The past 12 months have been nothing short of extraordinary. As we continue to grow and evolve, we’re proud to look back on the many milestones and moments that brought us closer together. From finding many new firsts to discovering joy and connection in shared experiences, there are too many year-defining moments to count. It’s in reflection of these moments that we share our gratitude and celebrate the remarkable individuals—residents, family members, employees, community partners, and so many others—who make our United communities such vibrant, welcoming places to call home.

Here are a few highlights from this unforgettable year:

Growing into the future

Perhaps the most recent and transformative headline of 2024 was United’s acquisition of three new communities. This growth reflects our commitment to serving even more older adults in Calgary while maintaining and strengthening our local roots. Together, we’re building a future filled with possibilities and we’re thrilled to welcome the exceptional communities of Lake Bonavista Village, The Lodge at Valley Ridge, and Trinity Lodge to our United family.

Cultivating vibrant communities

Did you know? In 2024, our communities collectively welcomed more than 200 new residents! As we celebrated several historic occupancy milestones, the true highlight was creating a warm and welcoming home for each new arrival. Whether its bonding over a shared love of art and music, or adding a new player around the billiard table, we’re honoured to be part of helping each person discover a true a sense of belonging as they become part of our communities.

The best compliment of all

Our own residents have played a big part in our growth: their compliments and testimonials continue to be key in guiding new individuals to explore—and ultimately choose—United as their home. Every day we work to earn the trust of residents and families, while also creating an engaging workplace for employees. The result? New friendships, meaningful relationships, and enriching experiences that define our shared journey in building welcoming, thriving communities. Read about how Anne and Bob discovered new friends and hobbies after their move to United Active Living Fish Creek.

Living vibrantly

Creative pursuits were abundant this year! A series of collaborative art projects now grace our community walls and spaces along with a new initiative that featured pop-up art workshops, inspiring residents to get involved in a hands-on mask-making workshop: just a couple of the many highlights!

From improving mobility to maintaining independence, wellness at United continues to be a highlight of daily life. Active Aging Week, featuring outdoor community walks led by our United Fitness team, were among many active living experiences on offer. New daily fitness classes were added due to high popularity and many residents took advantage of one-on-one personal training sessions and flexible care options. It’s been both exciting and rewarding for our team to work alongside residents to achieve their wellness goals.

We saw record-setting attendance at programming events and outings, welcoming dozens of new participants to our art studios, workshops, and daily programs. Few moments are as rewarding for our team members as welcoming someone to their very first program or seeing a workshop’s popularity spark an encore session. These moments happened time and again in our communities, highlighting the vibrant, engaging environments we strive to create. As we continue to deliver industry-leading experiences in creativity, learning, and active living, these successes remind us of the joy and connection that drive everything we do.

Engaging our teams

At United, we know that engaged team members are the heart of creating exceptional experiences for our residents. That’s why fostering a culture rooted in our core values—respect, individuality, and community—remains a top priority. This year, we achieved noteworthy employee engagement scores, exceeding our improvement targets and indicating a sustained focus on employee engagement is yielding results.

While we continued to introduce enhancements to our total rewards offering, learning and growth is an ongoing priority, with the launch of regular learning and development calendars among several initiatives introduced to enhance the skills and knowledge of employees. On the lighter side of things, memorable team events infused some fun: such as our winter holiday party, Rhythms of Diversity summer celebrations, and our Innovation Fair.

Growing talent from within

United’s team members are the heart of who we are. Among them, we saw many employees grow personally and professionally: young leaders stepping into new roles, talented individuals and leaders joining our ranks, and team members embracing new challenges, trying new things, and finding success in unexpected places. We continue to celebrate their achievements and support their growth every step of the way as we work together to build a workplace where everyone feels valued, inspired, and proud to be a part of United.

Investing in our communities

We were pleased to launch the transformation of our Garrison Green community where a stunning renovation is underway, reimagining key spaces like the dining room, bistro, theatre, art studio, lounge, and more. These upgrades will enrich the daily experience for residents and set a new standard for comfort and convenience within the community. 2025 will see a continuation of investment in our physical spaces and amenities, enhancing the places where our residents and team members live, work, and connect.

Innovation in action

Innovation took center stage this year as we adopted new ideas, tried out new tools, and experimented with some unique initiatives. Here are just a few of the highlights:

• Thanks to a collaborative effort between teams, a new signage solution was introduced at one of our communities to improve communication and navigation.
• We launched a new website complete with AI-driven tools and accessibility features to assist prospective residents and their families to navigate the site and learn about our community offerings.
• Our Innovation Fair broadened its reach, with dozens of submissions and many attendees joining from our community at large—all curious about the ideas emerging to enhance the experience of living and working in our communities. It was a tough choice for our judges!
• Through 2025, we’ll implement the winning initiative from the Innovation Fair, along with many other original ideas that emerged across departments and communities.

Community collaboration

This year, we continued to explore the possibilities and potential of partnerships, bringing meaningful experiences to residents and strengthening connections in our broader community.

Some partnership high notes from the year:

• Hosting an annual Stampede breakfast with Garrison Green Carewest neighbours.
• Celebrating Neighbour Day with partners like St. Mary’s University and the Calgary Fire Department.
• Cultivating enriching experiences through partnerships with local organizations like the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Lunchbox Theatre, Honens, Mount Royal University, Alberta Ballet, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Through these partnerships, residents enjoyed exclusive speaking engagements, performances, and behind-the-scenes experiences.
• Sharing United’s philosophy with industry partners: we were honoured to host groups who also serve older adults including Proactive Seniors and Alberta Health Services Transition Services teams, introducing them to our communities and unique offering.
• Embracing a number of opportunities for our in-house experts to take the stage in thought leadership, including a United Active Living expert panel at the 2024 ASCHA Convention and ongoing representation with the Dementia Network Strategic Council.
• United Active Living's reputation as a leader in senior living was highlighted this year as our leaders, including President & CEO Kim O’Brien, took the stage at prominent events, including the Seniors Housing Leaders Symposium, SenbridGe West, and the Calgary Real Estate Forum, contributing to pivotal discussions shaping the future of senior living and real estate.
• Celebrating several proud moments for United and teams as we received recognition through the Alberta Association on Gerontology Vivien Lai Changemaker Award and the Minister’s Seniors Service Award. Both awards highlighted innovative services and practices United has embraced within its communities.

Looking ahead2024 has been yet another defining chapter of United’s journey—a year marked by unprecedented growth, many warm welcomes, and a collection of remarkable moments and experiences.

With a deep sense of pride, we celebrate the incredible accomplishments achieved together: residents forming new friendships and exploring their passions, team members embracing challenges and reaching new heights, and communities thriving with energy and purpose.

We are profoundly grateful for the contributions of every resident, employee, and partner who has helped make this year so remarkable. Together, we’re setting the stage for an exciting year ahead!