(Cleveland, Ohio) – Eliza Jennings, a not-for-profit leader in aging services, announced that Michael Gray, vice president of information technology and compliance officer, was honored by LeadingAge Ohio with the 2021 Excellence in Pandemic Innovation Award. Gray was recognized at an awards luncheon August 6 during the LeadingAge Ohio annual conference and trade show in Columbus, Ohio.
The Excellence in Pandemic Innovation Award is awarded to a LeadingAge Ohio member displaying innovation through the implementation of practices which contribute significantly to the quality of life of the individuals served.
“We are thrilled that Mike is being recognized among our peers in the aging services industry,” said Eliza Jennings President and CEO Richard M. Boyson Jr. “Everything Mike has done throughout the pandemic has been designed to allow our administrators to focus exclusively on our residents and staff. Mike’s efforts helped take the worry out of identifying sources for PPE, compliance with new regulations, and other administrative tasks.”
Gray was honored and recognized for demonstrating visionary innovation impacting the organization through unique practices, a willingness to embrace and create new ideas, and creative use of resources. Gray implemented practices with measurable and sustainable impact that are unique to the organization and worthy of duplication.
Through technology, Gray developed solutions to streamline gathering of data to meet new requirements, sourcing PPE from nontraditional sources, and automation of consent forms for the administration of more than 1,000 vaccinations. Gray collaborated with staff to facilitate virtual visits between residents and their families to ensure they would remain connected with loved ones.
LeadingAge Ohio is a not-for-profit trade association that represents approximately 400 long-term care organizations and hospices, as well as those providing ancillary health care and housing services, in more than 150 Ohio towns and cities. The continuum of care reflected by the member organizations serve an estimated 400,000 elderly Ohioans annually and employ more than 35,000 persons statewide.