Senior Living Consulting

The senior living industry spans the full continuum of care, from home health and retirement living (including independent living (IL) and assisted living (AL)) to long-term care (Canada), skilled nursing facilities (U.S.), and hospice. Each type of senior living organization faces challenges that are shared across the continuum and those that are unique to its specific care model.

At Burnie Group, we support senior living organizations at both the corporate and facility levels, helping to navigate a wide range of strategic and operational priorities, from growth strategy, organizational design and process improvement to integration and divestiture planning and execution.

Our senior living consulting experience covers both large organizations with hundreds of facilities and smaller operators managing just a few homes. You can learn more about our service offerings specifically for long-term care clients here

Developing a strategy for a retirement living or other senior living organization is inherently complex. It must account for multiple factors, including evolving needs of residents and their families, changes in resident and staff demographics, the feasibility of revenue and funding models, the operating model, and the organization’s geographical footprint.

A senior living strategy also involves a range of strategic levers, such as organic growth such as building new facilities, acquisition strategies that could include single facilities to entire organizations, operating model optimization, and enhancement of service and care offerings.

A robust strategy culminates in a clear execution roadmap, defining responsibilities, milestones, and measurable outcomes to ensure successful implementation and long-term impact.

Improving senior living operations is a priority for every organization in the sector. Operational design varies significantly depending on the type of business. For example, retirement living operations, particularly independent living, focus primarily on resident experience and quality of life, whereas other settings like assisted living include a stronger care services component.

When it comes to long-term care, it is essential to consider both clinical and non-clinical aspects of operations, as well as the numerous regulatory requirements that apply. Learn more about our consulting offerings for long-term care clients.

Even within retirement living, operating models differ across subsegments, from efficiency-driven, lower-cost residences to high-end communities that resemble luxury hotels.

Our senior living consultants have worked with numerous organizations to design and support the implementation of operating models that drive efficiency and align with each client’s structure, goals, and operational needs.

Like integrations, divestitures in senior living organizations take many forms and require careful management. For instance, divesting a facility that will continue operating as a retirement home is very different from divesting a community that will be closed or repurposed for a different use, such as a physiotherapy and rehab center or a fitness facility.

More complex scenarios, such as carving out a business from an existing portfolio, for example, separating a long-term care and home health operation while retaining a retirement living building, require meticulous planning and careful consideration of Transition Service Agreements and other critical elements.

These projects are highly sensitive, and our senior living consultants have supported numerous divestitures to ensure smooth and effective execution. In addition, we have developed multiple senior living divestiture playbooks, making the process repeatable, predictable, and more efficient for our clients.

Like integrations, divestitures in senior living organizations take many forms and require careful management. For instance, divesting a facility that will continue operating as a retirement home is very different from divesting a community that will be closed or repurposed for a different use, such as a physiotherapy and rehab center or a fitness facility.

More complex scenarios, such as carving out a business from an existing portfolio, for example, separating a long-term care and home health operation while retaining a retirement living building, require meticulous planning and careful consideration of Transition Service Agreements and other critical elements.

These projects are highly sensitive, and our senior living consultants have supported numerous divestitures to ensure smooth and effective execution. In addition, we have developed multiple senior living divestiture playbooks, making the process repeatable, predictable, and more efficient for our clients.