LeadingAge Virginia recently handed out awards at its 2021 annual conference. Anita Irvin, a professional at Insight Memory Care Center in Fairfax, won the Vision Award. The award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in aging services and/or the association through inspirational leadership and vision throughout their career; and has a distinguished record of services in nonprofit leadership and dedication in achieving their community’s specific goals and objectives.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Irvin empowered Insight’s staff to respond to the closure of in-person programs in timely and innovative ways. Insight staff was able to immediately pivot to offering many services and programs virtually while communicating regularly with families to ensure that their needs at home were met. Phone consultations and check-ins with families were instituted, day center participants were provided virtual live and recorded video activities to keep them engaged and stimulated while at home, and support groups for caregivers went virtual. Irvin’s leadership and support for staff to be able to perform their jobs safely from home, and then safely on site according to public health best-practices was crucial to Insight’s continued service to families in the Fairfax community. Irvin led with restraint and care during the pandemic, and as the organization returns to in-person programming, she has continued to help visualize the programs moving forward through a hybrid approach to care, education and support. Irvin’s vision for community-based memory care support and programs will take Insight into the future.