Hilliard Assisted Living and Memory Care is a senior living community that offers the same services that its namesake might imply. The community has capacity for about 130 residents. At a minimum, the community offers three meals a day, resident activities, transportation to medical appointments and off-site activities, laundry, and basic housekeeping services. If a resident needs more assistance, such as help getting out of his wheelchair, medication management, or help in the shower, such services are available that add to the resident's monthly rent. The community also offers Memory Care, which includes a secured environment staffed with Certified Dementia Practitioners, so residents with dementia may comfortably, safely, and gracefully age in place. Ancillary services such as rounding primary care, home health, home care, and physical therapy are also available as needed, but offered separately from the community.

The competitive advantage of Hilliard Assisted Living and Memory care is the quality of service provided for a relatively low rate. Though they are not the cheapest community around, they are established and reputable. The community is beautifully maintained and in a quite yet accessible area of Hilliard, OH. Their dining program is all very well-established and residents can enjoy customized diet plans. Nursing staff is reliable as well. The community is upscale, at a low price. They also offer the opportunity for a transition of care between AL and MC, if necessitated by the residents cognitive state.

Carriage Court of Hilliard is a local senior living community that offers Independent, Assisted, and Memory Care. They are nearly adjacent to the Ashford at Sturbridge, and about the same size. Their prices are also nearly equitable, if not lower, than the Ashford at Sturbridge. They offer the same services as The Ashford at Sturbridge IL/AL and Hilliard AL/MC, but at a lower price. However, the quality of services and amenities appears to be lower than those offered at the more upscale Hilliard Assisted Living and Memory Care, which as reflected by the lower price. The competitive advantage of Carriage Court is the continuum of care from IL to AL to MC, and the low price. Also, Carriage Court of Hilliard offers in some instances where a resident may rely on Medicaid to pay their rent.

The Ashford at Sturbridge currently has a competitive advantage of a brand-new building and the most competitive prices in the area. However, being a new building, the services and reputation are less established, which increases the vulnerability for service failures, particularly in housekeeping, nursing care, and culinary services. Though no community is perfect, newer ones tend to struggle with cohesion more so than an established community. Another distinct disadvantage of the Ashford at Sturbridge is the fact they do not offer Memory Care services, rendering them ineligible to provide care an accommodations to residents with dementia. This segment of the population is already notable, and growing. Any community that does not offer Memory Care Services is at a perpetual disadvantage when it comes to gaining and keeping residents. Finally, like many other care organizations, staffing levels remain critical at the Ashford at Sturbridge, particularly during the pandemic.

In order to improve its competitive presence, The Ashford at Sturbridge needs to (1) offer a Memory Care component, and (2) increase staffing and staff resiliency. While there are other areas where improvement can occur, these two areas must be addressed first and immediately.

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