Transform - Senior Housing News

Welcome to the latest episode of TRANSFORM from Senior Housing News! Pegasus Senior Living continues to grow. In 2026, the company surpassed 50 communities under management after taking on a portfolio of 10 communities in Texas. Their expansion aims to use scale as a strategic advantage, preparing for a future in which health care services are more tightly integrated with senior living, and operations center on personalized engagement and lifestyle enrichment. Joining SHN editor Austin Montgomery to discuss the growth strategy is Pegasus CEO Chris Hollister. Tune in now!

Middle-market senior living rates are still achievable through disciplined, math-driven operating models to meet rising acuity and affordability needs of older adults. That’s according to Mainstay Financial Services Chief Investment Officer Tod Petty, who rejoined the organization in June of 2025 and is now helping to expand the Lakeland, Florida-based senior living provider in the middle-market sector as demographic demand fuels senior living growth opportunities. Mainstay’s focus on middle-market affordability and secondary and tertiary markets across the Southeast comes as the private-pay senior living industry grapples with the affordability perception of its offerings in 2026. Petty sees middle-market senior living as a structural math problem, not a branding exercise, and says success hinges on aligning cost basis, operations and capital expectations. “For us, the middle market really isn’t a branding category. It’s a math problem, and we’ve structured the platform, the capital, the operations and our geography to solve that,” Petty said on the most recent episode of the SHN Transform podcast. Over the next 24 months, Mainstay is targeting an acquisition pace of two to four properties per year, primarily in the Southeast. The company plans to build clusters in markets where it already operates – such as Lakeland, Florida and larger metropolitan areas like Atlanta – to share resources and operate more efficiently. A key part of the company’s growth strategy is focused on secondary and tertiary markets to expand middle-market options with less competition than primary markets. These markets often have an “exploding” health care presence from regional hospitals, post-acute and urgent care providers that are all chasing the same demographic-driven demand.

Welcome to the latest episode of TRANSFORM from Senior Housing News! In 2026, Silverado is continuing to evolve its operating model with new technology as the company prepares for future growth. Silverado’s Nexus memory care program, which provides early stage dementia care, continues to grow as the company emphasizes leadership development this year. If you ask Silverado CEO Designate Wayne Sanner, 2026 is all about being “bold” in staffing, programming and engagement to adapt memory care for the next generation of senior living residents. Sanner sat down with SHN to talk through the year ahead. Tune in now!

In 2025, Viva executed on rapid, but planned growth by doubling its management portfolio and taking on communities in new states. Thanks to the company's rapid growth, Viva is scaling systems and building out operations to support its growing base of nearly 2,000 employees. The expansion centers on assisted living and memory care communities, with Viva leaders embracing and preparing for the senior living industry's acuity-driven future as clinical needs become more complex and older adults wait longer to enter communities. In 2026, Viva will continue to integrate its latest communities into the fold and expand the company's leadership development efforts to cultivate talent from within. Senior Housing News reporter Austin Montgomery discusses these changes with Viva's Chief Operating Officer Christopher Metternich and Chief Strategy Officer Heather Terhark in the newest episode of TRANSFORM. Tune in now!

Front Porch has witnessed growth in recent years, moving from post-merger integration into a future of strategic growth and reinvestment. A crucial part of this came earlier this year with the acquisition of Arch Development to bring in-house development management services for the nonprofit senior living provider. Rising demand and rising acuity have led Front Porch to look internally to change operations for current residents and future customers. Tune in now!

Joining us on today's episode of Transform from Senior Housing News is Adam Aisen, CEO of ECP, which provides a complete web-based software suite for assisted living and long-term care communities. In this interview, Adam and SHN's Jack Silverstein discuss the future of senior living capital, labor, and the impact of AI on both. Don’t miss this exciting episode!

In 2025, Health Dimensions Group has reached the milestone of 50 communities and the company is now looking internally to integrate new communities into its senior living portfolio. Crucial to these transitions are three distinct operations teams tasked with onboarding new properties. Tune in now!

Ascension Living has undergone a strategic transformation in recent years, refining its portfolio to align more closely with its hospital system and expanding programs that support residents across the full continuum of care. The organization is investing in technology upgrades, geriatric care coordination, and staffing improvements to create a more seamless experience for residents and their families.

In 2025, Willow Valley Communities tapped Hawthorne to be the company’s next top leader as the company prepares for continued growth to meet the demands of today’s senior living environment. From new development projects to focusing internally on improving staffing and operations, Willow Valley is prepared for incoming demand now and into the future.

In this episode of the Senior Housing News Transform podcast, Tutera Senior Living COO Randy Bloom outlines the strategies behind the company's recent growth, with 45 new communities since 2023. Tutera now turns its focus to bolstering corporate support, operations and frontline leaders. With plans to build out centralized systems to drive future growth, operational improvements also take center stage for Tutera in 2025. These efforts include improving dining and resident enrichment programs, and boosting retention by prioritizing onboarding and each employee's first 90 days. Tune in to learn how Tutera is growing its operating model to accommodate additional scale and more sophisticated operations.

Stellar Senior Living wants to enrich the lives of 30,000 people by 2030. To achieve this goal, the company has strategically scaled its portfolio and that growth has continued in 2025. Stellar has also forged new relationships with institutional partners this year, and launched a $25 million equity - joint venture effort in 2024 to fuel future investment and growth opportunities.

In today's episode of Transform, we sit down with Volante Senior Living CEO Jeff Fischer. Since joining Volante in July 2024, CEO Fischer and his leadership team have worked to improve staff retention, reduce turnover and improve workplace culture in an effort to solidify operations in a preamble to future growth. While the company focuses on operations internally to improve staffing along with its sales and marketing practices, Volante is also expanding with two new developments underway in Oregon. Tune in now!

As the senior living industry continues to experience rising acuity rates and greater expectations from residents and their loved ones, operators across the country are rethinking how they deliver care and turning to remote patient monitoring (RPM) as a solution. On the latest episode of Transform from Senior Housing News, Michael Emery, Executive Vice President of Strategy at Curana Health, and Stephanie Boreale, National Director of Health Strategy at Watermark Retirement Communities, share how RPM is helping improve resident health outcomes and satisfaction, reduce hospitalizations, and provide peace of mind. Don’t miss this exciting episode!

The Kendal Corporation envisions a future senior living landscape that moves beyond traditional continuing care retirement community models to identify new ways of serving older adults in the future, specifically aimed at affordability and intergenerational living. This comes as Kendal continues to redevelop campuses to best position communities to capture new demand while addressing extensive waitlists.

Glen Lewis, CEO, RoseVilla Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Rob Fisher, CEO, LifeLoop by Senior Housing News

To continue the nonprofit senior living provider's recovery, Lipsey sees potential in growing wellness services and improving care coordination through a hub and spoke model, while grappling with senior living's affordability challenges.

In 2024, Phoenix Senior Living acquired three new communities and repositioned one community as the company’s first stand-alone active adult property. The company views active adult as a way to get younger residents familiar with the Phoenix Senior Living brand. In 2025, the company will seek future organic growth through development in urban markets while also remaining open to future value-add acquisitions.

Experience Senior Living is continuing to grow its senior housing development pipeline with multiple projects underway in three states. The Denver, Colorado-based senior living operator and developer is seeking growth across multiple brands and price points to attract a younger, more active resident base.

Jewish HomeLife CEO Jeff Gopen sat down with Senior Housing News to discuss the company's current plans to grow and evolve, how it has served the Atlanta area for more than 70 years and what comes next in senior housing and care. Find the right service for your loved one. Learn more at: https://www.jewishhomelife.org/

Solera Senior Living will continue its growth trajectory through acquisitions, added management agreements and new development, while also focusing on its value-based care effort in 2024 and beyond.

The Springs Living is in the final year of construction on a state-of-the-art community in Vancouver, Washington and more calculated growth is expected as potential acquisition and development opportunities present themselves heading into 2025. With margins improving and occupancy trending positively, the organization continues to expand operations in preparation for the next generation of senior living customers in mind.

With occupancy recovery at-hand, Benchmark Senior Living surpassed 90% census and is focused for the remainder of 2024 on integrating new systems that Grape called "foundational infrastructure" while stabilizing newly opened communities while reinvesting into over 30 existing locations. Also this year, the Waltham, Massachusetts-based provider will start on two additional developments.

Following the acquisition of Validus Senior Living in early May, Distinctive Living is continuing to grow its senior living portfolio by seeking new management agreements and capital partners. This is coupled with the company's active development pipeline, which includes new construction, renovations and additions to existing communities.

This episode is sponsored by Unlock Health. In the latest installment of Transform, Senior Housing News speaks with Brandon Edwards, CEO, Unlock Health, to discuss his team's response to the current marketing and growth needs in today's rapidly evolving senior living landscape. The conversation highlights Unlock Health's role as a growth platform rather than just a marketing agency, emphasizing its strategic importance in addressing challenges faced by senior living marketers today, and the need for new strategies to engage audiences effectively.

In this episode of Transform, hear from senior living industry veteran Jason Kohler. As Executive Vice President, Senior Living, Kohler currently leads the senior living division for Beztak, including the firm's All Seasons brand. Learn how Beztak plans to grow its senior living platform in 2024 with scheduled renovations to multiple communities along with plans for a new build project.

Denver, Colorado-based senior living operator ONELIFE Senior Living recently completed a merger bringing in Ally Senior Living to create a 19-community owner and third-party management company. In 2024, ONELIFE will continue to deepen integration between organizations, while looking outwardly for acquisition opportunities. Tune in to this episode of TRANSFORM to hear more about the plans from CEO Dan Williams.

Lasell Village, located in the Boston area, continues to innovate in fostering intergenerational connections with its university-based senior living model. In this episode of the Senior Housing News TRANSFORM podcast, learn how the unique continuing care retirement community is building on its legacy as a pioneer of university partnerships with senior living, including by pursuing an ambitious renovation project while expanding programming opportunities for residents.

Avendelle Assisted Living is preparing for explosive growth through its franchise model in the coming year. COO Bill Bunting says this expansion will solidify Avendelle’s footprint in South Carolina and prepare the company for growth outside the state. Learn more about the company’s growth plans and how Avendelle is leveraging the franchise model in this episode of Transform.

Goodwin Living is looking to improve employee retention efforts while finding ways to grow senior living and care offerings. And to grow, CEO Rob Liebreich says Goodwin Living must return to basics on operations to improve its business model. Learn more about the organization's plans for future growth, includes expanded memory care services through its StrongerMemory program and greater home health offerings to extend the company’s reach, in this episode of Transform.

The Brea, California-based senior living management company operates communities across four western states, with future plans including potential new development, acquisition and joint venture growth. Insight Living continues to seek growth while aiming to transform its operating model with actionable data-driven insights. To achieve operational success, Principal Bryan Ziebart believes the company's path forward will be paved by artificial intelligence and data-intensive solutions for operations.

1031 Crowdfunding is in the midst of a push into senior living investment, with an overall goal to have $1 billion in assets under management in two years, and $5 billion in five years, with senior living accounting for 40% of that value. Amid a buyers’ market with cap rates attractive in assisted living and memory care, 1031 Crowdfunding is bringing a unique approach to asset management to senior living.

Arun Paul, Founder and CEO of Priya Living by Senior Housing News

Guy Geller, President of Grace Management and COO of CPF Living by Senior Housing News

Chuck Bongiovanni, CEO, Majestic Residences by Senior Housing News

Jayne Sallerson, President and COO, Charter Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Scott Goldberg, President and CEO, Atlas Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Ascension Living’s former President Danny Stricker this August announced that he had launched his own senior living operator called Chapters Living. Stricker, the co-founder and president of the St. Louis-based senior living operator backed by Green Street Real Estate Ventures, is poised to close the acquisition of a seven-community portfolio with about 500 units of assisted living and memory care in four states. In this episode of Transform, Stricker discusses: How Chapters Living views the acquisitions market in the Midwest Why he believes active adult will be a key to success What he evaluates in an acquisition

Tim Nelson, co-principal of Olympus Retirement Living by Senior Housing News

Denise Falco, Senior Vice President of Operations at Sunrise Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Cogir SVP Rob Leinbach and CEO Dave Eskenazy by Senior Housing News

Marvell Adams Jr., Founder and CEO, W Lawson by Senior Housing News

Dan Davis, President and CEO, Presbyterian Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Joe Jedlowski, CEO, Distinctive Living by Senior Housing News

The next episode of Transform is now available, brought to you by Marsh John Atkinson is a senior living veteran and industry leader serving on the board of Argentum and the Advisory Committee of the American Seniors Housing Association. John is responsible for co-leading Marsh’s senior living and LTC industry practice for the United States and Canada and Also serves as Chairman of Marsh’s Chicago office. Marsh is the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor. With around 40,000 colleagues operating in more than 130 countries, Marsh serves commercial and individual clients with data-driven risk solutions and advisory services. In this episode, John discusses emerging risks for senior living providers, insurance cost trends, the litigation environment, and more.

CEO Jimm Biggs and COO Josh Johnson, West Bay Senior Living by Senior Housing News

Julie Ferguson, EVP of Senior Living at Ryan Companies by Senior Housing News

Doris-Ellie Sullivan, President & CEO, Retirement Unlimited by Senior Housing News

Andrew Moret, Vice President of Culinary Services, Oakmont Management Group by Senior Housing News