Windsor of Ocala Assisted Living: Business Strategy Analysis

Executive Summary

This business strategy document provides a general overview of the healthcare environment in which the Assisted Living at the Windsor of Ocala facility in Florida is situated. It assesses issues such as cost, economic environment, and healthcare context, and provides an overview of competitors at the local, regional, and national levels. It also describes the Windsor of Ocala's internal environment through an analysis of the community's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, along with its competitive advantage, with a SWOT analysis providing key differential advantages between it and its competitors.

The strategy also includes an overview of the directional strategies involved in the Windsor of Ocala's mission and forward guidance. Long-term directional strategies for the facility are defined in detail. The strategic alternatives available to the Windsor of Ocala are discussed, and an evaluation of those alternatives and the resulting strategic choice are provided, including a comparison of alternative strategies and a description of the most optimal strategic choice presented at the end.

This business strategy document situates the current state of the Windsor of Ocala within a contextual framework that allows for close scrutiny of the assisted living facility's primary strengths and weaknesses. It examines how the facility measures up to its competitors and how it can enhance its own strategy to prepare for the coming years in the twenty-first century, as the next generation of elderly residents arrives in search of a quality place to call home.

General Health Care Environment

The cost of assisted living is lower in Ocala, Florida, than the national median. The average cost of assisted living in Ocala sits at just over $3,000 per month, while the national median is nearly four hundred dollars higher. However, in some other nearby Florida communities, the rate is even lower at $2,335 (Caring, 2018).

Many members of Florida's population are retired, as the state is well known for being an inviting destination for seniors and the elderly who seek a comfortable, quiet, and warm place to spend their later years. Communities like Ocala are a prime example of this retirement appeal. As Kadlec (2016) notes, "Florida, which helped popularize the notion of a snowbird retirement, has the most residents age 65-plus." Yet that distinction may be fading: Florida "now ranks near the bottom of a new list of states deemed most desirable for folks contemplating retirement," with Virginia and states in the Midwest ranking higher among prospective retirees (Kadlec, 2016). Thus, while Florida's general economic appeal to retirees has diminished somewhat, Ocala's economic quality remains relatively high.

In terms of the specific assisted living environment, Ocala is considered a strong region for providing such services. However, as Stevenson (2012) points out, the Midwest still occupies the top spot for the best assisted living communities, as those communities appeal to a wide range of people, offer solid care services from quality providers, and are located in states that are neither prohibitively expensive nor so inexpensive that they attract lower-quality operators.

Competitor Analysis

At the local level, the Windsor of Ocala's primary competitors include Brookdale Pinecastle, which has been rated 4 out of 5 stars by Caring (2018); Hampton Manor at Deerwood, which holds five stars; Brookdale Paddock Hills, with 4 stars; and Brentwood at Fore Ranch, also with 4 stars. Each of these assisted living communities is similar to the Windsor of Ocala in that they provide comparable services and accommodations, as is common among high-quality assisted living centers throughout the state.

At the regional level, the top competitors include Brookdale Altamonte Springs, Grand Villa of Altamonte Springs, Savannah Court of Bartow, the Atrium at Boca Raton, and Bradenton Senior Living. What distinguishes these assisted living centers is their commitment to quality, their consistently high occupancy rates (it is very difficult to obtain a placement as they are almost always full), and their excellent reputations for cleanliness, supportive services, courteous staff, and resident accommodations year-round.

At the national level, the top competitors are Sunrise Senior Living, with 25,585 residents; Erickson Living, with 24,102 residents; Atria Senior Living, with 20,878 residents; Senior Lifestyle Corp, with 20,650 residents; and Capital Senior Living Corp, with 15,800 residents (After 55, 2018). These companies operate assisted living communities across the nation and serve seniors in various parts of the United States with consistent service quality, which contributes to their strong reputations in the industry. They represent the largest senior living organizations in the country, measured by total residency capacity across all their communities.

References

After 55. (2018). Top 12 senior housing companies. Retrieved from https://www.after55.com/blog/biggest-senior-housing-companies/

Caring. (2018). 30 assisted living facilities near Ocala. Retrieved from

Kadlec, D. (2016). Why Florida is losing its grip on retirees. Retrieved from

Stevenson, S. (2012). Best cities for senior living. Retrieved from