Communities That Shine Awards Winners
The Communities That Shine Awards recognize forward-thinking senior living communities that use iN2L’s engagement technology to provide the best experience to residents and staff and to stand out in their market. See below for past winning communities.
2021 Winners
BRILLIANCE IN INDIVIDUAL ENGAGEMENT
The Palms of St. Lucie West
Port St. Lucie, FL
“The iN2L tablets came into our community at a very difficult time for our residents. COVID limited their connection to their loved ones, and to each other. With iN2L tablets, we were able to keep those connections alive, as our residents were able to keep in touch with their family and friends daily. We are very happy to be chosen as one of iN2L’s Communities That Shine. Thank you!”
— Sherry Vadnais, Bridge to Rediscovery Director, The Palms of St. Lucie West
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
After receiving several iN2L tablets, the staff at The Palms of St. Lucie West set about finding creative ways of leveraging the devices to ensure residents stayed engaged and connected during the ongoing pandemic. As a result of this focus on individualized engagement, staff have been more able to connect on a personalized level with each resident and foster well-being.
How They Use iN2L:
Individual personalized engagement activities, virtual social connection, fostering staff-resident bonds, group activity support.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- Staff accesses iN2L tablet content that aligns will all levels of cognitive ability in order to provide residents a choice in their engagement activities while supporting a feeling of accomplishment.
- Resident-staff bonds are solidified through using the tablet together to learn more about each other and connect based on resident interests.
BRILLIANCE IN POWERING CONNECTIONS
The Forum at Rancho San Antonio
Cupertino, CA
“I am exceedingly honored to receive this recognition on my team’s behalf. I want to thank those who create and continue to improve this technology. I wholeheartedly appreciate this iN2L competition for acknowledging our efforts to engage and improve the lives of our seniors.”
— Heather Engle, Life Enrichment Manager, The Forum at Rancho San Antonio
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
With iN2L systems and digital content in regular use throughout all levels of care in the community, The Forum at Rancho San Antonio is well-versed in the power of technology to fuel connections among residents and caregivers. The team reports that less staff preparation time is required to facilitate enriching and engaging experiences that appeal to everyone.
How They Use iN2L:
Group and individual engagement, memory care support, virtual experiences.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- Using interactive content from iN2L has resulted in an increase in the number and engagement of residents participating in engagement activities.
- Using iN2L to support reminiscing has enabled impactful engagement among residents living with dementia.
BRILLIANCE IN RESIDENT EMPOWERMENT
Ohio Living Breckenridge Village
Willoughby, OH
“We’re so thankful to have iN2L at Ohio Living Breckenridge Village, and at several other Ohio Living life plan communities throughout the state. Engagement with iN2L has remarkable effects on residents’ physical, mental and social well-being, and the value iN2L has brought to our campuses is immeasurable.”
— Laurence C. Gumina, Chief Executive Officer, Ohio Living Breckenridge Village
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
Whether using iN2L with individual residents, small groups, or larger groups, the team at Ohio Living Breckenridge Village consistently provides experiences that tap into residents’ interests and sense of purpose, creating a sense of empowerment. These stimulating opportunities to be involved in activities that spark their interest have created deeper connections and a sense of community among residents and staff alike.
How They Use iN2L:
Small group experiences tailored to resident interests, individual experiences to foster autonomy, engaging group activities to build camaraderie.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- After moving into the community, one resident experienced feelings of melancholy and a loss of sense of self. After being introduced to content on iN2L that aligned with her interests pre-move in, staff noted an immediate change in her demeanor. She is now one of the community’s most social residents.
- Residents are encouraged to request and participate in their preferred activities with iN2L and are enabled to do so independently.
BRILLIANCE IN PERSON-CENTERED ENGAGEMENT
Pilgrim Tower Apartments
Los Angeles, CA
“Pilgrim Tower staff and Residents would like to give our thanks for iN2L! The Residents are very happy to use it in helping them to connect with others and helping them to stay engaged with activities. It’s an honor being a winning community!”
— Adrian Clark, Resident Service Coordinator; Susan Aureus, Administrator; and Shinnae Sung, Resident Service Coordinator, Pilgrim Tower Apartments
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
Since many Pilgrim Towers residents do not own their own connective technology devices, utilizing iN2L to stay connected to loved ones and support virtual Connected Wellness sessions has ensured engagement continuity during times of social isolation. Using iN2L’s digital content has enabled residents to connect to areas of interest and provide on-ramps to lively group discussions and interactions.
How They Use iN2L:
Facilitating virtual events to support well-being, sparking conversations among residents, providing personalized engagement opportunities for groups.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- Residents can use iN2L to access the community’s mental health and well-being program facilitated by licensed professionals, including live educational workshops, presentations, and discussions.
- Pilgrim Tower’s sizeable population of deaf residents have customized iN2L to support their unique needs for education and socialization, including accessing and discussing resources specifically designed for those with hearing challenges and leveraging the system’s video chat for live ASL translation.
BRILLIANCE IN PURPOSEFUL ENGAGEMENT
Claremont Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
Carlisle, PA
“During COVID, the iN2L systems have allowed us to reach beyond the stars and engage residents with tools to support and encourage healthy, happy, and calm emotional well-being during a critical time in LTC today. We are so grateful to have our iN2L systems, and it is an honor to win a Communities That Shine award!”
— Tiffany Kline, Activities Director, Claremont Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
As the staff at Claremont can attest, COVID has challenged activities programming in nursing homes. With the help of iN2L, the community’s residents were given person-centered opportunities to ignite their purpose with meaningful activities and experiences, helping provide consistency and calm in a time of uncertainty.
How They Use iN2L:
Supporting individual engagement during social distancing, creating connection for group engagement, supporting staff in deeper knowing of residents.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- Residents enjoy using iN2L’s interactive activity simulators to “drive” or “fly” to new places virtually, creating feelings of autonomy and purpose.
- The ability to create personal profiles for each resident on iN2L supports staff in getting to know and understand them to provide the highest levels of person-centered care and engagement.
BRILLIANCE IN ENTERPRISE-WIDE TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Bethany Care Society
Alberta, Canada
“Community grants enabled Bethany Care Society to invest in iN2L across all of our sites in 2020. It’s hard to imagine being able to innovate in the midst of a global pandemic, but iN2L has given us the ability to do so. We’ve used it to connect families from across the world, decrease social isolation for our care centre residents and tenants at our independent housing sites, and expand our therapeutic uses of the touch screen technology. We’re proud to be super users of iN2L in Canada.”
— Jennifer McCue, President & CEO, Bethany Care Society
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
Bethany developed unique training plans to address intended use across their interdisciplinary care teams, each finding great success in using the iN2L systems to support residents’ care goals. This focused training is coupled with further development of tools and knowledge frameworks to help care teams use iN2L in individual therapy plans for residents.
How They Use iN2L:
Group and individual engagement, memory care support, staff training, religious services, therapy enhancement, virtual social connections.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- In addition to using iN2L in continuing care, Bethany brought the system into their independent affordable housing to use as an approachable technology to support social and physical health in their tenants.
- iN2L’s built-in content is allowing staff to spend more time engaging with residents rather than planning recreation or therapy sessions. Across Bethany’s sites, staff have seized these unique care improvements, reaching residents in new ways not possible before, and have eagerly shared success stories across working groups.
BRILLIANCE IN ENTERPRISE READINESS
Seashore Gardens Living Center
Galloway, NJ
“We love iN2L, and we use it for everything…Our board supports us and has made sure we keep getting more systems.”
— Sharon D’Angio, Director of Donor Services and PR, Seashore Gardens and Living Center
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
With an enterprise approach to engagement technology already in place, Seashore Gardens Living Center was prepared to provide social connections and purposeful engagement to residents during the pandemic. They also found innovative ways to use iN2L for staff training.
How They Use iN2L:
Telehealth, staff training, religious services, virtual social connections (such as birthday celebrations and Zoom funerals), and intergenerational programs.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- When a resident could not attend the funeral of her sister’s only child, staff brought the mobile unit to her room so she could attend virtually.
- To comply with state regulations, the community uses iN2L to provide infectious control and handwashing training to nurses.
BRILLIANCE IN TRANSFORMING PROGRAM DELIVERY
Charlie’s Place Respite & Activity Center
Baton Rouge, LA
“iN2L is the component that makes our virtual program work so well. And our clients enjoy it so much. It is a no-brainer that we invest in a solution that really makes life better for our clients.”
— Barbara Auten, Executive Director, Charlie’s Place Respite & Activity Center
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
After the Louisiana Department of Health shuttered adult daycare facilities in mid-March 2020, Charlie’s Place leveraged iN2L to launch virtual and mobile programming that would meet their clients’ needs and provide respite to family caregivers during safe home visits. As a result of teamwork and innovation, the organization provides the enrichment clients need while attracting prospects, who are able to sample the virtual programming.
How They Use iN2L:
Virtual programming, person-centered engagement, marketing, and community outreach.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- To provide the best client experience during safe home visits, staff outfitted a suitcase to safely transport an iN2L touch screen system so they can use it with their clients.
- Connecting the clients through group activities over Zoom brings participants relief and the comfort of seeing familiar faces and participating in familiar iN2L activities.
BRILLIANCE IN RESIDENT WELLNESS
Shelby Health & Rehabilitation Center
Shelby Township, MI
“We have seen residents that would normally not participate in our activities using the iN2L equipment and engaging in the activity with a smile…Our staff embraces the opportunity to use the equipment with the residents to increase their quality of life and work towards our goal of reducing our falls. iN2L has given our community the opportunity to focus on our residents’ individualized interests and engage them in a way that we otherwise could not.”
—Lia Avery, Program Director, Shelby Health & Rehabilitation Center
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
Shelby Health & Rehabilitation Center purchased iN2L systems in 2020 and saw immediate improvements in patient socialization, engagement, and wellness. Staff uses iN2L across the spectrum of care to provide greater opportunities for purposeful engagement that increase resident participation, reduce anxiety and agitation, and build camaraderie.
How They Use iN2L:
Resident engagement, therapy, and social connections.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- By integrating iN2L into assessments, therapists use the solution’s balance tools to provide the appropriate program for short-term residents.
- Since using iN2L, the facility has achieved a 13% decrease in falls.
BRILLIANCE IN ENGAGEMENT CONTINUITY
Sunabella at Savannah
Savannah, GA
“Sunabella at Savannah is honored to be recognized with this award. It has been a very challenging time, and this award reassures our team that what we do every day is making a difference. With such a valuable tool as the iN2L assisting us, we are bringing joy and staving off isolation among our residents. We are so very grateful!”
— Joyce Crowder-McBride, Executive Director, Sunabella at Savannah
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
Responding quickly to the pandemic’s disruption, Sunabella at Savannah leveraged iN2L content and touch screen systems to provide programming that rivaled the enrichment opportunities residents had enjoyed before March 2020. To deliver the person-centered engagement elders need to thrive, the community makes resident enrichment everyone’s responsibility.
How They Use iN2L:
Resident engagement and team member development.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- Sunabella uses iN2L to support small groups or pods, enabling memory care residents to enjoy the same level of engagement they experienced prior to the pandemic.
- By building a cross-functional engagement team with access to resident profiles on the iN2L platform, the community creates personalized experiences for each senior and gains efficiencies valued at approximately $21,000 per year.
BRILLIANCE IN DIFFERENTIATION AND ENGAGEMENT
Spring Arbor of Richmond
Richmond, VA
“Our Cottage Program Manager Linda Edwards’ commitment to the full use of the iN2L platform has improved the quality of life for our residents living with the effects of dementia. This commitment and energy have been spread to our caregivers, who are always looking for ways to make meaningful connections with our seniors. Our iN2L use has always been a huge benefit, but during our Covid-19 experience, it has proven invaluable…in the right hands!”
— Matthew Hartwick, Executive Director, Spring Arbor Senior Living
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
Spring Arbor of Richmond stands out for enhancing memory care by integrating iN2L systems into many aspects of community operations—from resident enrichment and therapy to marketing and staff development. Their effective use of iN2L for group programming, 1:1 engagement, family interaction, video chatting, virtual exercise sessions, and end-of-life transitional support sets a new standard of quality for resident life.
How They Use iN2L:
Resident engagement, staff development, marketing, therapy, and social connection.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- To introduce their community to prospective residents living with dementia and their family members, Spring Arbor of Richmond’s Cottage Program Manager and Marketing Manager use iN2L in sales meetings and tours.
- Spring Arbor trained many staff members on how to use iN2L, providing more opportunities for 1:1 and small group engagement for residents and fostering purpose among employees.
BRILLIANCE IN PERSON-CENTERED ENGAGEMENT
Advanced Rehabilitation & Healthcare of Athens in Partnership with Rehab Synergies
Athens, TX
“iN2L has been a fantastic care partner with us over the years…We were thrilled when we learned about accessing and using the iN2L tablets to facilitate communication between our quarantined residents and their families and friends out in the communities!! The iN2L tablets have helped us keep everyone safe, involved, and connected which has been our goal throughout the pandemic.”
— Carmen Vitton, Chief Operating Officer, Rehab Synergies
Winner Highlights
Why They Shine:
Advanced Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Athens shines by focusing on residents’ interests and preferences to create the quality, personally relevant experience they deserve. Staff works as a team and involves residents’ family members to make each elder feel at home.
How They Use iN2L:
Resident engagement, staff development, marketing, therapy, and social connection.
Sparks of Brilliance:
- Advanced Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Athens creates profiles of each resident on the iN2L platform to make it easier for staff to build rapport with each elder and engage them with a customized iN2L experience.
- The community uses iN2L tablets to make video calls a regular part of the resident experience for family visits and telehealth appointments.
Honorable Mention
iN2L offers content-driven engagement to support social interaction, cognitive and physical exercise and therapy, education, reminiscing, areas of interest, memory support, and more with touch screen systems ideal for both group engagement and individual experiences.
iN2L – USA
5889 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Suite 210
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
USA
E-mail: [email protected]
© 2023 iN2L. All Rights Reserved.