While in line at the grocery store or waiting at the dentist’s office, Lynette Steger, VIVA! Life Coordinator, is pinning on her phone with her Heartis Village of Peoria residents in mind. 

Lynette brings the assisted living and memory support community’s award-winning VIVA! approach to life through signature programs such as World Travel, ArtPath and SenseSations, and, thanks to Pinterest, she’s doing so with gusto!  

“I love Pinterest! It’s how I chase down ideas in my head and organize my thoughts on the go,” said Lynette about the popular social media site that inspires her to find new and creative ways to engage residents. Pinterest makes it easy to discover and save information from the Internet using a visual pinboard. 

The creativity flows each month when Lynette creates a new idea board based on the upcoming World Tour destination.

“I start with the World Tour theme and then look for pins about a particular country’s unique traditions, architecture, history, art and food,” said Lynette, who is currently working on a pinboard for October’s study of Spain. “The beauty of the pinboard is that you can view all your ideas at a glance from a laptop, desktop or phone.” 

A former secondary social studies educator, Lynette views the boards as her homework and doesn’t shy away from heavier subject matter. Heartis residents will be learning about the Spanish Flu of 1918 and taking a trip to Bradley University for a presentation on the deadly pandemic. 

On a lighter note, residents will create sculptures as a homage to famous artwork found in Spain and dine on cuisine from all six of Spain’s culinary regions—inspired by images, articles and recipes from Lynette’s pinboard. 

“The older adults appreciate the unique lifelong learning opportunities and especially enjoy the hands-on approach to creating their own Pinterest-worthy projects,” says Lynette. 

Baxter Fite, a 97-year-old WWII veteran and former security director for Caterpillar Inc., discovered his artistic talent after moving to Heartis Village.  Artwork now fills a bookshelf in his apartment home, while his finest piece—an abstract painting—hangs in his great grandchild’s nursery.

Managed by Pathway to Living®, an innovator in senior care, Heartis Village provides our residents with both worlds—the exceptional care they need with the inspiring lifestyle they deserve. 

To learn more about Heartis Village, visit https://heartis.com/communities/peoria/. 

To learn more about Pathway to Living, visit www.pathwaytoliving.com or call 888-342-4111.