Background:
Sunny Days Senior Care is a small assisted living facility in Denver, Colorado, with 40 residents. Director Lisa Chen prides herself on creating a warm, community-focused environment—but she faced a unique challenge: keeping residents and their families informed and engaged. "Many of our residents have memory issues, so static bulletin boards with printed schedules are often overlooked," Lisa explains. "Family members, too, are busy—they drop off their loved ones, rush to work, and don't always have time to read the monthly newsletter. We needed a way to communicate that was visual, engaging, and hard to miss."
Challenges:
Lisa's main goals were to reduce confusion about daily activities (like "Art Class" or "Ice Cream Social") and help families feel connected to their loved ones' lives at Sunny Days. "Residents would ask, 'What's today?' or 'Is there bingo tonight?' even though the schedule was posted," she says. "And families would call, worried their mom or dad wasn't participating. We needed something that felt personal, not just informative."
Solution: Acrylic Motion Video Frame + Calendar Days Clock
Lisa's daughter, a marketing student, suggested an
acrylic motion video frame. "She said, 'Mom, videos are easier to process than text—especially for people with memory issues,'" Lisa recalls. Intrigued, Lisa ordered a 21.5-inch frame (large enough for residents with vision impairments) and a
calendar days clock, both from an online supplier specializing in healthcare tech.
The frame was installed in the main lobby, where residents gather for meals and social time. Lisa and her staff started uploading short, heartwarming videos: residents painting during art class, laughing during a trivia game, and even a clip of 92-year-old Mr. Johnson playing the piano. They also added a daily schedule video: "Today: 10am Yoga, 2pm Ice Cream Social, 6pm Movie Night!" with cheerful background music. The
calendar days clock, placed next to the frame, displayed the full date ("Thursday, August 15, 2024") and a countdown to upcoming events: "2 Days Until Family BBQ!"
For families, Lisa created a private online gallery where staff upload photos and short videos of residents, which automatically sync to the lobby frame. "Now, when a daughter comes to pick up her mom, she can watch the frame and see, 'Oh, Mom was at yoga today—she looks happy!'" Lisa says.
Results:
The frame and clock transformed communication at Sunny Days. "Residents now talk about the videos—'Did you see me in the yoga clip?' or 'When is movie night again? The clock says two days!'" Lisa reports. Participation in daily activities increased by 40%, and staff spend less time repeating schedules. "We used to have to remind residents about events 10 times a day; now, the frame does the reminding," she says.
Families, too, have responded positively. "A son recently told me, 'I used to worry my dad was bored, but seeing him in the frame laughing during trivia makes me feel so much better,'" Lisa shares. "Family visitation is up 20%—people want to see the frame and be part of the community." Perhaps most importantly, the frame has become a source of joy. "One resident, Mrs. Lopez, loves watching the videos of herself gardening," Lisa says. "She'll say, 'Look at me! I still got it!' It's boosted her confidence, and that's priceless."
"These frames aren't just about displaying information—they're about showing people they're seen and valued. For our residents, that's the best medicine." – Lisa Chen, Director, Sunny Days Senior Care