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Stance’s Improving Lives by Design mission starts from the inside, so we wanted to share how some of our own team members are inspired by our products. This week, we talked to Tracey Heimpel, Business Development Manager, and Cesar Fernandes, Product Design and Development Manager, about some of their favorite Stance collections. 

Cesar says:
 

Favorite product, and why?

“One of my new favorite collections is our Valet Lounge seating. It’s just a very inviting and modern design and we offer it in a range of styles to really work well with a variety of lounge spaces.”
 

Why is this one of your favorites? What makes this collection stand out in the marketplace, in your opinion?

“I particularly like that we have a version geared towards Behavioral Health environments. It's robust, weighted and we’ve built-in some tamper-resistant features all while maintaining its beautiful form.”
 

If you have a connection to the story behind this product's development, please share:

“You don’t usually get to turn a chair upside down to highlight its clean design but in the case of the disc base for example, we’ve really paid extra attention to detail. The underside of the base is solid, smooth and precision machined with a glide system that offers great stability and movability if needed.”
 

In your words, how does this product/collection support Stance's "Improving Lives by Design" mission?

“I think Valet is a great example of how we can balance a design that is beautiful and welcoming with the features and performance required for today’s demanding healthcare environments.”

Tracey says:
 

Favorite product, and why?
 

“My favorite Stance product is our new Jensen series. It’s a new, trendy product with clean lines. It’s hit the ground running and we are already seeing lots of orders for it.”
 

Any connection to this product’s development? 
 

“Throughout the prototype process I was able to test it out and give my opinion on how the product sat. It was so fun to see it evolve.”

In your words, how does this product/collection support Stance's "Improving Lives by Design" mission? 

“The Jensen series is so comfortable, it will always make a patient and guest feel relaxed and at ease. It is the perfect blend of beauty and brawn, with its modern lines that elevate any healthcare facility.” 

Anything else you would like to add? 

“Watch out for the Jensen series to be added to our BH line of products.”

Stance Healthcare’s Attessa, Attessa Jr., and Attessa for Behavioral Health modular collections turn open spaces into environments with purpose

Whenever a facility partner asks us for versatility in a product, we first point them to Attessa. The modular seating and table collection, available for general healthcare, pediatric, and Behavioral Health settings, is not only sleek and beautiful – it is designed with endless capacity to create intentional spaces within any environment. 

Offering a wide range of modules and nylon-webbed construction for enhanced comfort, Attessa can be broken up into various seating arrangements to fit the dynamic needs of any room. The nimble collection can work to create a practical space beyond what is typically expected of healthcare seating, including serving as banquette and dining areas, in addition to being set up for therapeutic or consultative purposes.

“For Behavioral Health environments in particular, Attessa can create settings that prepare patients in therapy for the transition to post-treatment life,” said Stance Healthcare’s Behavioral Health Interior Designer, Suzanne Fawley. “For example, this can be configured to mimic a banquette area that might be found in a typical restaurant. By creating intentional spaces, such as those used for dining, Attessa is not only providing a place to eat – it is empowering patients to approach regular social interaction again. Attessa is such an asset to facility planners who are looking for furniture that goes beyond the status quo to truly support patient wellness.”

Attessa is a standout example of how Stance Healthcare’s collections are Improving Lives by Design. At Jonas Hill Hospital and Clinic in rural North Carolina, the collection can be found in a multi-purpose room that features a mural of the surrounding mountain scenery. From therapeutic vignettes to general seating, Attessa is flexible to be used in a variety of ways at any time.

Attessa modular lounge seating and tables are designed to suit any healthcare public space, offering style, comfort and durability sufficient for high-traffic common areas. Learn more about our general collection here; our pediatric collection, Attessa Jr., here; and Attessa for Behavioral Health here. 

Our food & fund drive for the Food Bank of Waterloo Region was a big success! Employees collected 157lbs of food and donated $780, which was matched by Stance Healthcare for a total of $1560. Through this initiative, we were able to provide 4800 meals to local families who need it most.  

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is a community-based organization striving to build effective partnerships within Waterloo Region. They work collaboratively with community programs and agency partners, as part of the Community Food Assistance Network, to provide food and other vital supports to people in need.

Stance Healthcare is known for offering a variety of furniture products designed and manufactured for healthcare and Behavioral Health facilities. The Kindred collection is one of our most customizable options for patient room casegoods, with each piece built entirely in-house at our factory.

Earning popularity for providing the freedom to mix-and match multiple top, face and toe kick styles, the collection is an excellent addition to any healthcare setting. Each Kindred piece is constructed from a combination of seamless thermoformed parts, and laminated particle board with pvc sealed edges to prevent liquid absorption. All edges are sealed including unseen edges closest to the floor. The collection’s dressers and bedside table drawers are made with metal sides in a durable epoxy finish, melamine bottoms and backs, and nylon rollers for a quiet and easy closure.

With more than 20 pieces in the collection including varieties of bedside tables, wardrobes, dressers, writing desks, and headboards, items are customizable with various lock types; custom dimensions; and galley rails and plastic liners for bedside tables. Kindred is also available in 8 finishes, and a range of options for the top, face, kick, leg and pull designs to add a signature style to the patient room aesthetic and help enhance the experience for healthcare patients, visitors, and caregivers.

View Stance Healthcare’s full range of patient room furnishings here, and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from Stance Healthcare.

In 2006, Stance Healthcare entered the furniture manufacturing industry with a particular focus on a single product category – metal seating designed for healing environments. Over the years Stance has built a reputation for developing high-quality products for healthcare and Behavioral Health facilities that not only offer function, but also contribute to the healing and support of the people who use them. Providing furniture that meets the needs of buyers, including safety, durability and sustainability, are a large part of what Stance stands for.

When you think of healthcare, one of the things that comes to mind is waiting rooms, with their tables, chairs, tvs and magazines to occupy those waiting, whether it be for their own care or the care of a loved one. Waiting rooms can be a place that fosters worry and anxiety, but when done right, it can also be a place of peace and comfort. By incorporating attractive and durable fabrics and finishes, waiting rooms offer a clean and safe environment for visitors that promotes the feeling of wellness and calm.

One of Stance Healthcare’s core products, the Jensen Guest Seating Collection, is a perfect example of function, comfort and durability for waiting room seating. Fully customizable with hundreds of fabric and finish combinations, this versatile metal chair is designed for modern healthcare facilities and their changing needs. Jensen is stylish, comfortable and easy-to-clean with over 20 different open and closed arm designs available, including the 24 inch seat; 31 inch seat; hip chair; two-seat; three-seat; highback; and bench. The collection also features arm cap options in either wood, rigid polyester, polyurethane or solid surface.

The Jensen Guest Seating Collection is also made to last, with a contoured seat back panel constructed from laminated, high density hardwood veneers; a plywood seat panel with hytrel elastomer composite that retains its original shape and comfort; easily replaceable seat, back and arm caps; and a fully-welded frame with 14-gauge powder coated steel tubing and components for enhanced structural integrity.

Jensen Guest Seating is a collection designed to elevate and support the patient and caregiver experience from the waiting room and beyond. View Stance Healthcare’s full collection of seating here.

Gem, Iris and Iris for Behavioral Health follow previous April release of compatible Valet lounge collections, continuing Stance Healthcare’s monthly new product rollouts in 2021

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Stance Healthcare, a furniture designer and manufacturer specializing in general healthcare and Behavioral Health settings, introduces two new occasional table collections – Gem, Iris, and Iris for Behavioral Health – this month offering high design and premium performance for modern healthcare facilities.

Available beginning May 5, all three new offerings are compatible with Stance Healthcare’s prior April release, the Valet lounge collection for general and Behavioral Health settings. Gem, Iris, and Iris’s Behavioral Health counterpart follow Valet’s attractive, modern aesthetics while still prioritizing safety and durability in function.

• About Gem: Featuring a lightly-scaled geometric frame design, Gem uses its wire form to evoke jewel-cut facets. While playful and minimalist in design, the solid wire base delivers a robust foundation. Combined with soft-shaped top options, the tables – available in an end table size and two coffee table sizes – offer a sophisticated modern style that allows them to work fluently in a multitude of environments. Optional finishes like solid surface tops and satin nickel frames further enhance Gem’s ability to provide both high design and performance to any application.

• About Iris: Versatile and sleek, Iris provides an understated modern elegance that complements a variety of seating arrangements. The versatile tables compliment a variety of seating styles and applications, with low-profile bases that feature solid steel discs detailed with beveled edges and recessed glides – supporting superior construction and cleanability. Iris’s soft-shaped tops enhance the refined aesthetic and are available in a solid surface for ultimate durability. Iris’s Behavioral Health offering features tamper resistant hardware and a heavier base for added safety. Iris side tables are available in either 16” or 20” heights to compliment guest and lounge seating styles. Bases can be specified in a selection of powder coated finishes or can be dressed up in optional satin nickel.

“During the design phase, occasional tables are often an afterthought which can result in hastily designed products that complement only a specific seating collection. This can make it difficult for designers to select occasional tables that coordinate with a broader range of collections. With Iris and Gem, we believe these tables will tie in well with many of the different seating styles available today,” said Carl Kennedy, Stance Healthcare’s president.

The new lines support Stance’s signature design philosophy, which aims to improve the healthcare experience for patients, visitors, and care providers through comfortable, beautiful, long-lasting and easy-to-clean products. The company has demonstrated leadership particularly in Behavioral Health design in recent years, taking home HCD’s Nightingale GOLD Award for their Frontier collection in 2019 and continuing to introduce durable, yet comfortable designs that encourage healing in high-use settings.

Stance’s growing collection of general and Behavioral Health products can be experienced in person at the company’s new showroom and design collaborative located in Charlotte, N.C., by appointment only. Continuing the product innovation momentum forward, Stance Healthcare is pursuing an ambitious product development plan involving at least one product launch per month in 2021. New releases from Stance Healthcare and Stance Behavioral Health for 2021 include:

• Jensen Guest Seating Collection and Jensen Lounge Collection (released in March)
• Valet and Valet for Behavioral Health (released in April)  

Follow along on Stance Healthcare’s blog, LinkedIn, and Instagram for regular updates on upcoming product launches, as well as engaging content centered on Stance’s Improving Lives by Design mission that educates and inspires.

About Stance Healthcare
 

Founded in 2006, Stance Healthcare manufactures furniture for healing environments, with a particular focus on hospitals and behavioral health facilities. Stance Healthcare has a reputation for providing high-quality products that meet the ever-evolving demands in the areas of design, comfort, safety, durability, renewability, infection control and environmental sustainability. With a strong understanding of patient-centered design, Stance Healthcare is committed to providing innovative furniture solutions that support the healing process. Please visit stancehealthcare.com for the latest news and in-depth information on Stance Healthcare and visit https://stancebh.com/ to learn more about our Behavioral Health offerings and insights.

Media Contact:

Kim Leaston, The Brandon Agency

343.848.2160

kleaston@thebrandonagency.com

More than a year ago, the world began trying to navigate a global pandemic of the likes no one had seen since the influenza outbreak of 1918. For many, the mental and emotional effects hit hard. From the isolation, loss, uncertainty, sadness and even anger that made waves through our global community, anxiety and depression levels have drastically risen in adults. 

The implications of COVID-19 will continue to show as vaccinations rise, current pandemic mandates change and the world begins shifting to life after the virus. Bringing attention to the importance of mental health awareness is even more important now. 

Stance Healthcare has been working to improve the aesthetic of the healthcare setting since 2006, with a strong focus in helping to improve the environment of medical and behavioral facilities. We believe that overall patient care and outcomes are influenced by the environment where the care is given. With this in mind, we build caregiver morale, advance the healing environment, and improve lives. Improving Lives By Design. 

With May being National Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S., we at Stance Healthcare think it is important to highlight ways to cope with the mental and emotional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention stress and anxiety from the pandemic may look like:

• Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
• Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
• Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
• Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
• Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
• Worsening of chronic health problems
• Worsening of mental health conditions
• Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances

The CDC offers these ways you to help combat the symptoms of COVID-19 stress and anxiety: 

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, tv, and computer screens for a while.
• Take care of your body.
  • Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate
  • Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Get plenty of sleep.
  • Avoid excessive alcohol, tobacco, and substance use.
  • Continue with routine preventive measures (such as vaccinations, cancer screenings, etc.) as recommended by your healthcare provider.
  • Get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine when available.
• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
• Connect with your community- or faith-based organizations. While social distancing measures are in place, try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.

Making time to center yourself and take steps to improve your own mental health will help you be able to help friends and loved ones cope as well. If you are struggling with your mental health, contact your medical provider for help. For more information on the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov. 

Valet and Valet for Behavioral Health are latest product releases set to arrive monthly throughout 2021 from Stance Healthcare

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Stance Healthcare, a furniture designer and manufacturer specializing in general healthcare and Behavioral Health settings, introduces Valet, a new lounge series offering soft design lines that invite patients and visitors to sit in comfort, creating a space of respite in any healthcare environment.

Available beginning April 27, the Valet series is offered in two separate categories, with one product group ideal for general healthcare environments and a second designed specifically for Behavioral Health. The general healthcare collection offers five lounge chairs, with options including high-backs and swivel bases, as well as a wider option to accommodate two users. Valet for Behavioral Health includes two lounge chairs offered in a BH-grade, highly durable base.

Both varieties are offered in a limited selection of carefully curated healthcare-grade vinyl and performance fabric options, including a special fabric card developed in collaboration with CF Stinson.

“Valet is exciting because its attractive aesthetics are such a welcome relief from the more institutional furniture designs typically found in healthcare spaces today, especially so in Behavioral Health settings,” said Carl Kennedy, Stance Healthcare’s president. “It is a game-changer in the way it brings this elevated design element while satisfying the requirements of safety and durability.”

The new lines support Stance’s signature design philosophy, which aims to improve the healthcare experience for patients, visitors, and care providers through comfortable, beautiful, long-lasting and easy-to-clean products. The company has demonstrated leadership particularly in Behavioral Health design in recent years, taking home HCD’s Nightingale GOLD Award for their Frontier collection in 2019 and continuing to introduce durable, yet comfortable designs that encourage healing in high-use settings.

Stance’s growing collection of general healthcare and Behavioral Health products can be experienced in person at the company’s new showroom and design collaborative located in Charlotte, N.C., by appointment only. Continuing the product innovation momentum forward, Stance Healthcare is pursuing an ambitious product development plan involving at least one product launch per month in 2021. New releases from Stance Healthcare and Stance Behavioral Health for 2021 include:

• Jensen Guest Seating Collection and Jensen Lounge Collection (released in March)
• Valet and Valet for Behavioral Health (released in April)  

Follow along on Stance Healthcare’s blog, LinkedIn, and Instagram for regular updates on upcoming product launches, as well as engaging content centered on Stance’s Improving Lives by Design mission that educates and inspires.

About Stance Healthcare
 

Founded in 2006, Stance Healthcare manufactures furniture for healing environments, with a particular focus on hospitals and behavioral health facilities. Stance Healthcare has a reputation for providing high-quality products that meet the ever-evolving demands in the areas of design, comfort, safety, durability, renewability, infection control and environmental sustainability. With a strong understanding of patient-centered design, Stance Healthcare is committed to providing innovative furniture solutions that support the healing process. Please visit stancehealthcare.com for the latest news and in-depth information on Stance Healthcare and visit https://stancebh.com/ to learn more about our Behavioral Health offerings and insights.

Media Contact:

Allison Eckley, The Brandon Agency

336.414.4972

aeckley@thebrandonagency.com

Suzanne:

• How long have you been with Stance? What inspired you to join Stance’s design team? I’ve been with Stance for 4 years. I was drawn to the idea of a small company with a specialized focus on Behavioral Health, and appreciated how they apply research to design through a deep understanding of the patient/end-user experience. 
   
• Tell us about one Stance product you’re proud of and the story behind its design. The Resilia drum table is a great example of a product that was truly born out of an observed need. About 10 years ago, I began noticing that laminate, a popular surface material for healthcare tables, tended to chip with wear causing “pick points”– which becomes a safety issue as well as a maintenance problem in Behavioral Health settings specifically. Literally with one strip of laminate pulled off, a weapon could be made. I pitched the idea to Stance and very quickly worked with Bruce Kennedy of Stance to design Resilia, which is covered in a highly durable material that withstands use and tampering, and is typically used as a flooring material for high-traffic areas. It is truly a game-changer for the occasional tables category, working well and lasting significantly longer than most other products used in any healthcare setting. 
   
• As a designer, where do you draw inspiration from? I am always observing and experiencing the good and bad of the patient/user experience. Oftentimes, noticing what isn’t working inspires me to imagine new ways products and settings can be made better and improve the experience for patients, care providers, and visitors. I’m also inspired by nature and how it is innate to our human source of peace and strength. 
   
• What are three words to describe your design approach for any healthcare setting? Comfort, confidence and clarity 
   
• From your perspective, what sets Stance’s designs apart from competitor products? The proven durability of our products, and our overall quality – how rare it is for there to be problems after installation. Also, the comfort they truly care about providing through their seating product. 
   
• How do you see healthcare design evolving in the next decade? I think we will continue to see more personalized experiences, including a variety of “space within space”, particularly the wait settings; always considering the needs of an individual's moment. For example, a continued mix of gathering space, consultative and spaces of reflection and counsel. My hope is that perimeter seating will not be the typical layout. 
   
• What are you excited to do next with Stance? We have a new lounge group for Behavioral Health that will be coming out soon. My hope is that it will provide comfort in ways that are not typically provided. Stay tuned!

Cesar:

• How long have you been with Stance? What inspired you to join Stance’s design team? I have been with Stance for just over a year now but have known a number of the team members for most of my career. That provided me with insight into the incredible work culture here and I also valued that the company shared a focused vision on improving the physical healthcare space and experience.
   
• Tell us about one Stance product you’re proud of and the story behind its design. There are a number of new products I’m working on that I’m very excited about but have really enjoyed participating in expanding our roto-molded furniture offerings. Working with monolithic forms allows us to create products that are ideally suited for behavioural health environments while at the same time challenging our design abilities to sculpt pieces that are attractive and comfortable.
   
• As a designer, where do you draw inspiration from? I think part of what keeps the juices going is being able to find inspiration just about anywhere. Whether it’s other furniture markets, the transportation industry, architecture or of course nature, there’s just so much opportunity to find that new material or design element that can cross-over into the healthcare space.
   
• What are three words to describe your design approach for any healthcare setting? Has to be Patient, Family and Caregiver. Have to understand how all three will interact with the pieces we design to provide the best overall experience and outcomes.
   
• From your perspective, what sets Stance’s designs apart from competitor products? There has always been a strong commitment to developing robust products that are built to last. We are continuing to build on that same core focus plus push the design envelope even more with products that contribute to the overall emotional experience of a space, just as much as they do in their performance.
   
• How do you see healthcare design evolving in the next decade? This past year has really provided some insights into some of the immediate opportunities for change, like designing more flexibility into how spaces and products are used, the need for products to hold up to more stringent cleaning protocols and the importance of using outdoor space in the healing experience. Technology, like in most industries, is forcing rapid change and it will be interesting to see what opportunities come from the surging trend of virtual healthcare.
   
• What are you excited to do next with Stance? Well, for starters, I’m really looking forward to working with the full Stance team once we are all in our “better” normal. We have further strengthened our manufacturing and design capabilities recently and I am excited about the new product opportunities that will bring us. All in all – just excited to be on this journey and making a difference!

Ideal for today’s patient-centered healthcare environments, Jensen series merges pleasing aesthetics with comfort, function, cleanability, and durability

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Stance Healthcare, a furniture designer and manufacturer specializing in general healthcare and Behavioral Health settings, announces two new collections: the Jensen Guest Seating collection and Jensen Lounge collection, both available as of March 1. Thoughtfully designed for today’s modern healthcare facilities, Jensen is comfortable, easy-to-clean and blends stylish design with the strength of metal.

The new lines support Stance’s signature design philosophy, which aims to improve the healthcare experience for patients, visitors, and care providers through comfortable, beautiful, long-lasting and easy-to-clean products. The Jensen Lounge Seating collection contrasts the status quo standards for traditional healthcare seating – which are often difficult to clean and maintain and uncomfortable – by providing both a high level of style and cleanability. A new genre of healthcare lounge seating, Jensen delivers a unique offering in the marketplace with its open arms, replaceable seat and back cushions, replaceable arm caps, and wall-saver frame design that protects walls against damage, all of which make the series easy to clean and refresh with new components if necessary.
 

Compatible with the lounge seating is Jensen’s Guest Seating collection, which provides an extensive choice of seating, bench seating, and occasional tables for healthcare facilities. The collection’s broad offering allows facilities to maintain a consistent aesthetic, while meeting the design and cleanability requirements for different healthcare spaces.

“Unlike the typical healthcare seating options that come to mind – which can often be uncomfortable, unattractive, and difficult to clean and maintain – Jensen is an immediate contrast with its residential look, comfortable cushions, and highly cleanable design from every angle… down to its solid surface caps which allow for a higher level of infection control,” said Carl Kennedy, Stance Healthcare’s President. “Especially in the COVID era and beyond, furniture specifiers and patients alike appreciate a more sanitary healthcare experience, and furniture influences a significant aspect of that. Jensen makes sitting in the waiting room a more comfortable experience, with end-users’ wellbeing in mind.”

All products in the Jensen lines offer Stance Healthcare’s highly cleanable, healthcare-grade surface finishes and fabrics, making them an ideal choice for facilities of all sizes and practices. Taking cleanability to a new level, the Jensen options, which include solid surface and healthcare-grade vinyl, are also more cleanable by design: Jensen provides both a generous clearance below the seats, offering easier access to floors for cleaning under furniture, and a design with reduced joint seams, which are prone to attract dirt and liquids.

In addition to supporting the cleanability story with reducing joint seams, the fully welded frame maximizes the frame’s strength and eliminates the potential for key structural parts coming loose over time – guaranteeing a longer-lasting, high quality product that is reliable and easy to maintain. The collections, which are tested for durability and offer customized seating width options, also include a Limited Lifetime Warranty, optional moisture barrier, and custom frame and wood arm finish options.

Continuing the product innovation momentum forward, Stance Healthcare is pursuing an ambitious product development plan involving at least one product launch per month in 2021. Follow along on Stance Healthcare’s blog, LinkedIn, and Instagram for regular updates on upcoming product launches, as well as engaging content centered on Stance’s Improving Lives by Design mission that educates and inspires.

About Stance Healthcare

Founded in 2006, Stance Healthcare manufactures furniture for healing environments, with a particular focus on hospitals and behavioral health facilities. Stance Healthcare has a reputation for providing high-quality products that meet the ever-evolving demands in the areas of design, comfort, safety, durability, renewability, infection control and environmental sustainability. With a strong understanding of patient-centered design, Stance Healthcare is committed to providing innovative furniture solutions that support the healing process. Please visit stancehealthcare.com for the latest news and in-depth information on Stance Healthcare and visit https://stancebh.com/ to learn more about our Behavioral Health offerings and insights.

Media Contact:

Allison Eckley, The Brandon Agency

336.414.4972

aeckley@thebrandonagency.com