RECOGNIZING THE INDUSTRY'S BEST OF THE BEST


By Cynthia Helzel K


eeping residents and staff fully engaged can be an ongoing challenge in any senior living community. The best providers create initiatives to foster this key component of individual and community well-being. Four outstanding programs to increase resident and employee engagement have been selected as Argentum’s 2018 Best of the Best Award winners. A filmmaking activity to celebrate aging helped forge connections between residents, staff, and corporate executives at


Brookdale. Benchmark created a project to photograph residents’ hands and display the pictures in its communities’ public spaces, where they spark conversation about the lives of residents. Atria inspired thousands of meaningful conversations among residents, staff, and family members with its set of prompt cards and a phone app. Country Meadows increased employee engagement and satisfaction with a comprehensive program of recognition and mentorship. Meet the winners of Argentum’s 2018 Best of the Best Awards.


BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING Celebrate Aging Film Festival


Brookdale’s Celebrate Aging Film Festival invited associates, resi- dents, and family members at all Brookdale communities to use their company-issued iPads to create short films that aim to change negative perceptions of aging. The films were required to be less than five minutes long and were made using only the iPads and iMovie software. In addition, each film had to include residents either on-screen or behind the scenes. In some cases, the residents took charge of the project and handled almost all aspects of making their film, while at other communities the staff was more involved. Each community worked as a team to produce one film per community. In all, 76 films were submitted to the nominating committee. “We


were completely impressed by what our communities produced, especially when you think that they only had an iPad to do it with,” said Carol Cummings, senior director of optimum life engagement and innovation at Brookdale.


The films nominated for Best Picture celebrated aging by presenting older adults in a positive, dignified, and meaningful way. Other award categories were Best Writing, Best Technical Design, Best Acting, and the Courage Award, which honored the film that best told the story of a courageous older adult who lives life to the fullest despite the challenges of aging. The winners were chosen by an “academy” of corporate office associates and were not revealed until the official awards ceremony. The winning Best Picture film, “At Home Here,” was submitted


by Brookdale Florence, a Brookdale community in Alabama. “We really loved some of the production elements that we saw through the film,” Cummings said. “And of course the story was beautiful as well.” The film tells the story of one resident’s life from


22 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MARCH/APRIL 2018 Winners of Best Picture and Best Technical Design from Brookdale Florence.


(L to R: Marvalene Stanphill, resident and lead actress, and Mary Donna Ott, resident programs director and film director.)


girlhood through her senior years. Throughout the film, her three best friends from childhood reappear to support her at crucial mo- ments. Near the end of the film, the same three women are shown welcoming her as she moves into Brookdale. The film was praised for its compelling story, attention to detail, and overall high quality. Each nominated community was invited to bring one resident and one associate to Nashville, Tenn. for the inaugural Celebrate Aging Film Festival at the Franklin Theatre. The festival was complete with a red carpet, musical entertainment, and the presentation of awards.


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