Peddling a product few want, nursing homes innovate, broaden offerings to turn a profit

Nursing homes broaden offerings to turn a profit

MIAMI — For decades, the mission at Miami Jewish Home and Hospital was simply to care for the old.

But like nursing homes around the country, the facility has remade itself because of consumer demands and the economic realities of selling a service nearly no one wants.

In recent years, it has added specialists in fields such as biofeedback and pain management to cater to patients of all ages. Miami Jewish expects the moves to help it break even in 2011 after several years of losses.

Other companies whose core business has been housing the elderly are also coming up with new ways to make money.

Elinor Ginzler, an expert on long-term care at AARP, says facilities around the country recognize that their old business model needs to change.