This text is sponsored by SBA Join. It’s primarily based on a dialogue with Josh King, VP of Data Expertise at Lutheran Senior Companies, and Ty Harris, Principal Enterprise Growth Director of Connectivity Options at SBA Communications. This dialogue befell on November twentieth, 2024, on the SHN BUILD convention.
Senior Housing Information (SHN): I’m joined on stage by Josh King, VP of Data Expertise at Lutheran Senior Companies (LSS), and Ty Harris, Principal Enterprise Growth Director of Connectivity Options at SBA Communications. LSS is a not-for-profit group serving tens of hundreds of lives throughout the better St. Louis space, central Missouri, and Illinois by way of its portfolio of life plan communities and senior housing choices. SBA is a number one impartial proprietor and operator of wi-fi communications infrastructure, together with towers, distributed antenna techniques, and small cells, with operations spanning the Americas and past.
Josh, you’re right here to speak concerning the infrastructure journey LSS has been on. Can you’re taking us again to the start? What was the foremost drawback or purpose you wanted to deal with?
Josh King: Completely. Our preliminary focus was on resident-provided Web. Whereas our enterprise infrastructure supported the operational facet of senior dwelling, we realized we wanted to enhance the standard, security, and safety of Web companies for our residents—one thing we might handle and management.
As we dug deeper, the scope expanded. We needed to incorporate what we outlined as “content material,” which encompassed companies residents use often, like chapel broadcasts and leisure. TV was additionally a part of the combo, although we approached it otherwise than conventional suppliers like Comcast or Spectrum. Lastly, we realized mobile protection in our buildings wanted consideration as properly. So, what started as bettering resident Web changed into a broader infrastructure challenge.
SHN: What have been the following steps in evaluating know-how options? What have been the important thing determination standards?
King: We needed to step again and take a look at the issue holistically. The problem was that a lot of our buildings have been constructed a long time in the past—some 20 or 30 years—and relied on outdated infrastructure like CAT 3 cables and coaxial techniques. These techniques supported conventional cable suppliers however weren’t constructed for at present’s technological calls for.
We evaluated present infrastructure requirements within the broader know-how business—not simply in senior dwelling. That led us to deal with fiber because the spine. We needed to convey “fiber to the sting,” which means fiber all the best way to particular person items and throughout campuses.
SHN: LSS has a reasonably large IT division. How did you strategy complete value of possession when contemplating infrastructure-as-a-service companions?
King: Evaluating complete value of possession required a deep value evaluation. It was about balancing our present infrastructure with what we wanted to offer for residents. We thought of managed companies versus a extra hands-on infrastructure mannequin.
For us, the purpose was to mix our enterprise infrastructure with a resident-focused infrastructure whereas making certain one of the best ROI. We would have liked an answer that may serve each side with out creating pointless overlap or waste.
SHN: When did this course of start, and the way did you get it underway?
King: We began in late 2022 with a pilot neighborhood to check the waters. We requested ourselves: What are the core issues we wish to clear up, and what options are we seeking to ship? As soon as we clarified our targets, we initiated the RFP course of in 2023, totally vetting potential companions. By early 2024, we have been able to kick off implementation.
SHN: Enter SBA. Josh, how has SBA partnered with LSS on this challenge?
King: The partnership is a mixture of experience from each organizations. I’m lucky to have a sturdy staff, together with challenge managers, an infrastructure group, and frontline know-how specialists.
SBA brings an understanding of infrastructure and connectivity that enhances our data of our campuses and residents. Collectively, we’ve three essential weekly conferences:
- Enterprise Stage: We test general timelines and progress.
- Technical Conferences: We talk about detailed challenge plans and technical challenges.
- Campus Stage: We coordinate with installers and operations groups, making certain the whole lot is on monitor.
These conferences guarantee alignment and handle points like drilling by way of partitions or coordinating with native groups for on-site installations.
SHN: Ty, from SBA’s perspective, how have you ever partnered with LSS? Are you able to additionally share a bit about SBA’s distinctive strategy and aggressive differentiators?
Ty Harris: From the RFP course of onward, we labored intently with LSS to know their infrastructure wants. Lots of their properties have been 20 or 30 years outdated, so we carried out detailed due diligence earlier than proposing an answer.
The infrastructure problem is exclusive for each property. For LSS, we deployed a passive optical community (PON), which delivers fiber to each unit and ensures limitless scalability. We additionally applied property-wide Wi-Fi to interchange outdated techniques reliant on particular person cable modems.
This enables for a unified community, enabling superior healthcare applied sciences, similar to voice assistants and fall-detection techniques, to perform seamlessly. The result’s a scalable, future-proof resolution that helps the resident expertise and operational targets.
SHN: Fast viewers query: How huge is LSS’s IT staff?
King: We just lately grew by way of acquisitions. Earlier than, we had about 37 staff members, however we’re now at 42, particularly with the addition of 4 communities in Pennsylvania.
SHN: The place are you within the course of proper now?
King: We’re on the point of launch our pilot website in Springfield, Illinois, within the subsequent couple of weeks. As a part of the rollout, we’ll go unit by unit, spending about 60 minutes in every house. Throughout this time, we’ll guarantee their Web is reside, assist join units, and clarify easy methods to log in with their private credentials.
We’re utilizing micro-segmentation to offer residents their very own safe community (SSID), to allow them to financial institution on-line, print wirelessly, or stream leisure like Netflix or Prime Video.
SHN: You talked about TV as a part of this resolution. Are you able to make clear what that entails?
King: Sure, we partnered with RH TV, which launched us to SBA. RH TV acts as a DirectTV reseller however delivers content material by way of the fiber infrastructure. Every resident’s TV basically turns into a monitor, managed by way of an LG field.
The interface appears to be like much like what you’d see in a resort. Residents can entry TV channels we offer, watch neighborhood broadcasts (like chapel companies), or use apps like Netflix and Prime Video by logging in with their private credentials. It’s a unified expertise that consolidates the whole lot on one platform.
SHN: That aligns with the pattern towards senior dwelling adopting a hospitality really feel. Have there been any classes discovered up to now? Any recommendation for others beginning related initiatives?
King: My largest piece of recommendation: Don’t consider infrastructure as simply an IT challenge. One problem we didn’t anticipate throughout our pilot part was the shortage {of electrical} retailers in older buildings.
Lots of our residents use a number of units, and whereas we walked by way of properties throughout planning, we didn’t rely retailers. Halfway by way of the challenge, we needed to pause and work with native electricians to put in extra energy sources.
If I needed to do it once more, I’d guarantee we accounted for the constructing’s electrical wants from day one.
SHN: Ty, any ideas on classes discovered or recommendation from SBA’s perspective?
Harris: Josh hit the nail on the pinnacle. Due diligence is the whole lot. The extra upfront work you do—evaluating infrastructure, figuring out gaps, and anticipating potential challenges—the smoother the challenge will go.
Our challenge managers walked the properties alongside LSS’s staff, making certain we addressed as a lot as attainable earlier than implementation started. Staying forward of potential points is essential.
SHN: What’s the important thing to future-proofing infrastructure in senior dwelling as know-how continues to evolve?
Harris: It begins with a powerful basis. The PON system we deployed for LSS is designed to help future applied sciences. I at all times use the analogy that infrastructure is just like the street, and the applied sciences are the vehicles driving on it. Vehicles will change over time, however the street needs to be stable.
As a REIT, SBA supplies upfront capital and plans long-term, which permits us to deploy infrastructure that can carry senior dwelling communities into the longer term.
King: I agree. Fiber is our funding for the following 15 to twenty years. Expertise evolves shortly, so there’s at all times a threat one thing new might emerge. However at this level, fiber is one of the best wager to help future improvements.
SHN: Did you reap the benefits of SBA’s upfront capital providing, and what was the affect?
King: Sure, we did. We analyzed our present spend—taking a look at what we have been paying cable firms and different infrastructure suppliers. By combining some upfront funding with long-term ROI, we have been capable of make a compelling monetary case.
The month-to-month recurring prices are manageable, and we’re seeing sturdy ROI over a 10-year horizon.
Harris: From SBA’s perspective, our capability to offer upfront capital lets us handle infrastructure throughout a whole portfolio, as we did with LSS. It allows long-term planning and ensures consistency throughout properties.
SHN: Josh, investing in infrastructure isn’t as flashy as implementing new applied sciences. Was it troublesome to get organizational buy-in?
King: It wasn’t straightforward, but it surely was mandatory. We have been at an deadlock. So many new applied sciences—what Ty known as “vehicles”—have been coming at us, however we didn’t have the infrastructure “street” to help them.
On the government stage, we determined the long-term advantages of upgrading our infrastructure outweighed the challenges. With out this funding, we couldn’t implement the improvements our groups and residents need.
SHN: Wanting on the huge image, what are your ideas on know-how traits for senior dwelling in 2025 and past?
King: Expertise will play an enormous position in fixing challenges like staffing and growing resident satisfaction. Voice assistants, fall detection techniques, and different good applied sciences will develop into extra prevalent.
As soon as we’ve the infrastructure in place, we’ll be capable of undertake these improvements extra seamlessly.
SHN: How have residents reacted up to now?
King: Total, they’re excited. Communication is essential, so we’re partnering with government administrators who know their populations greatest. We’ve had residents at our pilot website come to know-how discussions with spectacular data and expectations. Some residents need flexibility, and we’re making certain the infrastructure permits that.
SHN: Ty, how does SBA view its position as a know-how companion for senior dwelling suppliers?
Harris: We see ourselves as true companions. Our position isn’t to pitch a one-size-fits-all resolution. As a substitute, we take heed to our purchasers, assess their wants, and design options tailor-made to their properties.
We’re additionally solution-agnostic, which means we companion with different know-how firms when wanted to offer a holistic strategy. Lengthy-term funding is on the coronary heart of our philosophy.
SHN: Josh, what’s subsequent for LSS on this infrastructure journey?
King: We’re launching our pilot website by the top of this yr. Then, we’ll roll out the challenge throughout our seven life plan communities in Missouri and Illinois, aiming for completion by October 2025. After that, we’ll broaden into our Pennsylvania communities.
SHN: One ultimate viewers query: What’s essentially the most formidable infrastructure improve you’ve confronted?
King: It’s this one. Certainly.
Harris: I’d agree. Present buildings—what we name “brownfield” properties—are essentially the most difficult. It’s about overcoming limitations and designing options that work inside these constraints.
SHN: Thanks each for sharing your insights and experience. It’s clear that fixing the infrastructure riddle is a essential step for senior dwelling suppliers as they put together for the longer term.
SBA Communications Company (SBA) is a number one impartial proprietor and operator of wi-fi communications infrastructure, together with towers, buildings, rooftops, distributed antenna techniques (DAS) and small cells. Based in 1989 and headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, SBA has operations and workplaces all through the Americas, Africa and in Asia. To be taught extra, go to: https://www.sbasite.com/English/overview/default.aspx.
