Collette Valentine-Gray

Solstice Senior Living has launched as a new joint venture between senior living management company Integral Senior Living and public, non-traded real estate investment trust NorthStar Healthcare Income.

The effort involves 32 REIT-owned independent living communities that are being rebranded with the Solstice name. The Greenwood Village, CO-based REIT will continue to own the properties, which formerly were managed by Holiday Retirement and span 12 states. They now will be managed by ISL.

Collette Valentine-Gray, CEO and chief operating officer of Carlsbad, CA-based ISL, holds the same titles at Solstice.

“We want to provide a day-to-day-living experience that embraces what our residents love about their local culture and to better serve those residents by equipping community associates with proven management and operations approaches,” she said in a statement.

Gerald “Gerry” Jackson has been named senior vice president of Solstice. He has more than 30 years of experience in senior living, assisted living and behavioral health, including leadership roles in training, operations and program and staff development.

“Solstice will create value for our residents by optimizing operations and programming, with the goal of taking our resident’s experience to a new level,” he said.

Solstice plans to enhance activity and culinary offerings at the communities, importing ISL’s trademarked Vibrant Life activity program as well as a newly developed dining program called Elevate.

Vibrant Life focuses on seven core components, with themes such as inspiration, wellness, adventure and community connections. Elevate provides flexible and changing culinary options and will be complemented by monthly “Food for Thought” meetings during which residents are involved in dining and menu-related decisions. The meetings been well-received at other communities managed by ISL, according to the company.

ISL manages independent living, assisted living and memory care properties in 22 states. NorthStar Healthcare Income also invests in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing communities.