Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Long term care: social connection is vital to maintaining wellbeing
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
According to Pew Research, more than 40% of adults over the age of 65 own a smartphone, which means their demand for connectivity is at an all-time high.
Not only is that a surprising statistic, that percentage is increasing with each passing year. One key component of connectivity is the social aspect, and there’s no doubt that social connectivity contributes to quality of life. For older persons, feeling and being connected to others may slow the progression of memory-related decline. McKight’s quotes the World Health Organization defining quality of life as, “individuals’ perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns.” With that in mind, HCI has developed solutions that specifically address unique challenges in long term care.
Provide residents with connection options to support social and cognitive health
With MediaCare and Interactive Patient Care solutions, long term care residents can experience a higher degree of social capital. That means connecting with family, friends and loved ones. The solution platform offers a wide range of connection options. Plus, we work with you to configure apps that work for your needs. Further, we can help with Wander Management using RFID, and support Care Teams with automated rounding reminders and logs using RTLS. In addition, we can help you optimize EVS and BMS services, and manage resource allocation. The HCI patient engagement solution includes:
- Streaming video for shows and on-demand movies
- YouTube, social networks and email providers
- Games that maintain cognitive skills
- The ability to order UBER, LYFT, and other delivery services that help residents remain connected to the outside world
- Secure video for Telemedicine calls with preferred medical providers, which eliminates the need for trips to medical offices. In addition, we can integrate with preferred telehealth system providers if you have one in place.
- Weather and News apps that help residents stay current
- Dynamic community membership and service directories
- Push community announcements and weather updates
- In-room meal ordering and daily, weekly and monthly menus
Portable Tablets enhance quality of life in long term care facility
In addition to the MediaCare apps, all of the apps offered through HCI are available as stand-alone services on Portable tablet. Learn how residents at a long-term care and assisted living facility in Virginia used the portable tablets for social engagement when visitation was restricted during the COVID pandemic.
Staying in touch with family and friends
With the Family and Friends Connect module on our Interactive Patient Whiteboard, in-room TV or Portable Tablet, residents can video conference with loved ones. When combined with our web-based content manager, MediaCare, the options for residents to connect are truly endless. Since the apps we offer are based on the AndroidTM operating system, thousands of apps are available for entertainment, education and cognitive engagement.
When family members are choosing a long term care facility for their parents or grandparents, they want to be sure the facility offers all the comforts of home. When HCI solutions help residents remain engaged, entertained and involved, then their home-like experience is fully rounded. What’s more, MediaCare offers complete data analytics and reporting so you can manage staff, scheduling, workflows and resources with actionable data points. Other benefits of the Portable Tablet for long term care include:
Centralized Communication
- Push announcements, calendars, and daily activities can be sent directly to residents’ TVs and Tablets
- Daily menu notifications and ordering from their room
- Notify residents of upcoming appointments, guest speakers, lectures, contests and performances
Service Requests
- Residents can order facility services from the comfort of their own room, such as environmental requests, trash collection and package delivery
- Maintenance calls: stay up to date on work orders and job completion
- Service requests are routed to the appropriate staff, optimizing staff time and improving efficiency
Limitless Connectivity
- Built-in Ethernet, WIFI, and Bluetooth
- Completely configurable for colors, branding, apps and services to enrich the resident experience
- Clone software and update devices over the network or via USB
Learn how we can help you enhance your residents’ cognitive and physical wellbeing.