LESS PHIL CONNORS, MORE TED LASSO IN 2022

When thinking about entering into the New Year, we're reminded of a quote from the classic 199o's movie, "Groundhog Day", when Bill Murray's character, Phil Connors, the salty weatherman, is woken up by the morning DJ saying: "Rise and shine campers and be sure to remember your booties cause its cold out there....its cold out every day." The holidays are among us and we will all soon be opening a new chapter in 2022. However, much of the concerns and pain points of the sector that we wish we could just leave behind in 2021 are unfortunately still going to linger with us in 2022. As this message is being sent out, COVID positivity rates in many parts of the country are meeting or exceeding the all-time high points from nearly a year ago. Many hospitals are so full andoverwhelmed that portions of the military are being deployed to staff them. On the operator side, the projections that census levels may recover mid to late 2022 are now being pushed into late 2022 and even into 2023. And, there just isn't any better news on an already strained and depleted labor force that is simply exhausted from battling COVID for two straight years now. In nearly every way, it is just still really cold out there.

However, we'd like to offer a suggestion that instead of following the words that wake up Phil Connors again, and again, and again...we look to the already iconic show Ted Lasso for the positive lens we need to all be wearing in 2022. One of the many famously funny and to-the-point-life-altering lines Ted delivers is: "There's two buttons I never like to hit: that's panic and snooze." We can definitely all agree that 2022 is no time to panic or rest. The good news is this is a sector that has demonstrated true grit throughout the COVID battle and will be able to rise to the challenges of 2022. While things certainly seem bleak right now, Ted's love of teamwork and personal growth is what is going to get us all individually and collectively through 2022 and beyond. (There is a reason why NBA coaching legends like Steve Kerr study Ted Lasso as a way to build up teams and get the best of stars and role players alike.) This is a profession that is amazing at taking on tough tasks and is absolutely committed to the residents and families it serves. It's a profession that lives this Ted Lasso motto everyday: "Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn't it? If you're comfortable while you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong." We all need to infuse more of Ted's optimism throughout the next year. And, we need to keep the good news of the aging population horizon in mind -- that the oldest Baby Boomers will hit their early So's in 2025, so the demographics will be working in our favor in the years to come.

To help brighten your 2022, we are launching a new podcast series called "VERSED WITH SCOTT TITTLE: A VIUM CAPITAL PoocAsT" or just "VERSED" for short. Our goal is to bring you some of the best thought leaders we can find in the sector to share the inspirational stories of their careers, their best practices for getting through these difficult times, and their views on the future of the sector.

Our first guest is Heath Boddy, the former President of the Nebraska Health Care Association and the new Chief Business Development Officer for Vetter Senior Living. Heath shares his story of growing up in long-term care, his days as an operator himself, his time as an advocate for the sector in Omaha and in Washington, D.C., and what he's up to next in his new role with Vetter Senior Living. You can hear all about Heath and especially his own optimism for the future of the profession by CLICKING HERE. We hope that the wisdom and advice that our guests share on Versed will help everyone keep their fingers off the panic or snooze buttons in the coming year by arming you with what you'll need to avoid the temptation to touch either one.

From the entire team at VIUM Capital, we hope you had a wonderful holiday season and wish you the best in 2022.

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