President’s Blog

Several weeks ago, I announced that RALNA had begun working with the International Code Council Health Care Committee. This committee, and others, make the recommendations for changes to the International Building Code (“IBC”) and International Fire Code (“IFC”), and International Residential Code (“IRC”), and other code documents that are adopted by state and local governments. …

The ICC is Working Through the Sprinkler Requirements for Institutional Care Read More »

Brian Pinkowski, President RAL Owners have a number of challenges that arise primarily because governments focus on industrial health care models for seniors. Governments like to work with giant organizations that look like . . . well that look like government. The result is often regulation and enforcement that fundamentally promotes large-scale senior care operations. …

RALNA is Now Engaging with the International Code Council and National Fire Protection Association Read More »

Brian Pinkowski, President The 2021 RAL National Convention has come to an end and many of us have come to learn of the passing of Gene Guarino, the great light of residential assisted living. For those of us that knew Gene, and those of us inspired by his vision to improve and expand residential assisted …

Gene Guarino: Commitment to Quality, Persistence, Acceptance of Others Read More »

Brian J. Pinkowski, Esq., President How much additional traffic does a Residential Assisted Living Home (“RAL”) generate in a residential neighborhood? This is a question often raised by cities and neighbors when a new RAL is proposed for a residential neighborhood. The national standard used by cities to determine the potential traffic impact is from …

Working to Tackle the Traffic Boogie Man Read More »

COVID-19 has shown a need for more digital health technology. Someday there will be technology to track residents’ health before emergency care is needed.

California (D) senator Anthony J. Portano recently wrote legislation about gun safety in senior living homes. Is this actually an issue or are politicians politicizing senior care? Should industry leaders and caregivers be concerned about guns in assisted living homes at all? Seniors do commit suicide at an alarming rate, but the new legislation is unwarranted and lacks needed research.

Residential assisted living homes are those homes with 19 beds or fewer. Looking around at the more than 600 people in the convention Steve asked me if the residential assisted living business model was a threat to the “Big Boxes.”

Dr. Bill Thomas is an author entrepreneur, and physician whose wide-ranging work explores human aging. Best known for his health care systems innovations, he is the founder of a global non-profit focused on improving care for seniors and the creator of “The Green House.” He reminded us that there were once only three flavors of ice cream and now there is “infinity.” His message to us was that we should expect an increase in “niche” demands for senior care.