Augustana Care has been chosen to receive the Excellence in Not-for-Profit Leadership Award in 2015 from LeadingAge.
This prestigious national award recognizes organizations that are models of excellence in not-for-profit leadership and exemplify the seven key attributes that characterize high-performing nonprofits, according to Johns Hopkins University research. The seven attributes include being productive, empowering, effective, enriching, reliable, responsive and caring. See the video introduction for the award ceremony here:
Several novel programs and partnerships at Augustana Care drew notice from LeadingAge. These include the following:
- Student Residence Program brings college students to live alongside residents. College and university students from a variety of disciplines and schools live in Augustana Care housing alongside older generations in Minnesota. Their experiences will help them learn more about how to provide health care in their chosen professions in the future. Students eat meals with residents and attend social, recreational or other activities. Both generations say they benefit greatly from their new connections.
- Sensory Worship Service Designed Specifically for Those with Memory Loss. Emerald Crest by Augustana Care offers memory care at four Augustana Care locations. Occupational therapists worked with chaplains to create a sensory worship service designed specifically for people with memory loss, allowing them to be active participants, no matter what level of dementia they may have. The service includes the hand-held chimes; the use of familiar symbols and hymns; props that connect to biblical stories; direct engagement with each resident and more. The service was also featured in the Atlantic monthly and other national and local publications.
- IKEA Partnership Results in New Model Environment for Older Generations. Through a collaborative effort between the worldwide furniture retailer IKEA and Augustana Care, a new model apartment was created to address the unique needs of older generations. Features include firmer chairs and sofas so it’s easier to rise from them, wall hooks for keys, transparent storage for easy visibility, open storage in the bathroom for easy access and safety, and more.
While serving more than 15,000 people and their families annually, Augustana Care anticipates the changing needs of our communities. “Our goal is to transcend the stereotypes of aging through fresh approaches that ultimately improve the quality of life for older generations,” says President and CEO Tim Tucker. He will accept the award at the LeadingAge national conference taking place between November 1 and 4, 2015, in Boston.
About Augustana Care
Augustana Care is a non-profit organization that provides housing, health care and community-based services to older generations and others in need—and helps residents live the lives that most inspire them. The principles that guide our work are as follows:
- To value older generations’ talents and experience
- To provide the care residents need, when and where they need it
- To connect residents to the people and things that mean the most to them
- To support residents and families with spiritual care that speaks to who they are
To learn more, visit www.augustanacare.org.
About LeadingAge
The mission of LeadingAge is to expand the world of possibilities for aging. The organization’s 6,000+ members and partners include not-for-profit organizations representing the entire field of aging services, 39 state partners, hundreds of businesses, consumer groups, foundations and research partners. LeadingAge is also a part of the International Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (IAHSA), which spans 30 countries across the globe. LeadingAge is a 501c3 tax-exempt charitable organization focused on education, advocacy and applied research. For more information, visit www.leadingage.org.
