Imagine a nursing home that celebrates elders’ strengths. A unique community where all are welcome. A place where everyone has a voice in their own care… a place that feels like home.
That’s what renowned geriatrician Bill Thomas, M.D., envisioned when he began his transformative work in the 1990s. He aimed to combat the loneliness, helplessness, and boredom so many elders felt at the time.
And that’s exactly what LSC has accomplished. In LSC’s flagship senior care communities, residents live in four distinct “neighborhoods,” eating together in shared dining rooms and socializing in spacious living areas complete with fireplaces, potted plants, and large-screen TVs. Outside, they stroll or wheel through green courtyards, tend their own container gardens, and enjoy regular visits from friendly animals.
Changing the culture of senior care
In the early 2000s, LSC introduced a culture change initiative called New Pathways, which combines two revolutionary models of nursing care: the Eden Alternative, co-founded by Dr. Thomas, which emphasizes resident choice and quality of life; and Wellspring, which empowers front-line teammates through specialized training and collaboration.
As a result, LSC’s senior care communities feel like home. And each offers a variety of meaningful, creative, inclusive activities led by a small army of dedicated life enrichment professionals.
Case study: Trinity Grove
Life Enrichment Director Amanda Powell has been with Trinity Grove in Wilmington since 2011, and she knows the difference a resident-centered, teammate-empowered approach can make.
“What drew me to Trinity Grove was its faith-based foundation and the vision to be more than just a nursing facility,” she recalled.
“Our administrator at the time, John Frye, aimed to create a true home,” said Powell. “A few of us traveled to Clearwater, Florida, for specialized training in the Eden Alternative. We returned with a mission: to integrate its principles into our daily life.”
“At the time, reactions were mixed,” Powell remembered. “Many teammates didn’t understand how we could possibly have an animal living onsite. Today, we can’t imagine not having one! We share space with birds and a cat. Gump the therapy dog – our current administrator’s dog – visits often. We’ve also had visits from horses and donkeys, goats, bunnies, and reptiles.”
The role of recreation therapy
Powell’s recreation therapy training – which centers inclusion and active participation – has also contributed to Trinity Grove’s homey atmosphere.
“I attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington as a vocal performance major. While visiting my grandfather in the hospital, I saw firsthand how much his recreation therapist helped him. I decided to take some recreation therapy classes since UNCW has a program, and I fell in love with it,” she recalled.
Powell received her Bachelor of Arts in recreation therapy at UNCW, passed the exam to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, and earned her recreation therapy license – a requirement in North Carolina. Powell and her Trinity Grove Life Enrichment teammates, all recreation therapists, maintain their credentials annually through continuing education.
“Being a recreation therapist profoundly shapes how I approach my work,” Powell noted. “I see each resident as a whole person. Every activity is designed to enhance emotional, social, physical, and cognitive well-being. I want every resident to participate at their highest level of independence.”
Self-expression and mutual connection
Powell and her colleagues strive for a culture of mutual connection.
“We host small gatherings around a table or by the fireplace,” said Powell. “We have a flexible, weekly leisure calendar. We bring local college students and children in for activities. And we use person-centered language – like ‘neighborhoods’ and ‘residents’ instead of ‘units’ and ‘patients.’”
An accomplished actress, singer-songwriter, and author of four children’s books, Powell draws on her personal talents to enrich residents’ lives.
“I try to give residents a way to express themselves and escape reality,” she said. “Sometimes as adults we forget to play.”
Powell has taught residents improv and creative writing and enlisted them to give feedback on her book manuscripts. She and her teammates lead outings to nearby Kure Beach, where residents use special wheelchairs to maneuver across the sand.
Adapting to new challenges
When COVID-19 hit, the team found equally creative ways to adapt.
“One resident was sad she couldn’t decorate a Christmas tree in person with her family,” Powell recalled. “I contacted her family members all over the United States and got everyone to participate in a surprise video call, which I recorded. She was able to decorate the Christmas tree with her whole family – even her great-grandchildren.”
“Together,” said Powell, “we have made Trinity Grove a place where we all truly belong.”