For more than 30 years, Stefani Danes has volunteered her talent to projects around the Presbyterian SeniorCare Network. By trade, Stefani is an architect and a teacher. Her “paying” jobs have influenced her volunteer work, where she is able to use her knowledge as an architect and her passion for developing housing communities to enhance the lives of older adults.

Stefani first found her way to Presbyterian SeniorCare Network in the 1980s when she sat on an advisory board dedicated to ensuring that the vision of our first dementia-specific personal care community, Woodside Place of Oakmont, came to life. “At that time, I was teaching a class at Carnegie Mellon University that focused on people and their environment. This topic in architecture has always been a passion of mine as I truly believe that all aspects of our environment, the physical, social and psychological, play deeply into our well-being and how supported we feel where we live,” says Stefani.

Shortly after Woodside Place was built, she put her passion to work. She was part of a research team that observed residents at Woodside Place to see how the environment impacted their well-being. “Woodside Place was designed with an inviting floorplan, allowing residents, even those who were in the advanced stages of dementia, to feel as if they had a sense of belonging. We found that residents would walk together, side-by-side, socializing and making connections. Everything happened naturally due to the design of the building,” she says. Through her passion of studying those in their environment, Stefani, along with the research team, showed that the idea of a person-centered environment, encouraging socialization, freedom and choice, was beneficial to residents living with dementia.

Shortly after her research at Woodside Place, Stefani helped to open the Pittsburgh office of the architectural firm, Perkins Eastman. Presbyterian SeniorCare Network has partnered with Perkins Eastman on many projects, so Stefani’s professional relationship continued as an urban housing architect, helping to design many of our SeniorCare Network supportive and affordable housing communities.

After leaving Perkins Eastman in 2013, Stefani joined the SeniorCare Network Board of Directors. “It is a pleasure to work with an organization that has an authentic desire to make life better for older adults. Housing is something that I am passionate about, and through my career, know a little bit about! The dedication to the service and care of seniors is a huge draw for me and why I continue to volunteer.”

Stefani believes in our mission so much that she and her husband, Doug Cooper, have created a Charitable Gift Annuity to benefit Presbyterian SeniorCare Network. “I feel grateful for the opportunity to have worked on so many projects that have enhanced the lives of seniors. I know that our gift will continue to help older adults into the future,” she says.

If you are interested in making a planned gift like Stefani and Doug, contact Contact Name at 412-826-6195 or contact email.