National collaborative will foster innovation in senior housing and financing models

A new collaborative plans to tackle the challenges of senior housing and the finances that will be needed to participate in the industry’s burgeoning need for innovative service models. The Learning Collaborative will combine the experiences and insights of 12 long-term care communities across 11 states for the next two years.

The idea grew out of the 2010 National Summit on Affordable Housing and Services, hosted by LeadingAge and Enterprise Community Partners.

Enterprise and LeadingAge will again partner for the new project, along with Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF), which will contribute its expertise in housing policy.

The group intends to explore new partnerships strategies, operational efficiency, housing models, data analytics and outcomes management, financing structures and healthcare policy.

“Our intent for this Learning Collaborative is to move the industry beyond ‘boutique’ programs to develop replicable and financeable solutions that address the needs of varied senior populations, are comprehensive and are integrated with larger community initiatives,” says Alisha Sanders, director of LeadingAge’s Center for Housing Plus Services.

Affordable senior housing resources and services are shrinking just as the baby boomers are knocking at the door, notes Terri Ludwig, Enterprise’s president and CEO. “It is vital that we take the necessary steps to support innovation, identify successes and encourage the adoption of these emerging successful models.”

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.