Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center’s innovative Immersion Room for residents with cognitive impairments has been named a finalist in the Innovation category in the 13th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards.
Located in the heart of Gurwin’s Memory Care Unit, the Gurwin Immersion Room is the "first of its kind" in long-term care on Long Island, designed specifically for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Through a collaboration with Besser Rooms of Amityville, and through the support from a grant from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the Immersion Room incorporates state-of-the-art projector technology, custom-made props and immersive virtual reality experiences with stimulating sights, sounds and scents to engage the senses, mitigate symptoms and stir memories from bygone days. The innovative technology helps connect residents with parts of themselves that — in some cases — have been lost for years.
From calming scenes customized to match resident interests, such as a snowy forest or quiet chair yoga, or a livelier, hands-on virtual drive, or roller coaster experience, the Immersion Room offers a high-tech, non-pharmacological option to ease dementia symptoms and enhance quality of life.
“With the rising number of individuals affected by Alzheimer's and dementia, this innovative space is a highly beneficial therapy for improving the quality of life for our memory care residents,” said Stuart B. Almer, President and CEO of Gurwin Healthcare System. “We are grateful to have been selected as a finalist in the Long Island Imagine Awards and look forward to extending the reach of this innovation to the frail, elderly and medically complex older adults we serve in our Gurwin community.”
The annual Long Island Imagine Awards celebration showcases the good work done by the Island’s nonprofit sector and provides opportunities for deeper collaboration. The Flagstar Private Bank Innovation Award, for which the Gurwin Immersion Room is a finalist, is given to the nonprofit that has been innovative in adopting new platforms that have led to a significant increase in the organization’s ability to meet its mission.
Details about Long Island Imagine Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at https://imagineawardsli.com/the-awards/.
About Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is an award-winning, not-for-profit, non-sectarian health care facility located on a 36-acre campus in Commack, Long Island. Our 460-bed Skilled Nursing Pavilions provide long-term skilled nursing care; short-term rehabilitation; sub-acute medical and post-surgical care; ventilator and respiratory care; memory care; an award-winning social and a medical model adult day health care program; and palliative and hospice care. Gurwin is distinguished by its clinical excellence, state-of-the-art facilities, caring staff and commitment to quality of life. For more information, visit www.gurwin.org. Follow Gurwin on Facebook (@GurwinNursingRehab) (@GurwinAssistedLiving) and on X (@GurwinJewish).
About The Imagine Awards
The Imagine Awards was created in 2012 on Long Island by Ken Cerini, Managing Partner of Cerini & Associates, LLP. Honoring nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Imagine Awards recognize outstanding performances in the sector. 2025 will represent the 13th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards. For more information, visit www.imagineawardsli.com.