CCRCs (Life Plan): Econ Data in Marketing?

In a time of constantly changing markets, grasping economic indicators can give marketers a significant advantage. These indicators are statistical/data measures that provide a look into the economy’s present and future conditions, serving as potent instruments for devising marketing strategies in tune with consumer behavior, purchasing power, and the general state of the market. For … Read more

Touching Base with 2024’s Outlook

Back in December of 2023 (late), I wrote a post with my 2024 Outlook. I dusted off the “old” crystal ball and peering deeply, I offered a few prognostications.  The post is available here: https://rhislop3.com/2023/12/27/wednesday-feature-outlook-for-2024/ Below are the predictions along with a quick review of how close, or not, I was at the time.  I’ll … Read more

Senior Living Bankruptcy Trend Remains Alarming

The healthcare sector has experienced another quarter of record-high distress levels, as indicated by the volume of bankruptcy filings, with the senior living and care sector at the forefront. This bankruptcy trend for senior living remains alarming. In January, I took a look at 2023 bankruptcy levels, the worse year in decades.  That post is … Read more

Senior Living Occupancy Up: Challenges Remain

According to data released by NIC (National Investment Center) last week, senior living occupancies ticked up in the first quarter. This is a trend that has continued since the pandemic occupancy “crash”.  Other economic data, however, suggest that challenges remain for continued growth, especially within the CCRC/Life Plan sector. The NIC data is here: 2Q24-NIC-MAP-Market-Fundamentals … Read more

The Economy and CCRC Performance – Update

Recently (June 12), the Federal Reserve held its latest FOMC (Federal Open Markets Committee) meeting and decided to maintain the current Fed Funds rate within the range of 5.25% to 5.50%.  The reasoning remains the current position of the economy, inflation therein, signals that inflation is a bit more persistent, and that without more definitive … Read more

Marketing to Fit the Times

Over the years that I have been consulting, writing this blog, contributing to various publications, newsletters, podcasts, etc., I have tried to impress industry folks to stay connected to the current times in terms of marketing. By this I mean, don’t lose sight of what is going on in the world around you, locally, nationally, … Read more

Wednesday Feature: Lending Trends Still Reflecting a Tight Capital Environment

Happy Hump Day! The National Investment Center released its third quarter 2023 lending trends report and while the data is a bit old, it is reflective of current market conditions. The report is available here: NIC_Lending__Trends_Report_3Q2023 Suffice to say since I last provided an update on this subject area, things have not improved.  Capital access … Read more

Occupancy? The Hidden Senior Living Market

While it is important to celebrate that senior living occupancies are up to pre-pandemic levels, it is also important to note that in most cases, the data quoted via NIC for example, is regionalized and nationalized. Likewise, the results (the occupancy levels) are still not capable of generating strong, positive margins. Occupancy levels in the 87% to … Read more

2024 Senior Living Outlook Report

Senior Housing News and Lument conducted a survey (November of 2023) of senior living organizations and executives regarding their outlook for 2024. They consolidated the responses into a report. That report is available here: 2024-shn-lument-outlooksurveyreport-vf.original The highlights from the report are below.  The general consensus of respondents was a positive outlook (87%) for 2024, buffered mostly … Read more

Fitch 2024 Oulook: Life Plan (CCRC) Communities, Non-Profit Hospitals – Deteriorating

The Fitch Ratings Public Finance outlook dropped earlier this week and not surprising, their outlook for Life Plan Communities and Non-Profit Hospitals/Health Systems remains negative or in their terms, “deteriorating”. Their forecast is for deteriorating credit conditions in these two sectors due primarily to labor and cost pressures (insufficient supply of labor at higher comp levels … Read more