Symphony at Olmsted Falls residents are part of a pilot program designed to improve quality of life

By Patricia Nugent

Whether it’s travelling the world, conducting an orchestra or playing interactive trivia games that span the decades, the residents at Symphony at Olmsted Falls are enjoying social connection and memory engagement through the new It’s Never 2 Late iN2L Person-Centered Technology.

According to Megan Corrigan, who is the Executive Director,

“We were thrilled to be chosen in our company as a pilot program for the iN2L system. This fits with our niche of always seeking new ways to nurture the resident and respect their individuality wherever they are on their journey.”

Designed to improve residents quality of life by empowering the residents to be their very best in their journey. It’s located in a group activity room and takes up a large wall space with its interactive screen. According to Becky Reed, who is an activity coordinator along with Jean Eberle, the small group sizes vary to accommodate the cognitive level of the residents.

“This has been a wonderful tool for us to find out more about our residents and engage them in cognitive, sensory and tactile ways,” says Becky. “It brings the world into our community.”

She reports some favorites include the travelling game, where people visit different places, and the trivia activity for veterans, of which there are many at Symphony.

Music is a big part of the program, whether with singalongs, or “conductor-cise,” in which each person waves a baton to conduct the music.

“There are different fits for different lifestyles as well,” says Becky. “For instance, ladies who were homemakers and mothers enjoy the homemaking skills and activities with baby photos. We’ve also seen an improvement in behavior with the system, which helps reduce or eliminate anxiety and agitation.”

Making Family Visits More Meaningful
“Another really neat function of the technology is that there are individual tablets in synch with the program, available on each floor, and each resident’s profile is loaded into the devices,” says Kristen Kessler, director of sales and marketing.

“So, family members who might feel they aren’t connected to their parents or grandparents are having more meaningful visits. They are able to pull out their family member’s activity and choose their favorites.”

According to Kristen, every staff member at the facility is trained on the program, so they can work with residents in an individual capacity when needed.

Adult Day Club
Symphony offers a robust Adult Day Club seven days a week. It includes nurses and caregivers on duty, meals and snacks, and all the same recreational and social programs residents enjoy, in a safe and secure environment. For the utmost convenience, the program is available in half-day, full-day or hourly capacities.

“Many of our residents are former Day Club members,” says Megan. “The families become accustomed to our level of care and decide it’s the right environment for their loved ones.”

“There are 44 spacious studio apartments,” Megan notes.

“Our commitment to the residents and staff at Symphony is to serve with compassion, dignity and respect for all who grace our community. We promise integrity, good stewardship and meaningful recognition, all in a warm, family oriented and homey atmosphere. Our community lifestyle will assist those with memory loss navigate their day.”

Symphony at Olmsted Falls is located at 25880 Elm Street in Olmsted Falls. Respite care is also available. For more information, call 440-235-2750 or visit SymphonyatOlmstedFalls.com.