RECOGNIZING THE INDUSTRY'S BEST OF THE BEST
ATRIA SENIOR LIVING Atria StoryWise™
A key philosophy at Atria Senior Living is the belief that people belong together and that when it comes to well-being, there is no substitute for daily human connection. One of the best ways for people to connect with each other is by sharing their personal stories. To facilitate the sharing of stories in its communities and beyond,
Atria developed the StoryWise™ program. The program consists of three elements: a boxed collection of 150 cards printed with conver- sation topics and evocative photographs; an iPhone app that allows users to record, share, and keep stories; and an ongoing framework for story-sharing events in Atria’s nearly 200 communities through its signature Engage Life program. “Our residents have more than 1.8 million combined years of
wisdom and perspective to share,” said Regan Atkinson, Atria senior vice president of creative, marketing, and communications. By help- ing to spark memories, tap into personal experiences, and promote more intentional conversations, Atria StoryWise brings residents and families closer together while helping to create a more connected and informed world through the sharing of personal stories. Examples of story prompts on the cards include “Your first impres-
sion of me” and “The best invention of your lifetime.” “We wanted a mix of poignant and funny, ones for people of all ages, and even ones that call on the storyteller to share a story about the person asking the question,” Atkinson said. “Even the photographs on the back of each card were carefully chosen to create an emotional response and evoke memories.”
Atria’s StoryWise boxed sets are available only to its residents. However, the iPhone app is available to everyone for free on the App Store® and the story-sharing events are open to the public. More than 1,000 personal stories were told at 140 inaugural Story- Wise events held at Atria communities across the U.S. and Canada in January 2018. In a further effort to increase human connection in its com- munities, the company has begun using the cards as a tool in its regular staff meetings. New hires are asked to answer a prompt as a way to help associates get to know each other better. This process helps to improve teamwork and in turn strengthens the family atmosphere that supports the residents. Employees also enjoy using the cards to connect more deeply with the residents they serve. Family members, employees, and Atria partners have reported
overwhelmingly positive feedback from their use of StoryWise. They’ve learned surprising things about each other, including a resident who revealed that she had once received a speeding ticket despite having told her family for years that she had never done so. An Atria memory care director in Connecticut took Sto- ryWise to her family’s Thanksgiving gatherings and reported that it was a “huge hit,” and that three people wanted to buy a set of cards for themselves.
Plans are underway to expand the program by adding new topics and seasonal questions to both the boxed set and the app, and to make the app available on more platforms. Atria will also continue to host story-telling events through 2018.
Residents interacting with Atria Storywise® 24 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MARCH/APRIL 2018
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