IntegraCare’s New Car Presentations Change the Lives of 8 Employees

Updated on February 10, 2016

Senior living community team members rewarded for perfect attendance throughout 2015

    Sharon Edby expected the cold late-January night to be like so many others – uneventful.

     A cook at Newhaven Court at Lindwood, Edby certainly didn’t expect to leave work at the senior living community in Greensburg, Pa., as the owner of a new, bright-red Ford Focus automobile.

     “I looked around the room waiting for someone’s name to be called, and I was in total shock when they called my name,” Edby said. “It was total disbelief. I looked to my friends who were sitting with me. They looked at me, and we started crying. I began to shake.

     “What a great place to work,” she added. “Where else can you work and get such a fantastic prize and fantastic support from your coworkers? I looked out my window several times that night to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”

     Dreams certainly came true for eight IntegraCare employees at senior living communities throughout Pennsylvania.

     Pittsburgh-based IntegraCare handed over eight sets of keys to the new cars as part of its year-long Continued Attendance Rewards (CAR) Program, which culminated with the grand prize presentations during the final week of January.

Read more after the photos.

Great place to work, great place to live

      IntegraCare first wants to be a great place to work, which in turn makes it a great place to live.

      Such a philosophy has helped IntegraCare assemble a skilled and enthusiastic team despite the current trend in which employee turnover in the senior living industry is significantly on the rise.

     “The CAR Program enabled us to put an impactful spotlight on our many dedicated team members who work so hard to improve the lives of our residents,” said Loriann Putzier, IntegraCare co-founder and president. “The incentive program made an ‘everyday’ routine such as coming to work just a bit more exciting. The program generated interest and a buzz.”

     The CAR Program provided all hourly, non-management team members with perfect attendance throughout 2015 to enter a raffle. Raffle tickets were presented each time an employee had perfect attendance during a payroll period.

No joking matter

Patricia Rosenwald usually works the night shift at the Pines of Mount Lebanon senior living community near Pittsburgh. The resident care aide actually missed several calls made during the day shift to alert Rosenwald that she had won the car.

     “Oh my goodness. Is this a joke?” was Rosenwald’s initial response. She soon realized she had a brand new upgrade to her well-used 2004 model vehicle.

     In Bedford County, resident care aide Miranda Matney simply shouted, “I’m in shock,” when her name was called as the new car winner for Colonial Courtyard at Bedford.

     In Camp Hill, receptionist Tamara Wehler had spray-painted two car air fresheners red for “good karma” prior to the presentation of the red Ford Focus at The Woods at Cedar Run.

     Wehler hung one of the air fresheners on her old car’s mirror. It served as a reminder of the contest each day she drove to work in the months following last year’s contest kickoff event. The superstitious ritual paid off when Wehler’s name was pulled at The Woods.     

Smail Auto Group delivered

     IntegraCare worked with Smail Auto Group in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, to purchase the eight automobiles. Smail delivered the vehicles to the eight senior living communities throughout the state and helped coordinate the final details of the transactions.

     “We are very excited to be a part of this innovative program with IntegraCare. It is not very often that you have an opportunity to do something like this,” said Mark Smail, General Manager of Smail Auto Group. “IntegraCare has provided an example of great generosity. It is amazing. You don’t see this every day.”

     The contest culminated with three top prizes awarded at each of the eight senior living communities:

  • The top prize included the new Ford Focus XE as well as IntegraCare covering a portion of each winner’s automobile insurance. Each top winner received 1-week of paid vacation.
  • The second prize included a large-screen television, a 1-year paid subscription to Netflix, a wireless keyboard and mouse, and 1-week paid vacation.
  • The third prize was an iPad Air, 1-year paid subscription to Amazon Prime, and 1-week paid vacation.

     “In our mission statement, one of our primary goals is to improve the quality of life of our employees,” said Eric Walker, Director of Sales and Marketing for IntegraCare. “This program really took that principle and kicked it up a notch.”

     Tristan DeWalt, a medication assistant at Magnolias of Lancaster, backed that assessment after he won the new car at his community.

     “It’s really cool that IntegraCare gave a car away to all of these communities,” DeWalt said. “You don’t see that anywhere else.”

And the winners are…

     Winners of the new cars were:

  • Pat Rosenwald, The Pines of Mount Lebanon (Pittsburgh)
  • Justine Brown, Newhaven Court at Clearview (Butler)
  • Joelle Frye, Colonial Courtyard at Tyrone (Tyrone)
  • Sharon Edby, Newhaven Court at Lindwood (Greensburg)
  • Miranda Matney, Colonial Courtyard at Bedford (Bedford)
  • Tiffany Stoner, Magnolias of Chambersburg (Chambersburg)
  • Tristan DeWalt, Magnolias of Lancaster (Lancaster)
  • Tamara Wehler, The Woods at Cedar Run (Camp Hill)

     “We respect our employees and consider each one a key member of our team,” said Richard Irwin, co-founder and CEO of IntegraCare.

      “In turn, they improve the quality of life for our residents and their families. We follow the principle that we make IntegraCare senior living communities a great place to work and our employees make it a great place for our residents to live.”

     “The CAR Program revealed the pride our team members have when they show up to do their jobs,” he said. “Our employees always have set such a high standard, especially when it comes to showing up to work for our senior residents.”

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