Catered Living's Sudden Management Shift
Rochelle C. Eisenberg
Staff Reporter
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JANUARY 20, 2006
With no prior knowledge or warning, residents and employees of Catered Living of Pikesville, at 7218 Park Heights Ave., learned Dec. 30 that Sunwest Management Inc. of Salem, Ore., had acquired the assisted living community from the Cockeysville- based Catered Living Group.
The new owners spoke that day to employees about the changeover, which included renaming the facility Tudor Heights Assisted Living Community ».
Joseph Markowitz, former director of food services at Catered Living, will assume the position of Tudor Heights' executive director. He spoke enthusiastically about the new ownership, saying he believes the transition will only benefit the facility.
"If you want to run this the way you want to run it, you have to have a big business behind you," he said.
Established in 1991, Sunwest Management manages senior housing in 26 states. Tudor Heights is the outfit's first community in Maryland.
Mr. Markowitz said the facility will remain a kosher institution and continue to maintain its Jewish atmosphere.
Mr. Markowitz replaces Bruce Raffel, former president, CEO and director of Catered Living of Pikesville. Mr. Raffel still owns Catered Living's other sites, including Catered Living of Cockeysville and Catered Living of Bel Air. Last October, Catered Living of Pikesville filed for Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
When contacted recently by the Baltimore Jewish Times, Mr. Raffel declined to comment on the sale, citing a confidentiality agreement with Sunwest that he signed.
The sale of Catered Living surprised some community members who were not aware that the assisted living facility was even on the market.
"I suspected something when they didn't renew their ad in the [Pikesville Chamber of Commerce] directory. But it wasn't public knowledge," said Sherrie Becker, executive director of the chamber. Catered Living is a member of the chamber.
According to Linda Bye, spokesperson for Sunwest Management, "Sunwest Management usually purchases distressed properties." She said the management company subsequently implements new policies and changes.
In recent years, the number of residents at the former Catered Living ofPikesville facility has declined. In a 2000 article in Nursing Homes Long Term Care Management, Mr. Raffel said the facility was filled to capacity with a waiting list. But 38 units out of a total of 64 are occupied at this time, according to Mr. Markowitz. The facility has 45 employees.
Mr. Markowitz arrived at Catered Living two years ago after spending more than 13 years working in senior facilities. He was director of food services for 12 years at Pikesville's Jewish Convalescent and Nursing Home and worked for a year at Edenwald, a continuing care retirement community in Towson.
Although Sunwest Management will not comment on future plans for the Pikesville facility, Mr. Markowitz said he anticipates a number of changes to be made in upcoming months.
He said he expects a number of structural and physical changes to be implemented at the Tudor Heights facility, beginning this month. He spoke about upgrading the entrance lobby and making the front of the facility — a former mansion — handicapped accessible.
Other changes include adding Internet-access and hiring a weekend manager to supervise the operations of the property on Saturdays and Sundays. Currently, no one fills that position.
"The biggest change will be better care," Mr. Markowitz said. "I know in my heart I will give everything. I have a passion for the residents, and this is going to be their home."
