SHN Awards Corner: Greystone, Leisure Care, Genesis HealthCare, & More

Here’s SHN’s second-edition roundup of some of the companies who have recently been in the national spotlight in recognition of their achievements, whether for design and architecture, construction, management, or technology implementation. 

Got awards? Send them to [email protected]. (SHN reserves the right to choose to publish award announcements at its sole discretion.)

1. Greystone Healthcare Management(R) Receives LTC & Senior Living LINK Spirit of Innovation Award

Greystone Healthcare Management recently earned the LTC & Senior Living LINK Spirit of Innovation Award for the 8th Annual LINK Conference, which recognizes companies for their innovation, dedication to continuous improvement, development of best practices, and commitment to the success of the long term care industry.

Greystone was awarded for its holistic concept for rehabilitation at “The Club” in The Villages, Fla. The soon-to-open new rehab facility combines medical treatment and physical therapy with an incredible design and a high level of amenities to generate outstanding outcomes and occupancy.

“We believe that patient rehabilitation is enhanced by a holistic approach to healthcare, which includes environment and peace of mind,” says Connie Bessler, CEO of Greystone Healthcare Management. “While many rehabilitation facilities offer excellence in medical treatment and physical therapies, Greystone recognized an unmet need and a desire for patients to recover in an environment conducive to their high standards of living. We are thrilled that our desire for excellence is recognized as innovative and we will continue to raise the bar in the industry.”

2. Leisure Care Wins Gold Stevie Award in 10th Annual American Business Awards

Seattle-based senior housing management company Leisure Care, a One Eighty company, won a Gold Stevie Award recently in the 10th Annual American Business Awards. Leisure Care received the top honor for Marketing Campaign of the Year in the Hospitality & Leisure category for its Five-Star Fun advertising campaign.

The company is also a finalist for its website and will ultimately win a Gold, Silver or Bronze Stevie Award when the winners of the Website category are announced later this year. Leisure Care was selected in these two categories out of more than 3,000 nominations from organizations of all sizes and virtually every industry.

“The inspiration for our Five-Star Fun ad campaign is the unique blend of Leisure Care’s top-notch service with the energetic culture of our communities nationwide,” Leisure Care Senior Vice President Jason Childers. “The campaign highlights the fun and engaging lifestyle offered in Leisure Care communities, while simultaneously fighting the negative stereotypes that commonly surround retirement communities. We’re thrilled to be recognized for our innovative brand and creative approach within our industry.”

3. Calif. Senior Housing Project Honored at L.A. Architecture Awards

Los Angeles-area senior housing project Stoval Villa Affordable Housing was honored at the 42nd Annual Los Angeles Architecture Awards, hosted recently by the Los Angeles Business Council. The project was cited for its role in “making the region more beautiful while making a significant contribution to the community’s quality of life.”

The award was in the multi-family affordable category. John V. Mutlow Architects, Inc. was the project architect, and Alpha Construction Co., Inc. was the contractor. Laurel Place West Hollywood owns Stoval Villa, which has 30,619 square feet comprised of living units and community spaces. 

Stovall Villa is a four-story, 32-unit affordable senior housing project built on the former parking area of the adjacent affordable senior housing project, Stovall Terrace. Social considerations are the project’s most significant contribution to the quality of life at Stovall Villa. Amenities include a two-story entry lounge with a mezzanine on the ground floor, a television room and a rooftop terrace overlooking the second floor and courtyard. 

4. Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Program Wins ICAA Innovators Award

A program at active retirement community Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen has been recognized by the International Council on Active Aging with its 2011 Innovators Award. Somerby’s “Tail Waggers” program was honored for its creativity and excellence in active aging by “leading the way, setting new standards and making a difference in the lives of older adults,” said Michael Mays, COO and president of Somerby Senior Living. 

The Tail Waggers program was established in 2011 by members of Troop 119 from the Church at Brook Hills, with Scouts that include residents in all levels of care at Somerby at St. Vincent’s. Members would make dog treats to assist animal shelters in the area, and making those treats would help residents with memory, physical hand-to-eye coordination, along with giving them a sense of helping others, according to Andrew Tucker, the lead Scout on the project. 

5. Five Genesis HealthCare Centers Receive National Award for Commitment to Quality Care

Genesis HealthCare, one of the nation’s largest providers of skilled nursing and rehabilitation, announced that five of its healthcare centers have been recognized as 2011 recipients of the Bronze: Commitment to Quality National Quality Award, presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). The award highlights facilities across the nation that have demonstrated their intention to pursue a rigorous quality improvement system.

Genesis Centers receiving the Bronze honor include:

• Catonsville Commons, Catonsville, MD
• Chelsea Center, Chelsea, MA
• Marcella Center, Burlington, NJ
• Rutland Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, Rutland, VT
• Wayne Center, Wayne, PA

“Each one of the award recipients has proven its dedication to improving lives through quality care, and it is a privilege to honor them with this year’s award,” said Governor Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “We congratulate Genesis HealthCare on these achievements.”

“Quality is an ongoing commitment at Genesis HealthCare,” notes Chief Executive Officer George V. Hager, Jr. “Centers throughout our company strive to meet stringent quality standards. We are proud of the achievement of these centers and the exceptional quality care they provide to our patients every day.”

6. Pathway Senior Living Wins LINK Innovation Award for Tech-Enabled Asset Management

Pathway Senior Living, LLC recently received a Spirit of Innovation Award from LTC & Senior Living LINK thanks to its role in developing a system for managing assets with preventive maintenance and forecasted capital investment needs.

The senior living company recognized that managing assets through manual spreadsheets is not the way of the future was was in fact increasingly problematic for an executive team accountable for a dozen, geographically dispersed communities managing assets worth millions. This prompted Pathway to turn to Windmill Software’s TheWorxHub suite of operations applications designed specifically for senior living.

“We realized we were far too reliant on what was in the heads of site managers and maintenance technicians,” said Michael Vick, Chief Financial Officer at Pathway, in a statement. “We weren’t fully confident that wise repair-or-replace decisions were being made, nor that everything possible was being done to prolong the useful life of an asset. And we certainly didn’t have the tools at the corporate level to quickly view when and how replacement costs were impacting our capital budgets.”

7. Chicago Housing Service Gets Good Neighbor Award for Senior Apartment Development

Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) was recently awarded the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Good Neighbor Award for the development of Roseland Place Apartments in the Roseland community.

The award is for ground-breaking new and newly-rehabbed or redeveloped properties in the Chicago metropolitan region that have improved an area’s economics and community. Roseland Place, located on Chicago’s south side, is a 60-unit independent living apartment complex for seniors.

It’s located adjacent to a two-story, multigenerational affordable apartment building also developed by NHS, and the two buildings together with an existing Supportive Living Facility form the Roseland Senior Campus—a LEED certified development featuring solar hot water, Energy Star Appliances, and low flow plumbing.

The apartment complex, along with the entire senior campus, provide a home-style environment, in a gated community that aims to improve the quality of life for Roseland seniors and the entire community. The senior campus has a garden and play space for grandchildren to nurture a sense of community and promote senior wellness.

8. be.magazine Wins Two Awards in Content Marketing Competition

Consumer-facing senior living periodical be.magazine received two awards in the ninth annual Magnum Opus Awards competition for its design and nonprofit status. The competition, presented by Content Marketing Institute and ContentWise magazine, recognizes outstanding examples of content marketing across a wide range of industries and media.

“The purpose of the magazine is to showcase the amazing opportunities and possibilities available to older adults at this stage of life, primarily by sharing the experiences of
residents in our communities,” said Dan Hutson, vice president of communications and marketing for be.group, the nonprofit organization that publishes be.magazine. be.group
provides senior housing, health care and other supportive services to older adults throughout California.

The publication received the Silver for Best Design—New Publication and the Bronze for Best Nonprofit Publication. Entries were judged on the basis of information/entertainment value, relevance, pacing, quality of copywriting, appropriateness for the audience and effectiveness in achieving goals, among other criteria.

“We were excited and a little surprised to be honored, given the fact that we had only published two issues at the time of the submittal deadline,” said Hutson.

This year’s competition received more than 500 entries, from companies that included Walt Disney Co., Google, Lexus and United Airlines. View the complete list of winners.