Is your current continuum of services and supports up to the task of serving future consumers? LeadingAge Director of Residential Communities Steve Maag offers advice on how to find out. 

Eaton Senior Communities in Lakewood, CO recently closed its 66-unit assisted living community after more than three decades of operation. There were a lot of reasons behind the decision, but chief among them was Eaton’s remarkable success in related area of senior living. 

Eaton has spent the last 10 years developing a housing plus services model in its affordable housing community, located on the same campus as its assisted living community. The model revolves around an onsite team, consisting of a wellness nurse and a service coordinator, which assesses residents’ health and well-being, helps residents set realistic health goals, and then works with local community-based partners to coordinate a host of services designed to help residents meet those goals. 

President and CEO David Smart said Eaton has been able to save “tons of money” for the health care system by helping its housing residents remain in their own apartments and avoid moves to higher levels of care, including assisted living, skilled nursing, and hospitals. 

To read more on this approach and learn how you can better assess your readiness for changing consumer preferences, read What Will Your Continuum Look Like in 5 Years?