Our Communities That Shine Awards program celebrates senior living communities that are innovating to create environments where residents live with purpose, passion, and joy. Our winner spotlight series highlights one award winner at a time, sharing what makes their community shine.
In this spotlight, we sat with the team at MorningStar at Bear Creek, winner of the Brilliance in Proactive Wellness award, about how they create meaningful experiences for memory care residents and their loved ones.
Identified participation trends that helped create adaptive outdoor programming with “record turnout”
Improved communication with families, reduced repetitive check-in calls, and increased confidence in care
Participation trends helped the team identify changes in resident well-being earlier and support fall prevention efforts
Families reported strong trust and satisfaction with the transparency and structure of resident updates
MorningStar Bear Creek is a memory care community focused on understanding each resident’s needs and creating opportunities for meaningful engagement. We prioritize proactive care, using any and all data at our fingertips to support residents before challenges arise.
Our team closely monitors participation trends so that we can better understand what our residents enjoy and where adjustments to our activity offerings may be needed.
One example came during the summer, when outdoor activity participation wasn’t as great as we thought it would be. After checking in with residents, we realized we needed to offer more adaptive options to accommodate varying ability levels. We introduced an adaptive outdoor program and quickly saw record turnout from residents who had previously been unable to participate.
In another case, a resident who uses a wheelchair had previously run many marathons but had not been on a hike in over five years. Our team found this out through his participation trends and created more accessible outdoor opportunities. He was delighted to be able to hike and enjoy the outdoors again.
We wouldn’t be able to give residents these experiences without technology that gives our entire team visibility into residents’ unique interests and abilities.
Even though many residents may not actively use technology themselves, they are still deeply involved in planning their schedules and choosing their daily experiences.
For instance, our life enrichment team organizes calendar activities by type and purpose, helping residents understand how each activity supports their well-being. Residents and their families then check the calendar and RSVP to activities based on the experience they’re looking for.
It’s had a tremendous impact on our residents’ well-being. Paying close attention to activity participation trends helps identify changes in wellness earlier and can even support fall prevention efforts. We’ve found that our residents are healthier, more active, and more receptive to care when they are consistently engaged in activities they enjoy.
Families have responded strongly to the visibility and transparency the community provides.
We use participation data during care conferences, and families have shared that they feel confident in both the format and the content being shared. Daily updates also help families stay informed and connected to their loved one’s experience.
We’ve also seen a shift in family communication. Before, family members might call multiple times a week to check in. Now, they can see in real time when their loved one participates in activities they enjoy, allowing conversations with staff to become more meaningful and direct.
As one of our team members shared, families now “sing the praise” of our daily updates.
MorningStar Senior Living Bear Creek has developed a strong reputation in the greater Colorado Springs community for accommodating residents with memory issues in ways others may not.
Especially during tours and in conversations with prospective families, they note that our ability to provide day-to-day transparency, personalized engagement, and adaptive experiences is one of our major differentiators.
Success means helping residents continue doing the things that bring them joy—even if those experiences need to look different than they once did.
Whether it’s helping someone hike again after five years, creating adaptive experiences that include everyone, or helping families feel deeply connected to daily life, we pride ourselves in creating an environment where everyone feels engaged, supported, and seen.
Interested in learning how LifeLoop can help your community create more meaningful experiences? Reach out to our team to learn more.