Standards for Senior Living
The challenge: More people are living longer, needing more care, and expecting and deserving the best possible quality in senior living. As senior living grows, so do the risks of not meeting these needs. What action can both reduce these risks and advance quality?
Argentum’s solution: Voluntary industry standards. Our vision for the industry calls for taking prudent, positive steps to address operational issues that can directly impact the resident experience and quality of life as well as industry reputation, long-term growth, and profitability.
“Standards development activities are among the most common and most beneficial activities carried on by nonprofit organizations and associations.”
-Jerald Jacobs, Author, The Association Law Handbook
Argentum’s Approach
Since 2015, Argentum has pursued a path toward industry standards. Our pilot program showed the industry support for independent standards called for moving forward. In 2018, Argentum established the Senior Living Standards Commission. That same year, the group made the decision to pursue status as an accredited developer with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Using this approach ensures:
- Participation is open to all interested stakeholders;
- A balance of interests is sought;
- Consensus must be reached by representatives from materially affected and interested parties in an environment that is free from dominance by any party;
- Standards are required to undergo public reviews, during which any member of the public may comment; and
- There is an appeals process through the standards developer to address procedural concerns.
Additional Resources
A Collective Voice on Quality: Voluntary Industry Standards
This white paper provides information on the need for standards and definition of performance standards; and an enumeration of standards’ uses and benefits.
The Case for Industry-Led Standards Development
In this recorded webinar, learn how the senior living industry and its stakeholders are collaborating to address business issues through the development of industry standards.
“A standard is a documented agreement, established by a consensus of subject matter experts and approved by a recognized body, which provides rules, guidelines, or characteristics to ensure that materials, processes, and services are fit for their purpose.”
Uses and Benefits of Standards
Benefits of developing voluntary, consensus-based standards are many, but they include:
- Self-empowerment and avoiding inappropriate government regulation
- Senior living personnel, not outsiders, will be the subject matter experts developing standards
- We can address standards that will have the greatest beneficial impact first
- As the industry evolves, it is far easier to change a standard than a regulation
- Standards can effectively reduce insurance burdens
- The development process itself can bring the industry and stakeholders together with a collective voice
Work Groups
Emergency Preparedness Work Group
- Sheela Stevens (Chair)
Consultant
Stevens Consulting, LLC - Susan Anderson, Esq.,
Director of Assisted Living Public Policy
LeadingAge Florida - Michel Augsburger
Chairman and CEO
Chancellor Health Care, Inc. - Kenita P. Hill, MSA, CPHRM, LNHA, LPN
VP of Operations
ServarusRM
- Dan Kosmicki
VP/Director of Risk Management
Life Care Services, LLC - Diana Martinez
VP of Public Policy
Texas Assisted Living Association (TALA) - Mike Matias
National Director of Emergency Power & Large Loss Drying
ServiceMaster
(Alternate: Chris Brewer, National Director of Sales, ServiceMaster)
- Scott Reitz
Director of Quality Enhancements
Eclipse Senior Living - Mark Roberts
VP
Evac+Chair - John Schulte (Staff Liaison)
VP, Quality Improvement
Argentum - Chad Worz
Executive Director & CEO
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
Medication Management Work Group
- Cece Credille (Chair)
SVP, Quality Services
Enlivant - Linda Anstotz
Sr. Director of Operational Risk Management
Brookdale - Labinot Avdiu, Pharm.D., F.A.C.A.
CEO
Medication Management Partners - Kenita P. Hill, MSA, CPHRM, LHNA, LPN
VP of Operations
ServarusRM
- Juliann Navarette, MS, RN
VP, Clinical Practice
Sunrise Senior Living - John Schulte (Staff Liaison)
VP, Quality Improvement
Argentum - Sheela Stevens
Consultant
Stevens Consulting, LLC
- William Vaughan, RN
VP, Education and Clinical Affairs
Remedi SeniorCare - Dana Wentlejewski, MS, OTR/L
Regional Director
FOX Rehabilitation - Chad Worz
Executive Director & CEO
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
Memory Care Work Group
- Maria Nadelstumph (Chair)
VP of Organizational Development & Program Excellence
Brandywine Living - Rita Altman
SVP, Memory Care & Program Services
Sunrise Senior Living - Kim Butrum
SVP Clinical Services
Silverado
- Patrick Doyle
Corporate Director of Memory Care Services
Brightview Senior Living - Rory English PT, DPT, GCS
Senior Regional Director of Operations
FOX Rehabilitation - Juliet Holt Klinger
Senior Director – Dementia Care
Brookdale
- Liz Jensen, RN MSN, RN-BC
Clinical Director
Direct Supply, Inc. - John Schulte (Staff Liaison)
VP, Quality Improvement
Argentum - Sheela Stevens
Consultant
Stevens Consulting, LLC
Quality Improvement Task Force
- Maribeth Bersani (Staff Liaison)
COO
Argentum - Lisa Cooney
General Counsel
Five Star Senior Living - Sue Coppola, RN, BS, CHC
SVP Resident Care
Sunrise Senior Living - Kathy Greene
SVP Programs and Services Integration
Silverado - Gayle Kvenvold
President & CEO
LeadingAge Minnesota
- Maria Nadelstumph
VP Organizational Development & Program Excellence
Brandywine Living - Mary Sue Patchett
EVP Community & Field Operations
Brookdale - Michael Pochowski, MPPA
CEO
Wisconsin Assisted Living Association - Beth Sampath
Senior Director of Quality Resident Services
Benchmark
- John Schulte (Staff Liaison)
VP, Quality Improvement
Argentum - Kimberly Severns-Jones
Director of Quality Outcomes
Eclipse Senior Living - Sheela Stevens
Consultant
Stevens Consulting, LLC - Bernard Wheeler-Medley
SVP Licensure & Compliance
Belmont Village Senior Living
Sign up using the form below to receive news and updates on the standards development process. For more information or to participate in Argentum’s quality initiatives, contact John Schulte at 571-527-2623 or jschulte@argentum.org.