The Web = Quality of Life
Improving the Resident Experience in Senior Living Communities
Only 59 percent of seniors ages 65 and older use the Internet, according to the Pew Research Center. What if only 59 percent of senior living communities had beds or air conditioning? Communication and access to information is also a basic need, and it’s especially important for seniors because numerous studies show this demographic is at risk for depression, functional decline and even premature death due to loneliness and feelings of isolation. While the average age of today’s long-term care resident may be in the early 80s, these folks are still interested in living. And the Boomers, who are redefining aging and the concept of retirement, will be very demanding when it comes to technology that makes their lives better.
The lack of e-connectivity in long-term care settings led Status Solutions to develop CATIE for Communication and Access To Information Everywhere. Running on the powerful yet easy-to-use Apple iPad, CATIE is set up in each resident’s home as a stationary, always-on portal that functions as an intercom, message center, electronic bulletin board/digital signage and concierge.
With CATIE, residents stay active, engaged and connected to the community they call home, as well as the community at large. Relevant content appears at their fingertips along with unlimited self-service options so they can access the amenities and services they want when they want them – no intimidating keyboards or training required.
CATIE has become a “standard appliance” for residents in communities that have deployed the technology. Most say they check CATIE first thing in the morning to see what the weather is, decide what to eat, and determine which activities to do. CATIE makes it “finger-tappin’” easy for residents to:
- Communicate with staff and other residents via the intercom
- Email with friends and family near and far using voice-reply
- Receive photos and save them in a photo gallery
- Review daily/weekly menus, make reservations, and see activities and receive reminders
- Place housekeeping, maintenance, valet or other service requests
- See the current weather and four-day forecast
- Be notified of safety and security alerts, including inclement weather warnings and instructions
- Engage in games and other brain fitness activities, including video recording their life stories
Maintaining social connections, especially with loved ones who may live long distances away, is a key consideration for seniors’ quality of life. Even though owner-operators may create attractive lobbies, cozy gathering areas and even computer rooms, nobody lives there. Current and future residents are willing to pay for value and expect their basic needs to be met while also having access to information and amenities that make their lives better — all at their fingertips, not down the hall.
Regardless of age, our need for relationships, recreation and personal growth is part of who we are. If owner-operators want to meet the demands of the next back-to-the-dorm crowd and compete for their considerable buying power, they’ll need to invest in technologies that ensure both life safety and also life quality. It’s not about the technology; it’s about what the technology does: connect, engage and keep seniors active and living to the fullest.
The Web = Quality of Life
Category: Brain Health
