Smoking is a recreational privilege that is banned in many public places and I have had no problems with smoking/vaping my Electronic Cigarettes, eSmokes, E cigarette and have not encountered any problems while doing so. e Smokes, Electronic Cigarettes or eSmokes allows a smoker to get the nicotine fix just as easily as coffee or soda drinkers get their caffeine fix.

eSmokes or Electronic Cigarettes, as they are frequently referred to as, also benefited employers who allow smoking only in designated areas. The employers benefit from increased productivity. Since their employees don’t have to waste time going to an area where smoking is allowed. Electronic Cigarette esmokers don’t carry around that burnt tobacco smell…you know, that odor that’s stronger than 10 acres of fresh plowed garlic! As if that wasn’t enough, there is no second hand tobacco smoke to jeopardize anyone else s health. Altogether, it is a win win situation, the company’s bottom line improves and nobody gets exposed to unhealthy second hand smoke..indeed a plus in hard economic times.

Last July, the FDA issued a warning regarding the electric cigarette and it appears the public and medical industry just aren’t buying the story. What they have accomplished with that is, at a time when the public distrusts the government more than at any other time in history, is diminished credibility.

To add insult to injury on the FDA’s warning regarding electronic cigarettes; Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in the UK made public a favorable announcement and took a position in support of electronic cigarettes with this statement: “E-cigarettes, which deliver nicotine without the harmful toxins found in tobacco smoke, are likely to be a safer alternative to smoking. In addition, E-cigarettes reduce second hand smoke exposure since they do not produce smoke.”

Yet, they continue their battle to remove an obviously safer product from consumers while allowing a known risk producing product to remain on the market. One could only conclude that there must be a money trail somewhere…I wonder what that may be.

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Are you currently in a position where it has become essential to arrange for aging care? It doesn’t matter if the place is for yourself or someone you love, determining the right aging care facility is critical. Allow me to share a look at some of the different aging care options and how to select the right facility for your needs.

You need to understand that there are different options that may suit some people better than others. Specific health problems may require specialised care especially in the later stages of some diseases. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may mean that customized health care approaches are necessary.

Do you like the idea of staying in your own home? Consider a care provider who will come in and help look after your needs. Think about the specific needs you will want met, and the home itself. If mobility is a problem, someone may need to move to a home with no stairs. If you cannot lift, consider having help with your housework and yard work. You should think carefully about the different things you need to do around the house and make sure that these are taken care of in order to make living at home as successful as possible.

You may look at a retirement residence as a good transition from your home. You want to make sure that the facility you choose has activities you will enjoy and enough privacy and independence that you will feel at home there. Look at this place as somewhere you will want to live for a long time. Health care methods and advances in medical care can keep you around for many years to come.

Nursing care facilities may be the next step that you will consider. Normally, a person is admitted into a nursing home when they have significant physical or mental impairments that make any level of self-care impossible. They usually have less segregated living arrangements and activities which are less varied or active. People who are suffering from altered mental states due to disease or the after effects of a stroke may require a room in a nursing facility.

If your loved one is very ill you may be forced to consider palliative care. This can be a heartbreaking decision since, by admitting palliative care is needed you are admitting that there is little to no chance your loved one will get better. Palliative care arrangements should still ensure that your loved one is well cared for and that there is mental or physical stimulation when that is possible. Remember that you never know how long your loved one has left so you should plan for them to be as comfortable as possible for as long they can.

You might want to think beyond the immediate situation when determining whether a selected aging care arrangement is right for you. By learning about the aging process and any specific needs you have, you can find a facility that will help you grow old gracefully and enjoy any remaining years you might have.

Before you go and buy a policy get more long-term care ins info and request a long term care insurance quote visit us today. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

Medicare is an affordable insurance option, yet some participants seek the best medicare supplement rates to fill in the gaps of coverage Medicare leaves out. The government sanctioned insurance option often denies lapses on coverage for certain preexisting conditions. Limitations may apply to prescription choices or even physicians. Exploring options for the best Medicare supplement rates offer the ability to purchase coverage for the areas that are lapsed only without enrolling in another policy all together.

Senior citizens requiring additional coverage for prescription drugs, hospice care, or foreign travel may search for these options specifically when locating the best Medicare supplement rates. The areas of coverage for each Medicare policy are outlined during the application or reinstatement process. Medicare supplement coverage will grant only coverage for the areas the applicant does not qualify for or funding is not available by the government.

The open enrollment for Medicare is during the month of March during which time the applicant can request changes to a preexisting policy or apply for coverage when meeting the basic age requirement of 55 years old. Recommendations for the best Medicare supplement rates can be made during the initial application process by the case manager. Upon reviewing the applicant’s information the case manager can then offer an estimate of rates for the additional coverage to supplement the approved policy.

Traveling abroad can be a source of relaxation yet the traveler may require the assurance of insurance overage while abroad. Coverage for any unforeseen occurrences is important when considering the surroundings and change in governing policies. Some supplement plans for this option may require a visit to a primary physician prior to departure.

An option for searching for Medicare supplement rates is to do further research online basing the search on the coverage that is requested. The internet provides the opportunity to search with comparison charts available for review. The participant is able to narrow their search online to the types of coverage lapsed in their core coverage options.

Frequent visits to your primary physician for a condition that may not be covered under the standard Medicare plan? Speak to the medical administrative staff. The resident staff at a primary physician’s office may be able to offer additional information the best Medicare supplement rates based on your frequent visits.

Medicare coverage is limited to the qualifications and standards of care offered to applicants based on the views of the government. Some participants may find that the coverage does not take in consideration special circumstances. To find the best Medicare supplement rates is to research online, speak to a representative at the time of open enrollment or speak to the administrative staff at a trusted physician.

Looking to find the single source of helpful information on medicare supplement rates?