Featured senior living news articles include, "Assisted Living Ignored in Draft Alzheimer’s Plan Says ALFA", "Early Hires Key to Start-up Community" and " Legislation Would Extend Tax Credit for Caregivers"

Featured senior living news articles include, "Good Intentions Result in Confusing, Concerning Public Policy", "Coalition Challenges Recent Labor Board Appointments" and "States to Watch in 2012".

Featured senior living news articles include, "Hospitalizations Avoidable Among Seniors with Dementia Says Study", "Eligibility Age Increase Impact Assessed by CBO" and "ALFA Partners with Newly Created Senior Living Association in India".

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) recently released Draft Framework for the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease notably omitted assisted living from all but one of its strategies and recommendations. ALFA’s newly submitted comments to HHS highlights its concerns and recommends changes to the plan.

Cogenra Solar highlights the costs and benefits of implementing a solar energy program through a case study of an assisted living community undergoing the shift.

A new bill introduced in the House of Representatives would extend the dependent care credit to include expenses related to caring for parents and grandparents who do not live with the taxpayer.

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) along with the National Right to Work Foundation and the National Federation of Independent Business recently filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that challenges the legality of President Obama’s recent appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Minnesota’s policy to require counseling before moving into senior living communities went into effect last October. Most consumers have shunned the new policy, which is also causing problems for providers.

Sharing its industry expertise, ALFA will be mentoring India’s first and only senior living association through a new partnership aimed at improving quality of life for India’s seniors and advancing excellence for India’s senior living providers.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a brief analyzing how raising the eligibility age for Medicare and Social Security would affect beneficiaries, the federal budget, and the overall economy.

A new study indicates that seniors with dementia are more likely to be hospitalized for potentially preventable conditions, than their peers without the disease. Researchers found three main conditions that accounted for most of these potentially avoidable hospitalizations.

Host a screening of the new documentary Age of Champions to battle misconceptions about aging and inspire those around you. This film tells the uplifting story of athletes chasing gold at the Senior Olympics.

In the “2011 Largest Senior Living Provider” article in the Senior Living Executive magazine, Stephen Monroe, editor of The Senior Care Investor and The Senior Care Acquisition Report said that, “the overall dollar volume of publicly announced senior housing acquisitions more than tripled from 2009 to 2010 from $3.2 billion to $11.9 billion”.

If you are thinking about putting together an internal team of experts to save energy but don’t know where to start, look no further. The ENERGY STAR “Teaming Up to Save Energy Guide” shows you how to build, launch, and maintain an energy management team. Examples from ENERGY STAR partner organizations and a checklist are provided to illustrate practices and help with implementation.

By popular demand, ALFA has extended the deadline for all award nominations until COB January 27, 2012. So, you still have time to participate in one of the most popular awards programs advancing excellence in senior living.

President Obama made three recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) late last week. Senate Republicans responded by asking for the legal justification of these appointments, since the Senate was in pro forma session.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released an initial framework for a national plan addressing Alzheimer’s disease. The framework tackles the problem from different angles and is open for comment through February 8, 2012.

A new study indicates that obese seniors are more likely to fall than their recommended weight counterparts. When these falls resulted in injury, researchers found obese individuals less likely to recover.

Through studying blood levels of a variety of vitamins and nutrients, researchers found that seniors who had high levels of certain vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids performed better in a series of cognitive tests.

A Gallup poll found those aged 65 and older report the highest level of enjoyment and happiness out of any age group. The survey indicated that seniors who spend much of their time socializing are more likely than their peers to report a high level of happiness.

ALFA's Senior Living Career Center will re-launch on January 9 with a brand new look and significantly enhanced features. Learn how to find the best talent for your jobs and get the most out of the upgrade by attending the ALFA Senior Living Career Center webinar February 1, 2012 at 2 p.m. EST.

Looking for a New Year’s Resolution? Resolve to save money and help the environment with ENERGY STAR and ALFA’s new Communities Acting to Reduce Energy Program, CARE.

Learn about legal issues affecting long term care and hear ALFA President & CEO Rick Grimes, along with other industry insiders, discuss the current operational and regulatory environment for senior living communities at this illuminating conference.