We caught up with Lynn Ardese, Director of Activities and Volunteers at Holland Christian Home, to chat about how she made the decision to implement Touchtown during a global pandemic.
Let’s be honest: introducing new technology in senior living isn’t easy during normal circumstances. We do our best to make it as simple as possible, but there are nuances at every community that require time that can be hard to come by for busy senior living professionals.
Lynn’s choice has been a major success and we’re super excited to tell her story.
Hey Lynn! Tell us a little about yourself and your community.
The Holland Christian Home is a non-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community, providing multiple levels of care for seniors 75 and older. I have been the Director of Activities and Volunteers here for the past 6 years, and have 20+ years’ experience in a variety of healthcare settings, from medical supplies and diagnostics to senior care.
How did you community come upon Touchtown?
Our original video management program wasn’t user friendly and unable to suit our needs. I began searching for something better and through speaking with peers at other facilities, was recommended Touchtown.
What was the implementation fo the technology like? What has the resident reaction been?
I must admit that I was apprehensive at the thought of an all remote learning model. Touchtown’s team was always available by phone and the web based tools are so easy to use that we all picked it up quickly.
Naturally, our residents do not like change, and were not accustomed to turning on a television channel for daily information. However, the pandemic changed everything. Once residents were quarantined in their rooms, Touchtown became a life-line and a crucial way for us to communicate with them.
Even now that stay-at-home restrictions were lifted, residents rely on the daily video activities such as sittercise, chair yoga, brain games, movies, hymn sing, devotions, chapel services and so much more!
How do you plan to leverage technology in your cumminity looking ahead?
The pandemic has created quite a challenge for us all, and activity professionals are especially tasked with the difficulty of coming up with new ways to keep our residents engaged while adhering to all safety protocols including masks and social distancing.
Information streaming and virtual activities are one important way to stay connected with our residents, and it is here to stay.
Do you have any general advice for fellow communities navigating this current landscape?
Find different and creative ways to keep your residents engaged, both virtually and in-person.