Future Age – March/April 2010 - 15

over	cultural	and	relationship	factors.	 Having	said	that,	in	this	economy	not-forprofits	would	be	wise	to	learn	from	the	 experiences	of	the	for-profit	world,	which	 has	found	ways	to	drive	efficiencies	and	 create	margin.	After	all,	no	margin	means	 no	mission.”

Partnerships	in	Action
Senior	Independence,	Columbus,	Ohio

Senior	Independence’s	home	and	 community-based	services	are	available	 to	75	percent	of	Ohio’s	seniors.	When	the	 board	decided	to	expand,	“We	wrestled	 with	what	strategy	would	work	best	and	 decided	expanding	through	partnerships	was	the	best	course,”	says	King.	“We	 created	the	Senior	Independence	iPartner	program	to	provide	our	home	and	 community-based	services	nationwide,	 through	partnerships	with	AAHSA	members.” In	October,	Senior	Independence	signed	 up	its	first	two	partners:	Kendal	Northern	Ohio	and	Westminster	Canterbury	of	 Lynchburg,	Va.	(Several	other	candidates	 are	in	the	due-diligence	process.)	Senior	 Independence’s	goal	is	to	be	the	“YMCA	 of	senior	services”	and	help	its	partners	 become	the	go-to	providers	for	aging	services	in	their	areas. “We	…	have	the	scale	and	scope	necessary	to	meet	all	the	challenges,”	continues	 King.	“Our	partners	have	established	 local	relationships	that	attract	employees,	 referral	sources	and	clients.	Sharing	our	 expertise	allows	them	to	enhance	the	continuum	of	care	they	provide.”
Kendal	Northern	Ohio

I	believe	they	felt	we	could	bring	a	successful	pilot	into	being	that	could	then	be	 nationalized.	Knowing	there	was	no	intent	 to	gouge	us	financially	as	we	learn	from	 them	was	also	key	to	the	feasibility	of	the	 relationship.” As	an	“iPartner,”	Kendal	Northern	Ohio	 can	now	better	meet	the	needs	of	those	 it	currently	serves,	as	well	as	many	times	 more	seniors	throughout	the	larger	community.	Its	five-year	forecast	shows	that	 partnering	to	provide	home	and	community-based	services	is	the	best	way	to	have	 the	greatest	impact	on	meeting	the	unmet	 needs	of	older	adults	in	northeast	Ohio.
Carol	Woods	Retirement		 Community,	Chapel	Hill,	N.C.

Six	years	ago	Kendal	at	Oberlin	formed	 Kendal	Northern	Ohio	as	a	way	to	expand	 its	mission.	After	conducting	a	needs	 assessment	for	older	adults	in	Lorain	 County,	Kendal	realized	there	were	key	 areas	in	which	it	lacked	critical	expertise.	 As	a	result	it	turned	to	Senior	Independence	in	Columbus	about	a	possible	 partnership. “Senior	Independence	was	willing	to	 entertain	how	such	a	relationship	might	 work	for	a	long-term	commitment,	recognizing	[that]	our	geographical	area	was	a	 complement	to	their	current	market,”	says	 Barbara	Thomas,	CEO	for	Kendal	Northern	Ohio	and	Kendal	at	Oberlin.	“While	 they	could	have	just	expanded	themselves,	

“We	have	been	active	members	of	our	 community	for	30	years,”	says	Sprigg.	 “Our	mission	is	not	only	serving	the	residents	on	our	campus	but	also	working	 to	strengthen	the	field	of	aging	services.”	 Sprigg	recently	co-chaired	the	county’s	 Master	Aging	Plan,	bringing	service	 providers,	local	businesses,	academic	institutions,	elected	officials	and	consumers	 together	to	conduct	a	needs	assessment	 for	the	region.	This	helped	identify	the	 top	target	areas,	key	stakeholders	and	an	 action	plan. “We	have	continued	to	facilitate	coalitions	to	bring	community	members	 together,	followed	by	specific	partnerships	 to	develop	and	implement	strategic	initiatives	to	address	areas	of	need,”	says	Sprigg.	 “We	recently	received	a	multiyear	grant	to	 develop	a	model	of	community	collaboration	to	improve	transitions	from	hospital	 to	home	for	older	persons	and	persons	 with	disabilities.” As	part	of	that	grant,	Carol	Woods	 partners	with	a	wide	range	of	public	and	 private	health	and	social-service	organizations,	as	well	as academic,	government	and	 business	institutions.	“The	overall	benefit	 is	being	able	to	coordinate	services	and	 create	pathways	and	connections	so	elders	 don’t	experience	fragmented	care,”	she	 says. “By	partnering	we	avoid	duplication	 so	that	existing	resources	can	be	used	to	 expand	services	in	the	best	way	possible.”
Springpoint	Senior	Living,		 Princeton,	N.J.

profit	providers	and	community-based	 groups	in	a	managerial	or	developmental	 role. “Too	often	not-for-profits	wait	until	 their	facility	is	severely	financially	damaged	and	facing	possible	closure	before	 they	reach	out	for	help,”	says	Springpoint	 President	and	CEO	Gary	Puma. An	example	is	Springpoint’s	partnership	with	the	Masonic	Foundation	senior	 living	community	in	Burlington	County,	 N.J.	“This	large	home	has	been	in	operation	for	over	100	years,”	says	Puma.	“They	 approached	us	because	they	were	worried	 they	might	have	to	cease	operations.	We	 broke	the	due	diligence	into	three	parts:	 How	can	they	reduce	costs?	Do	they	have	 to	shut	their	doors?	Can	we	possibly	affiliate?” Springpoint	invested	considerable	time	 and	manpower	in	conducting	a	complete	 financial	and	operational	assessment.	 “I	put	my	senior	vice	president	on	the	 project,	who	is	a	licensed	nursing	home	 administrator,”	says	Puma.	“We	brought	 in	nursing	professionals	and	other	experts	 who	looked	at	every	part	of	the	operation.” The	assessment	showed	that,	by	implementing	a	recommended	action	plan,	the	 facility	could	save	$6.5	million	in	the	first	 year.	“As	a	system,	we	have	more	resources	 and	infrastructure	than	a	stand-alone	 facility	has,”	says	Puma.	“We	told	them	we	 would	not	accept	a	management	fee	unless	 we	hit	all	the	targets.	We	did	achieve	those	 benchmarks	and	now	have	a	three-year	 contract	that	allows	us	to	achieve	our	common	mission	of	providing	quality	care	to	 the	aging	population.”
Tacoma	Lutheran		 Retirement	Community

Springpoint	Senior	Living	(formerly	 PHS	Senior	Living)	partners	with	not-for-

Tacoma	Lutheran	Retirement	Community	partners	with	a	variety	of	 organizations.	However,	one	stands	out	as	 making	a	tremendous	difference	in	how	 Tacoma	Lutheran	provides	services	to	 those	it	serves. “We	had	an	in-house	therapy	program,”	 says	Ladenburg,	“but	were	unable	to	 provide	the	resources	necessary	to	stay	 current	with	the	changes	in	Medicare,	and	 were	failing	to	build	a	really	strong	rehab	 program.”	Contracting	with	a	therapy	services	partner	has	helped	Tacoma	Lutheran	 provide	the	resources	necessary	to	develop	 an	outstanding	therapy	program,	she	says,	
futureAge	| March/April 2010

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Future Age – March/April 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Future Age – March/April 2010
