Article before improvement: partially offset by occupancy improvement in the...

[Musicgold]

Hi,

Should there be an article before ‘occupancy improvement’ in the following sentence? Please explain a bit. Also, do you always use an article for 'improvement'?

Long-term Care Homes and Arizona operations suffered declines in same-store occupancy, partially offset by occupancy improvement in the Florida Retirement portfolio.

Thanks,

MG.

[Barb_D]

What does "occupancy improvement" mean? Could it be better phrased as "by an improvement in the occupancy rates"?
(I would capitalize "Term" in "Long-Term" since it's part of a title of some sort.)

[Musicgold]

Barb_D,
Thanks. You are right with respect to the paraphrase.
But, what if I want to use 'occupancy improvement' ? Should I use 'an' before that?

[Barb_D]

Do you want to use it because it is business jargon in the field you work in? I strongly suggest the rewrite otherwise.