​This month’s focus is on easing back into togetherness—with residents, their families, and the community.

One cover feature is focused on how providers can regain community trust. Contributing Editor Joanne Kaldy reports that a huge challenge during the pandemic was confusion over the everchanging information and misinformation being bandied about. Providers sometimes had to retract information they had shared only the day before. Moving ahead, providers agree, they must honestly admit to earlier miscues and maintain transparency about what is happening now.

Marketing assisted living today may reclaim the hugs and handshakes of pre-COVID days, but it will also embrace the virtual connections initiated during the pandemic, such as Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom, providers say. These mediums “took center stage and became a lifeline for facilities to communicate with residents’ family members, as well as prospects,” says ALG Senior’s James Harvey.

Determining that an incident in a nursing facility has been adequately investigated is ultimately in the hands of the surveyor. To not only ensure compliance but to gain vital facts, maintain resident safety, and prevent recurrence, providers need to take an organized approach to any investigation, says Denise Winzeler, RN, in Focus on Caregiving.

While many facility medical directors stepped up during the pandemic, others fell short, says Karl Steinberg, CMD, in Medical Director Focus. He points out what it takes for a director to gain certification and how that could help improve the facility’s medical oversight.

This year, Provider is resuming the publication of its top nursing and assisted living providers. In this issue, we share the Top 30 Largest Assisted Living Companies of 2021. Look for the Top 30 Largest Nursing Facility Companies list in July’s issue.