Senior Care News

MENOMONEE FALLS, WI–(Marketwire – December 10, 2010) – Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: ALC) reported that the previously announced reorganization of its largest shareholder, Scotia Investments Limited, has been completed and that the shares of Class A and Class B Common Stock of Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. previously held by Scotia Investments Limited and its subsidiaries have been transferred to a former affiliate of Scotia Investments, Thornridge Holdings Limited. Thornridge, a privately-held limited company existing under the laws of Nova Scotia with its head office in Bedford, Nova Scotia, is wholly owned by private holding companies owned by members of the extended family of Jean Hennigar, a daughter of the late R.A. Jodrey, including her son David J. Hennigar, who is chairman of Assisted Living Concepts, Inc.’s Board of Directors. Prior to the reorganization, Scotia Investments Limited was also owned by members of the R.A. Jodrey family.

On December 6, 2010, Thornridge filed a statement on Schedule 13D with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission reporting that on November 5, 2010 Blomidon Investments Limited, the ultimate parent of Scotia Investments Limited, and three holding companies of Blomidon that owned all of the common shares of Blomidon, including Thornridge, completed a reorganization pursuant to which, among other things, Thornridge acquired all of the shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. previously owned directly or indirectly by Scotia Investments Limited.

“We are pleased that the restructuring of Scotia Investments has resulted in the continued ownership commitment by the Hennigar family,” commented Laurie Bebo, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Based upon their past commitment and their recent Schedule 13D filing, we believe this restructuring of Scotia will have no material impact on ALC and reinforces the support for ALC’s strategic direction.”

About Us

Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate 211 senior living residences comprising 9,305 units in 20 states. ALC’s senior living residences typically consist of 40 to 60 units and offer residents a supportive, home-like setting and assistance with the activities of daily living. ALC employs approximately 4,100 people.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements contained in this release other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding anticipated financial performance, business strategy and management’s plans and objectives for future operations, including management’s expectations about improving occupancy and private pay mix, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally include words such as “expect,” “project,” “point toward,” “intend,” “will,” “indicate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “strategy” or “objective.” Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. In addition to the risks and uncertainties referred to in the release, other risks and uncertainties are contained in ALC’s filings with United States Securities and Exchange Commission and include, but are not limited to, the following: changes in the health care industry in general and the senior housing industry in particular because of governmental and economic influences; changes in general economic conditions, including changes in housing markets, unemployment rates and the availability of credit at reasonable rates; changes in regulations governing the industry and ALC’s compliance with such regulations; changes in government funding levels for health care services; resident care litigation, including exposure for punitive damage claims and increased insurance costs, and other claims asserted against ALC; ALC’s ability to maintain and increase census levels; ALC’s ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the availability and terms of capital to fund acquisitions and ALC’s capital expenditures; changes in competition; and demographic changes. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on ALC’s forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this report are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of the party making such statements based upon current information. ALC assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

RALEIGH, NC–(Marketwire – December 9, 2010) – InoLife Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: INOL), a service based healthcare products development, integration and marketing Company, announced today that it has retained John O’Maley and Associates to manage its retail sales & marketing program and aggressively place the Company’s current and future DNA-based products into the consumer market.

John O’Maley and Associates (JOA) provide over 30 years of experience in successfully launching over 40 consumer products into nearly every trade channel of the market. This company has a long-standing and trusted reputation in the retail industry in providing world-class sales presentations on products that result in significant sales and brand awareness.

John O’Maley, President of JOA, contributes his success from his training in sales and marketing, advertising and business development at Proctor & Gamble. That experience has proven to be instrumental in generating outstanding results for his clients. JOA also uses a proven national broker network that consists of over 30 key senior account sales executives who were trained in fortune 500 companies. This ensures continuity and excellent national coverage. For more information on JOA visit www.omaley.com

InoLife has considered many companies to use for this important aspect for the success in placing its current and future DNA-Based products into the consumer market. Management feels that John O’Maley and Associates has the experience and proven success record to get the job done. We look forward to working with John’s company.

About InoLife Technologies, Inc.
InoLife is poised to become one of the premier U.S. marketers of state-of-the-art DNA-based test products. Positioned for growth and success in a burgeoning market, InoLife Technologies, www.inolifetech.com, is primarily focused on products, services and solutions that will enable state-of-the-art healthcare for today and the future for a diverse base of customers and end users. The Company’s mission is to identify, develop, integrate and bring to market innovative healthcare-based products and services that provide timely and practical solutions. The primary products and services that InoLife is currently addressing focuses upon those specific products and services that provide key solutions through the innovative use of specific DNA testing and Genetic analysis systems.

The principal customers of InoLife’s products and services are healthcare providers, physicians, practitioners, hospitals and outpatient facilities. InoLife will be marketing and distributing its products through traditional distribution channels. Additionally InoLife has developed certain products that can be sold directly to consumers and has created specific programs to reach those customers including e-commerce, direct sales, healthcare providers, pharmacies, distributors, retail sellers and specialty retailers.

Forward-Looking Statements
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained herein, which are not historical, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, certain delays beyond the Company’s control with respect to market acceptance of new technologies, products and services, delays in testing and evaluation of products and services, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

DEARBORN, MI–(Marketwire – December 6, 2010) – This year, more than 170,000 Michigan residents receive home-delivered health care from home health care providers, who make over 5 million home visits each year.

Many patients and their families prefer that their loved ones recuperate and/or receive rehab services for surgery, an injury or an acute illness in the comfort and familiar surroundings of their own homes. Trained clinicians, nurses, and therapists are able to provide the same level of attentive, compassionate and personalized in-home care as can be found outside.

Choosing a provider can often be a daunting and frustrating task. To aid the public, Dearborn-based Metro Home Health Care, a leading home health care provider in Michigan, is offering at no cost a Home Health Care Guide that provides basic information for people seeking a home health care agency.

The free booklet may be downloaded from the Metro Home Health Care website, www.metrohomehealthcare.com.

“We think the booklet offers specific things to look for in selecting a home health care agency, and what questions to ask before you make a decision,” said Dr. Agustin V. Arbulu, CEO of Metro Home Health Care. “Our mission has always been to provide best care available to the sick, the elderly or those recovering from surgery in their homes.”

Today’s home care professionals, volunteers, and modern medicine make it possible for people to stay in their homes longer and enjoy an improved quality of life.

Home health care has grown far beyond basic or simple professional nursing and home care aide services. Modern home care agencies like Metro Home Health Care offer a comprehensive scope of services including skilled nursing, physical, occupational, speech therapies, medical social work services, specialty wound care nursing, dietary education, and personal care.

“Metro Home Health Care always has the goal of independence in mind when caring for our neighbors,” said Arbulu.

Home care services are paid for by public and private sources, or directly by patients and their families. Medicare and state-run Medicaid are significant payers and often pay 100 percent of home health services for patients who qualify for such services. Third-party payers include commercial insurance, managed care organizations, and workers’ compensation. Despite deep cuts in government funding, home care continues to be the preferred means of receiving quality health care services for millions of Americans.

With offices in five cities covering 10 counties, Metro Home Health Care provides comprehensive in-home and supportive services for the entire Michigan lower peninsula to acute and chronically ill patients and their families. For more information, please call 313-336-6303 or 800-462-5632, or visit www.metrohomehealthcare.com.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

SAN DIEGO, CA and NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – December 6, 2010) – Mitchell International, Inc., a leading provider of information, workflow and performance management solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Collision Repair industries and CoreChoice, the nation’s fastest growing specialty network devoted entirely to radiological services today announced the execution of a multi-year contract. Claims professionals, via Mitchell DecisionPoint^®, the leading medical bill management solution for 1^st and 3^rd party liability claims handlers, can now access the depth and breadth of the CoreChoice radiology network; which includes highly specialized services such as MRI (Open and Closed), Mammography, Sonogram, X-Ray, Nuclear Medicine services and CT, PET and Bone Scan services. This provides for an enhanced ability for insurers to ensure maximum value delivered to policyholders within their coverage limits via the benefits of pre-negotiated contract rates with CoreChoice facilities.

“CoreChoice is an established leader in the provision of a broad set of high quality radiological services,” said Dave Torrence, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mitchell International. “Our relationship with CoreChoice is a natural and synergistic extension of the capabilities of both of our organizations to the benefit of our customers, who elect to implement CoreChoice, and — most importantly — to injured parties. We know and understand that specialized procedures, including radiological services are driving costs up nationally and we’re excited about extending our capabilities in offering CoreChoice.”

Mitchell is pleased to provide additional benefits for its customers through this new agreement with CoreChoice, including:

• The service and quality of care results they demand in their claims handling organizations via the ability to provide injured parties — including those who might not otherwise have convenient access to such an extensive range of top quality radiological services — the benefit of more than 6,000 CoreChoice imaging centers throughout the nation, including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico;
• Maximum efficiency and productivity of claim handlers. DecisonPoint provides a “single source solution” enabling claims professionals to save time by reducing the use of a variety of disparate claims handling solutions as well as the high amounts of manual processing often required to access the benefits of specialty medical networks;
• Elimination of billing negotiations as medical billings from CoreChoice facilities are quickly paid via pre-established contractual rates; and
• A fully integrated and modern medical bill review technology solution that is compliant with standard HIPAA and ANSI X12 data transmission requirements.

Accessibility to CoreChoice networks via Mitchell’s state-of-the-art bill review offerings provides CoreChoice network members significant expansion opportunities. “There is exponential growth in the use of radiological procedures in healthcare,” said Steven F. Gass, Chief Executive Officer, CoreChoice. “CoreChoice is dedicated to providing injured parties the highest quality radiological services available and our Mitchell relationship offers us significant opportunities to expand our reach to assist injured parties to receive prompt, effective, proper and reasonably priced medical care.”

About Mitchell DecisionPoint

Mitchell DecisionPoint® is the leading medical bill management solution for 1^st and 3^rd party liability claims handlers reviewing more than 13 million medical bills each year representing more than $11 billion in medical provider billed charges. DecisionPoint is in use by more than 40 top US property casualty insurers including 8 of the 10 largest automobile insurers representing more than 60 percent of direct written premium in the personal auto lines market.

About Mitchell International, Inc.

Mitchell International (Mitchell) is a leading provider of information and workflow solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Automotive Collision Repair industries. The company’s comprehensive solution portfolio streamlines the entire auto physical damage, bodily injury and workers’ compensation claims processes. Mitchell enables millions of electronic transactions between more than 30,000 business partners each month to enhance partner productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction. For more information please visit www.mitchell.com

About CoreChoice

CoreChoice combines the talents and expertise of medical, technology, and insurance industry professionals to provide a new level of radiology network service. Our philosophy is to provide the largest radiology specialty network in the United States with fair and equitable pricing as well as a prompt pay mechanism for our participating network facilities. For more information please visit www.corechoice.net.

PHILADELPHIA, PA–(Marketwire – December 2, 2010) – Sullivan, Cotter and Associates, Inc., a health care compensation and human resource management consulting firm, has announced the opening of its newest business location in Philadelphia. With offices in the major markets of Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Parsippany, San Francisco and Westport, Philadelphia was a natural additional market for the nationally regarded compensation consulting firm. The new location is at 200 Barr Harbor Drive, Suite 400, West Conshohocken, PA 19428.

“We are enthusiastic about our continued growth in the east coast. Our presence in Philadelphia will allow us to meet our commitment to superior client service and accessibility for local health care organizations,” notes SullivanCotter Managing Director, Chris Terranova. “SullivanCotter’s compensation strategies ensure that organizations are in compliance with a myriad of regulatory matters while also being sensitive to the concerns of their boards,” Terranova adds.

Bruce Greenblatt will open the Philadelphia office as a Principal of the Firm. Greenblatt has more than 14 years of consulting experience with particular expertise in executive compensation in the health care industry, as well as the consumer products, manufacturing and communications industries. He has advised the senior management and boards of nonprofit, publicly-traded and private companies on compensation strategy as well as in the design and implementation of executive incentive and other programs.

Sullivan, Cotter and Associates, Inc. specializes in the assessment and development of total compensation and reward programs for executives and physicians in the health care industry. Since 1992, SullivanCotter has worked closely with health care organization executives, boards and compensation committees to devise innovative compensation solutions that attract and retain leadership talent while satisfying not-for-profit missions and regulatory requirements. A leader in independent consulting, benchmarking, trends and analyses, SullivanCotter has also developed the most widely recognized physician and executive compensation surveys in the United States. For more information, visit www.sullivancotter.com or call 888-739-7039 toll-free. In Philadelphia, please call 484-534-2922.

SPARTA, NC–(Marketwire – December 1, 2010) – Amano Pioneer Eclipse^® (“APEC”), a worldwide manufacturer of professional floor care products, makes it easy to be green even when cleaning carpets. Their EnviroStar Green^® carpet care system is an effective and cost saving method to meet many of today’s green requirements. The system is comprised of four products — a dual purpose extractor & pre-spray cleaner, an extraction rinse, a soil release bonnet buff and an all purpose spotter. 

APEC chemists developed EnviroStar Green from specific raw ingredients that met specific green requirements. The benefits of using the EnviroStar Green system however, go well beyond meeting strict environmental standards. “Our green products are not only earth friendly, they also reduce certain ill effects produced by other conventional systems,” states Jacqueline Van Delft, VP of International Operations at Amano Pioneer Eclipse. “We use raw ingredients that are not classified as skin sensitizers to lower irritancy commonly found in traditional chemistry. This produces a more comfortable and healthier environment for everyone.”

Most traditional cleaning processes leave some residue on the carpet. Not only can this residue trigger allergic reactions in many people, it also affects future maintenance and replacement costs. Acting like glue, residue can quickly attract new dirt to a recently cleaned floor. Commonly known as resoiling, this dirt build-up leads to more frequent cleanings that shorten the life of the carpet.

To minimize residue, Amano Pioneer Eclipse formulated EnviroStar Green products with pH levels less than 10. Compared to some traditional carpet products with levels as high as 11 to 13, a more neutral pH allows more of the chemical to be extracted, is less damaging to carpet fibers and retains existing stain blocking treatments that extend the carpet’s life. 

The EnviroStar Green carpet care system does more than reduce the environmental impact of traditional cleaning. Competitively priced, these products lower downtime and maintenance costs, extend carpet life, reduce cleaning frequency and improve the health and safety of the surrounding environment. And, most of all, they produce results as good as or better than their more harmful counterparts. It’s no wonder that professionals around the world are turning to Amano Pioneer Eclipse for all their carpet care chemicals. For more information on EnviroStar Green Carpet Products and numerous other Amano Pioneer Eclipse floor care systems, please visit www.pioneer-eclipse.com. In the US call 1-800-367-3550. For international inquires call 1-336-372-8080.

About Amano Pioneer Eclipse – since 1978, Amano Pioneer Eclipse has provided building service contractors with mechanical and chemical solutions for cleaning and maintaining all types of flooring.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

TAMPA, FL–(Marketwire – December 1, 2010) – Sage Healthcare Division, a unit of Sage North America and a major provider of EHR and practice management software and solutions serving approximately 80,000 physicians in North America, today announced that Northwest Primary Care, a 25 physician, physician-owned practice in southeast Portland, has selected Sage to provide the IMPAX PACS (picture archiving and communication system). This new medical imaging system will augment the practice’s existing Sage Intergy practice management and EHR system. 

Sage Healthcare Division offers the IMPAX, a comprehensive PACS, through an arrangement with Agfa HealthCare. The IMPAX solution will allow Northwest Primary Care to more efficiently manage its growing medical imaging services and improve efficiency in reading and reporting on medical imaging studies.

Northwest Primary Care is moving away from film and chose the PACS through Sage to improve patient care and increase quality outcomes, said administrator Michael Whitbeck. “We sought a sophisticated PACS system that will allow our radiologists and physicians to look at the film right from the record, and to allow for more mobility of our radiologists who will be able to view film from anyone, on or off site,” Whitbeck said.

PACS also will reduce the need for redeveloping images related to over and under exposed film, a common problem with film images, said Whitbeck. “We’ll be able to alleviate those issues with PACS, and from that perspective, improve overall quality of care for patients,” he said. 

Northwest Primary Care has four locations throughout southeast Portland, Oregon, and hosts more than 81,000 patient visits per year. In addition to implementing the Agfa HealthCare PACS system through Sage, it has used Sage Intergy EHR for its practice management and electronic health records since 2006. Sage Intergy EHR is fully compatible with the Agfa HealthCare PACS solution, and allows for the viewing of patient images through the EHR. Sage Intergy EHR also can integrate its Radiology Information Systems (RIS) with the Agfa HealthCare solutions.

“Sage remains dedicated to its clients and committed to health centers such as Northwest Primary Care because of the trust they place in our products to improve health outcomes for patients,” said Betty Otter-Nickerson, president of Sage Healthcare Division. “Providing a multitude of solutions, such as an integrated PACS solution to go along with our EHR, shows our dedication to improving practice efficiency and remaining true to our mission of being physician focused and patient centric.”

Sage is a reseller of the Agfa HealthCare PACS and Computed Radiology (CR) solutions and offers installation of the PACS software, along with user support and training.

Sage has provided healthcare software solutions to streamline patient care for nearly 30 years, and is a leading supplier of business management software and services, serving more than 6.2 million small and midsized business customers worldwide.

View Sage Healthcare Division YouTube interviews.

View Sage Healthcare Division information.

About Sage Healthcare Division
Sage Healthcare Division provides integrated electronic health records, EDI applications and practice management systems to approximately 80,000 physicians and thousands of ambulatory care practices throughout North America. These systems enable physicians and practice managers to better manage their practices and improve profitability. Sage Healthcare Division is based in Tampa, Fla., and is a division of Sage North America. For more information, please visit www.sagehealth.com or call (877) 932-6301.

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs 4,000 people and supports 3.2 million small and midsize business customers. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 13,400 people and supports 6.3 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the website at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

© 2010 Sage Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Sage, the Sage logos, and the Sage product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. or its affiliated entities. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

RALEIGH, NC–(Marketwire – November 30, 2010) – InoLife Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: INOL), a service based healthcare products development, integration and marketing Company announced today that it will exhibit at the 18^th Annual World Congress on Anti-aging Medicine and Biomedical Technologies, (A4M) convention held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 9-11.

“This convention provides an excellent opportunity for our Company to expose our products to the medical community as well as the industry press,” stated Gary Berthold, CEO of InoLife Technologies, Inc. “We at InoLife Technologies would like to invite those health-care professionals that are attending the convention to visit booth 240 to discuss opportunities and for demonstrations of the Company’s DNA-based testing products.” 

InoLife will take advantage of this forum to educate physicians and healthcare practitioners on the advantages and availability of the Company’s Plavix metabolizing test. This DNA-based testing procedure can identify how a patient’s genetic inheritance may affect the body’s response to the popular drug commonly used for patients with cardiovascular risks.

The A4M expects approximately 3000 professionals to attend the convention. It is billed to be the largest and most influential conference and expo worldwide on preventative medicine and bio-medical technologies. The A4M organization is comprised of 22,000-plus members that include physicians, health practitioners, scientists, government officials and members of the general public representing over 105 nations. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the organization’s members are physicians (MD, DO,MBBS) followed by 12% that consists of scientists, researchers, and health practitioners, leaving 3% that are government officials, members of the working press and the general public. 

The A4M is dedicated to educating physicians, scientists and health practitioners on biomedical sciences, breaking technologies and anti aging issues. A4M seeks to disseminate information concerning innovative science and research as well as treatment modalities designed to prolong the human lifespan.

About InoLife Technologies, Inc.
InoLife is poised to become one of the premier U.S. marketers of state-of-the-art DNA-based test products. Positioned for growth and success in a burgeoning market, InoLife Technologies, www.inolifetech.com, is primarily focused on products, services and solutions that will enable state-of-the-art healthcare for today and the future for a diverse base of customers and end users. The Company’s mission is to identify, develop, integrate and bring to market innovative healthcare-based products and services that provide timely and practical solutions. The primary products and services that InoLife is currently addressing focuses upon those specific products and services that provide key solutions through the innovative use of specific DNA testing and Genetic analysis systems.

The principal customers of InoLife’s products and services are healthcare providers, physicians, practitioners, hospitals and outpatient facilities. InoLife will be marketing and distributing its products through traditional distribution channels. Additionally InoLife has developed certain products that can be sold directly to consumers and has created specific programs to reach those customers including e-commerce, direct sales, healthcare providers, pharmacies, distributors, retail sellers and specialty retailers.

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Nov. 25, 2010) – Across Ontario, care for seniors is being compromised by a spate of hospital bed and program cuts and the transfer of elderly ill patients to sub-standard, unregulated care in retirement homes or to languish alone in their homes.

In Windsor, a 93 year old woman, who has two months to live, has been told to move out of the hospital or pay $600 a day to remain. She is the human face of elderly patients who are demeaned as “bed blockers.”

In Scarborough, Providence Continuing Healthcare is cutting 120 beds a move that will adversely affect many programs including patient rehab, and palliative and chronic care.

In Sudbury, the Regional Hospital’s Memorial site is closing—128 beds will be lost and frail seniors are being moved.

This pattern of hospital service cuts is happening across Ontario and services for the frail and the elderly are the primary target.

Across Ontario, home care is in chaos, with a 57% annual turnover of caregivers and with hours of care more and more difficult to access.

“We believe that the elderly are being discriminated against in the provision of care. Hospital, long- term care and home care workers have had enough of the attack on services for seniors. Our protest today is the beginning of our push back. We are asking for dignity in care for the elderly. We are asking for their right to spend their last days in palliative care in hospital. We demand an end to the pushing of the frail and the ill into unregulated retirement homes or to home alone,” says Michael Hurley, the president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions. 

Rally information is as follows:

Rally speakers include:

Paul Moist, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Arlene Patterson, Chair of the Sarnia Lambton Health Coalition, and hospital, long-term care and home care workers.

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Nov. 25, 2010) – With aging baby boomers making up nearly a third of Canada’s population, the $1.2 billion natural health product industry has naturally caught the eye of well known entrepreneur and strategic investor W. Brett Wilson. Through his involvement with Dragons’ Den, Wilson has committed to a $250,000 investment in NuvoCare Health Science Inc., a company with a portfolio of health brands designed to sustain youth and longevity and prevent disease.

The company was founded by Ryan J. Foley, a food scientist and pharmacologist who has designed a clinically proven composition called AgeOFF® designed to stop the DNA damage that leads to cancer and is the primary culprit behind human aging.

Having battled an advanced state of prostate cancer at 43, Wilson has made personal health his number-one priority, a core philosophy that is shared by NuvoCare. An estimated 173,800 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer this year with approximately 76,200 of those cases resulting in death.

“This is as much a personal investment as a financial one,” said Wilson, who is also a daily product user. “I know too many people who are fighting cancer, and too many who have fought it and lost. It’s gratifying to support a company focused on reversing this negative trend.”

NuvoCare is also in conversations with the federal government to explore how their products can help reduce the upward pressure on federal-provincial health care spending, expected to grow significantly as more baby-boomers become seniors. On average, seniors consume five times more health-care dollars than younger adults. NuvoCare products help seniors stay healthy, decreasing their consumption of health-care dollars. The first baby-boomers will turn 65 on January 1, 2011.

“Brett has a passion for our work and a brilliant marketing mind able to help us reach more people and keep them healthy,” said Foley who added that NuvoCare is in a strong position to tap into a large percentage of Canada’s natural health product industry over the next three years.

NuvoCare was in established in 2006 by Foley after 10 years of corporate research and development experience in the nutraceutical industry. “I wanted to align myself with my higher life purpose of health sustainability and I built NuvoCare to realize this potential,” says Foley. NuvoCare’s products help to decrease body weight safely, prevent loss of muscle and bone, decrease the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and improve sleep quality, to name just a few of their benefits. NuvoCare’s portfolio of health brands includes AgeOFF® (www.AgeOFF.com), SleepON® (www.SleepON.com), WeightOFF® (www.WeightOFF.ca), DNA-Essentials® (www.DNAessentials.ca), and Skin-Minus® (www.SkinMinus.com).

NuvoCare Health Science Inc. is a Canadian owned and operated company whose sole focus is to design and develop the worlds safest and most effective nutraceutical, nutricosmetic, and cosmeceutical brands clinically proven to address the major health concerns of today’s consumer using proven natural ingredients of the highest safety, efficacy and quality standards. www.NuvoCare.com.

W. Brett Wilson is Chairman of Canoe Financial, a privately owned investment management firm with over $1.5 billion in assets focused on providing investors with unique opportunities to profit from Canada’s increasing prominence on the global stage. He is also Chairman of Prairie Merchant Corporation; a private merchant bank focused on business opportunities in the energy, agriculture, real estate, sports, and entertainment industries. In 1993, he co-founded FirstEnergy Capital Corp., a Canadian brokerage firm that provides investment-banking services to Canada’s oil and natural gas sector. FirstEnergy is an industry leader, having participated in thousands of financing and M&A projects worth over $225 billion. After retiring from active duty in 2008, Brett remains an investor in the firm.

WEST PALM BEACH, FL–(Marketwire – November 23, 2010) – For many of the millions of hearing impaired Americans, especially the 27 million living with untreated hearing loss, the holidays may not be all that happy, says audiologist Dr. Cindy Beyer.

Dr. Beyer, senior vice president of HearUSA, Inc. (NYSE Amex: EAR), one of America’s largest hearing care and hearing aids companies, said, “Studies have linked hearing loss to stress, frustration, and social isolation, which can easily be intensified at holiday gatherings with families and friends, when many of those with hearing impairment may find conversations both difficult and isolating.”

“Hearing loss is often labeled ‘the invisible handicap’ because there are no outward signs of a handicap or limitations,” said Dr. Beyer. “As a result, we are unlikely to be aware that accommodations may be necessary to avoid a breakdown in communication.”

Dr. Beyer offers suggestions for making holiday meals and celebrations more comfortable and enjoyable for those with hearing impairment, as well as for the people around them.

• Speak clearly and distinctly, but not too fast — and never shout.
• If you are asked to repeat something, do so without raising your voice and appearing annoyed.
• If your comment or question is still not being understood after repetition, reword it. Some words are easier to understand than others.
• In a group situation, be sure the hearing-impaired person is included in the conversation. If not, bring them back in.
• When speaking, look directly at the person and try not to be more than five feet away. 
• Your facial expressions, gestures and overall body language are important aids in communicating, so try to be sure you have the listener’s attention and that the room is well lit.
• Conversation is greatly enhanced when there is no distracting background noise from a radio or television.
• Dining out? Choose a quiet restaurant. Noisy conversations and the clatter of dishes and tableware in a crowded dining area are barriers to effective communication.
• Ask if there is anything you can do to make communication easier. For example, conversation will be much easier to understand in a room with carpeting and well-upholstered furniture than in a room with tiled floors, high ceilings or wooden furniture.

While almost all hearing loss can be successfully treated with hearing aids, only 25% of the 36 million Americans with hearing loss have hearing aids, according to the Better Hearing Institute. They note that most hearing aids users report significant improvement in their interpersonal relationships and social lives.

“Today’s digital hearing aids are smaller, smarter and more comfortable than ever before,” added Dr. Beyer. “During this holiday season, I can think of no kinder act than encouraging a loved one or a friend with untreated hearing loss to consider the positive impact hearing aids could have on their lives, and help them arrange for an evaluation by a licensed hearing care practitioner.”

About HearUSA
HearUSA, Inc. (NYSE Amex: EAR) is the recognized leader in hearing care for the nation’s top managed care organizations through its network of more than 2,000 hearing care providers and 176 company-owned centers. HearUSA is the nation’s only hearing care network accredited by URAC, an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation. HearUSA is also the administrator of the AARP Hearing Care program, designed to help millions of Americans aged 50+ who have untreated hearing loss. For more information about HearUSA visit www.hearusa.com.

MENOMONEE FALLS, WI–(Marketwire – November 22, 2010) – Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: ALC) stated today that it is disappointed with recent actions taken by the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services and disputes allegations in an order issued by the Department on Friday, November 19, 2010. ALC will pursue appropriate legal remedies for dismissal of the order and related penalties.

“While at certain of our New Jersey buildings we have removed the assisted living licenses and changed our operations over to independent living communities, we are still in the process of registering those buildings with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs as either multiple dwellings or boarding homes,” stated Laurie Bebo, President and Chief Executive Officer. “This registration process can be lengthy. In the interim, we have demonstrated that seniors living in these retirement communities either receive no health care services or receive services from a variety of home health or personal companion service companies just like many senior living communities in New Jersey. We are not marketing these buildings as assisted living facilities and the staff employed by these communities provides no health care services. We believe the communities will become registered as multiple dwellings or boarding homes under New Jersey’s Department of Community Affairs.

“We are disappointed with the recent actions by the Department of Health and Human Services as they are fully aware of our ongoing participation in the administrative registration process with the Department of Community Affairs. We hope the bureaucratic process will move along more quickly and look forward to an open dialogue with the Department of Community Affairs to accomplish the registrations. We continue to meet the expectations of the tenants who reside with us and believe last Friday’s action by the Department of Health unnecessarily creates disruption for the peace of mind and well being of our tenants and their families.” 

About Us

Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate 211 senior living residences comprising 9,305 residents in 20 states. ALC’s senior living residences typically consist of 40 to 60 units and offer residents a supportive, home-like setting and assistance with the activities of daily living. ALC employs approximately 4,100 people.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements contained in this release other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding anticipated financial performance, business strategy and management’s plans and objectives for future operations, including management’s expectations about improving occupancy and private pay mix, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally include words such as “expect,” “project,” “point toward,” “intend,” “will,” “indicate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “strategy” or “objective.” Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. In addition to the risks and uncertainties referred to in the release, other risks and uncertainties are contained in ALC’s filings with United States Securities and Exchange Commission and include, but are not limited to, the following: changes in the health care industry in general and the senior housing industry in particular because of governmental and economic influences; changes in general economic conditions, including changes in housing markets, unemployment rates and the availability of credit at reasonable rates; changes in regulations governing the industry and ALC’s compliance with such regulations; changes in government funding levels for health care services; resident care litigation, including exposure for punitive damage claims and increased insurance costs, and other claims asserted against ALC; ALC’s ability to maintain and increase census levels; ALC’s ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the availability and terms of capital to fund acquisitions and ALC’s capital expenditures; changes in competition; and demographic changes. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on ALC’s forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this report are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of the party making such statements based upon current information. ALC assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.