“…All of those things exist — we didn’t invent any of those things — but what we did do was bring them together in a common interface.”

July 25, 2021

By: Maija Ehlinger

Above all, Moody — who now calls North Carolina home — describes K4Connect as a mission-driven technology company. “I believe that we are all here to serve others and that we can do that corporately better than we can do as individuals. And the purpose of a corporation, and certainly our corporation, is to serve others. If we do that well, the benefit will flow to all our stakeholders, including or investors.”

The platform looks to integrate different technologies, data sources, and platforms for care home residents, staff members, and family members to use. “It’s how people interface with all wellness and health products or order meals, or look at content, or do a video chat with family. All of those things exist — we didn’t invent any of those things — but what we did do was bring them together in a common interface,” adds Moody.

Through a series of integrated APIs, the K4Connect platform is about connectivity. “Happier is all about connectivity…but it’s not about replacing humans. But it’s about using technology to augment those relationships and ultimately foster human engagement,” he said.

Built on top of FusionOS, an operating system designed specifically for senior living communities, K4Connect focuses on creating more independent living opportunities.

NC Tech For Independent Living 

That connectivity became even more important over the course of the pandemic.

“Our technology was incredibly needed before the pandemic, but not everybody saw it that way,” Moody tells Hypepotamus. “There were a couple of reasons for that. One, people always thought older people don’t like technology. Well, that’s actually not true. They just don’t like technology that’s designed by a 25-year-old for 25-year-olds.”

Usage skyrocketed as care facilities looked for ways to connect digitally with family members during quarantines and lockdowns.

In fact, upwards of 81% of residents of care facilities attended some sort of live virtual event, according to a report compiled by the K4Connect team.

The pandemic launched 33% of surveyed communities to invest in an engagement app as well, both for residents and also to help staff members navigate additional responsibilities that came up during COVID.

Investors have taken note. Forte Ventures and AXA Venture Partners both backed Series B rounds for the startup.

The team has grown to around 60 people, with many around the Raleigh area. Moody added the team is currently hiring rapidly. It has also grown a key partnership with Acts Retirement-Life Communities (Acts), a non-profit that manages senior living communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.

>>Read the full article on Hypepotamus

K4Connect Co-Founder reveals how the senior living operators’ views on technology have changed since the arrival of COVID-19.

July 1, 2021

By: Danny Sullivan

Agetech company K4Connect this week unveiled a new report, based on a survey of staff and residents in senior living communities, which highlights the growing importance of technology in the sector. In particular, the report highlights a growing demand for those technologies that keep older adult residents and community staff connected, engaged and informed.

With the terrible impact of COVID-19 still being felt across the country, K4Connect’s report states that technology is a “universal tool for both residents and staff members to maintain and expand personal connections, better manage daily life in a community setting and increase operational efficiencies.”

Longevity.Technology: It’s common knowledge that older people have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic – not only are they most at risk from the virus itself, but they are also more likely to be impacted by factors such as isolation. We caught up with K4Connect co-founder and CEO Scott Moody to learn more.

When we first spoke with K4Connect last year, COVID-19 had not yet been declared a pandemic. Now, 15 months later, it’s clear that the period has been as challenging for the company as it has for many other businesses, not only due to delays in deployments, but also in terms of seeing the impact on the older demographic it ultimately serves.

“As a society, we were slow in the response to COVID,” says Moody. “And I do think part of that was because it was impacting a part of society that we don’t think about as much – older and less healthy older adults. And we will need to manage our way through that impact for a while. When they talk about COVID’s ‘long tail’, I think that’s particularly relevant in senior living and older adults.”

Technology for living

But, while COVID-19 is still clearly an ongoing concern, Moody is optimistic for the future.

“Now everybody’s really talking about the impact COVID is having, and what permanent impact it will have,” he says. “I think the silver lining could be that older adults are recognised as an important demographic that we need to think about when it comes to technology. And not just health technology, living technology too – engagement, video chat, and all those things that just help you live life.

“Prior to COVID, technology in senior living was seen as a ‘nice to have’ but I think that’s now become a must-have. If you think about the technology adoption curve and ‘crossing the chasm’ – the chasm in this sector has been obliterated, there is no chasm – if you’re not thinking about tech then you’re in the dark ages.”

Moody believes that K4Connect’s approach of unifying technologies under a single “operating system” for senior living communities is well positioned to capitalise on this shift towards technology.

“There are a lot of great technologies out there and technology companies are paying attention to this market,” he says. “But they’re pursuing the market the way they pursue all markets. Whether it’s a device or an app or a system, they’ll pop it in your lap, and leave and you to figure out how to use it. They’re disparate, their information is siloed, and they’re not even necessarily designed for an older adult. So I think a lot of people are looking at these technologies, and thinking ‘Hey, this is great, it could really be helpful, but we’re overwhelmed.’ And that’s where we come in.”

Demand on the rise

The company’s lead product, K4Community, brings together a wide range of smart products for residents, staff and operators in a single, simple interface. And things have picked up as operators start to look beyond COVID again.

“Demand has definitely gone up – our revenues have doubled in the last three quarters,” says Moody, while admitting that the sector also faces challenges. “Occupancies down, so budgets are tight, and there are significant staffing challenges – technology people are in high demand.”

The budgeting challenges at its target customers mean that K4Connect has adapted its strategy a little, so the company will also now do smaller installations of single technologies as well as its full platform.

“Some people are only looking for one thing, like an app, or voice, or digital signage, and so we will now do that piece,” says Moody. “Our real value add, though, is where you’re integrating a lot of technologies in a community, or you want to integrate all of your communities.”

In addition to rolling out more integrations and improving workflows to benefit both residents and staff at senior living communities, K4Connect is also looking at ways to leverage the huge amounts of data to which it has access.

“We don’t sell the data, we don’t own the data, we don’t advertise to our members – we’re there to serve them – but at the end of the day, we could use this data to help improve their lives,” says Moody. “For example, if the platform detects you’re not sleeping well because you’re moving around a lot at night, then it could recommend lowering the temperature a few degrees at night and then warm it up in the morning – and the platform controls the thermostat. Because you often sleep better at a lower temperature, and if you sleep better, you will be healthier. And if you’re healthier, you are happier.”

Targeting aging in place

Earlier this year, K4Connect announced its participation in the 2021 REACH scale-up programme run by the National Association of Realtors. This is an indication of the company’s future plans to focus on bringing its technology into the home environment and the growing “aging in place” market.

“We want to get into the home, but we want to do it in the right way,” he says. “You’ll see us moving into that area this year. I’m particularly interested in serving those that are underserved, both technologically and economically. People are retiring with a lot less money than they used to, and so we need to think about how to serve those people, on a personal level, but also a societal level.”

Images courtesy of K4Connect

Read the story from Longevity Technology, here!

K4Connect’s Insights Report shows how technology is a universal tool for both residents and staff members of senior living communities to maintain personal connections, better manage daily life in a community setting and increase operational efficiencies. 

July 1st, 2021

By: Kathleen Steele Gaivin

Technology proved to be a lifeline for staff members and residents alike during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a newly released survey by K4Connect.

“As COVID-19 shut the doors of communities and those living and working inside were met with near immeasurable challenges, technology quickly transformed from an amenity to a  necessity,” according to a report of the results.

According to the report authors, more than 40% of the staff members surveyed estimated they saved more than 50% of their time per month with innovative technology. This reportedly lessened time spent on redundant tasks and allowed more time for resident engagement.

Technology was truly a boon that allowed staff to present virtual events for otherwise isolated residents, participants said.

“Even late in the pandemic from November of 2020 to March 2021, the number of virtual events created by staff increased by 134%,” according to the report.

About a third of the communities surveyed said they implemented a resident engagement app as well as a companion engagement app for friends and family outside of the community. A fourth of the communities deployed new voice technologies over the course of 2020.

Technology also has been shown to be a driving force in occupancy, K4Connect said. More than 80% of those surveyed indicated that offering technology as an amenity tended to improve occupancy rates.

Read the story from McKnight’s Senior Living, here!

Senior living communities found that technology improved their workflows as well as provided necessary tools and amenities to help solve connectedness challenges between residents, the staff inside their buildings and loved ones outside a community.

June 29, 2021

By Chuck Sudo

Senior living providers have found offering technology platforms to residents as an amenity is a driver in boosting occupancy, and the platforms are streamlining the workflows of employees.

Residents, meanwhile, are now demanding a variety of content and experiences from providers to keep themselves engaged, and want video platforms in order to stay connected with staff and their neighbors inside a community, as well as loved ones outside a building’s walls.

These are among the main takeaways from a new summer insights report released Tuesday from senior living-focused technology company K4Connect. The report features user data from over 40 senior living communities across the country from January 2021 to April 2021, highlighting staff, resident and family member usage trends of the company’s platform, K4Community.

Additionally, the report includes survey data from over 360 residents and 50 staff members currently using K4Community in assisted living, independent living and memory care settings.

Overall, the findings were not surprising to K4Connect co-founder and CEO Scott Moody. All of the trends highlighted in the report were occurring naturally, pre-pandemic. But there was a gap in the technology adoption lifecycle between the innovators of technology and early adopters of platforms, and wider acceptance by a majority of consumers — this is known as “crossing the chasm.”

Covid-19 blew up the idea of the chasm, Moody told Senior Housing News.

“It accelerated the entire [adoption] process,” he said.

Technology driving occupancy gains

One revelation from the report is the importance of having technology platforms as an amenity for prospective residents, and how these platforms can drive occupancy rates: 83% of staff participating in the report indicated that offering technology as an amenity improves occupancy.

Having technology in place took on greater importance during the pandemic. As communities across the country went into lockdown protocols to keep residents safe, technology helped solve connectedness challenges between residents, the staff inside their buildings and loved ones outside a community.

A high number of residents proved to be tech savvy, as well: 92% of residents in the report owned a smartphone; 58% owned a device with a voice assistant; and 40% owned fitness trackers.

Throughout the pandemic, residents were receptive to and highly engaged with virtual events, which helped alleviate loneliness and isolation when their movements were restricted within communities. K4Connect reported a 98% increase in events accessed by residents via the K4Community app from January 2021 to March 2021. Even sign-ups by residents increased 84% during that span, and 81% participated in Zoom or other virtual meetings.

Moreover, 89% of residents indicated having a variety of content and experiences at their disposal is important to them, 83% said it was important to have access to a resident directory, and 70% believe having access to an app or website to make video calls is important to them.

This represents a sea change, compared to pre-pandemic times when residents were more focused on the types of activities a community offered, or physical amenities such as swimming pools, fitness centers or common spaces. As the industry heads into a post-pandemic environment, connectivity will matter even more.

“[Seniors don’t] want to move into a community where, if something like this happens again, they’re stuck in their room and don’t have the ability to communicate,” Moody said.

Improved employee workflows

Senior living staff also realized the benefits of having technology in place during Covid-19.

Staff shortages and retention challenges were compounded last year by positive Covid-19 tests among employees and their families. Additionally, long-term care staff members were essential workers, holding down their jobs while also having to manage personal difficulties brought on by school closures and fears that they might have carried the virus into their homes, after a shift.

As the pandemic progressed, senior living employees participating in the K4Connect report valued using technology that simplified and accelerated their daily tasks, from content creation and distribution to improved communications with residents.

The report revealed a 73% increase in the number of community notices, announcements and menu changes; 62% of communities in the study are using content automation, which lead to a time savings of 30% for staff; 42% and all community notices, announcements and menus managed by staff leveraged K4Community’s multiple audience/destination feature.

The time savings realized through these measures allowed employees to stay on the floor for longer periods of time and care for residents. Meanwhile, the combination of technology and in-person interactions resulted in better engagement, Moody told SHN.

And it appears as if a hybrid model of in-person and virtual activities will become the norm, in a post-pandemic landscape.

“[No one is saying], ‘We don’t need this stuff anymore,’” he said. “It fills an important part of their lives.”

More from Senior Housing News, here!

A startup is like an ultra-marathon, but you have to go at a sprinter pace, the only variation being how steep the hill is in front of you on any given day. It’s crazy hard and from the start, you have to understand your why — why in fact you are doing this. It is the “why” […]

May 12, 2021

By: Jerome Knyszewski, CEO of HeavyShift

A startup is like an ultra-marathon, but you have to go at a sprinter pace, the only variation being how steep the hill is in front of you on any given day. It’s crazy hard and from the start, you have to understand your why — why in fact you are doing this. It is the “why” that gets you through those tough days, weeks, quarters, or even years. In the end, the reality of the idea of an “overnight success” is that it often takes a really, really long time.

As part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Began Leading My Company” I had the pleasure of interviewing F. Scott Moody. He is the co-founder and CEO of K4Connect, a mission-driven technology company that integrates the best in technology to serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities, along with the people, communities, and organizations that serve them. The Company’s solutions made specifically for older adults — whether for senior living communities or homes — integrate the latest in smart technologies, applications, and services into a single comprehensive system.

Previously, Moody was the co-founder, chairman and CEO of AuthenTec, the fingerprint sensor technology company that was acquired by Apple in 2012. At AuthenTec, Moody raised over 70 million dollars in venture capital and led the Company’s successful IPO (NASDAQ). Focusing on the PC and cell phone industries, Moody helped grow AuthenTec to over 300 employees with development centers in Melbourne, Florida, Shanghai and Vught, the Netherlands. Upon its acquisition, the Company had more than 200 patents. AuthenTec remains the only public company ever acquired by Apple and its technologies are now the foundation for Apple’s Touch ID.

Moody began his career at Harris Semiconductor, now Intersil, in 1980 where he eventually became VP of a 200M dollars business division before co-founding AuthenTec.

In addition to K4Connect, Moody is also an Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Blackstone Network, an advisor to the National Science Foundation’s ASSIST program at North Carolina State University, and a regional board member for Hope International. He is also the founder of First Talent Ventures, which advises and invests in early stage startups in the Southeast and Africa.

Moody received a BSIE from North Carolina State University and an executive MBA from the University of Florida.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I am the CEO, Co-Founder and Chief Member Advocate of K4Connect, a mission-driven tech company that integrates the best in technology to serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities. I was previously the co-founder and CEO of AuthenTec, the only public company ever acquired by Apple and its technologies led to the introduction of the Touch ID.

What was the “Aha Moment” that led to the idea for your current company? Can you share that story with us?

After AuthenTec was acquired, I was on a clear path to retirement. The genesis of K4Connect happened through a few life-changing meetings on a mission trip to Rwanda, where I met an entrepreneur named Jennifer. And later, where I met a man named Eric living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Raleigh, NC.

In Rwanda, Jennifer was a mission worker who had started 15 orphanages there using the proceeds from a bakery and coffee shop that she also started to employ battered women. Quite frankly, I was embarrassed after I met her — I felt like I was incredibly blessed in life and I owe it to give back.

When I returned to Raleigh, I began to network within the startup ecosystem and started mentoring young entrepreneurs. There, I met Jonathan Gould (K4Connect’s Co-Founder & VP of Advanced Technologies) and he had the idea for the company to integrate products and software into a single platform in the space of Internet of Things (IoT).

The current technology on the market was either too hard to use or too expensive, but we didn’t have a vertical end market in mind. That is until I met with Eric, who was an advocate for the homeless and was living with MS. Eric explained his daily struggles and that he only had the energy for 1,000 good steps per day. If this IoT technology could help him be more productive with these 1,000 steps per day, it could also help other disabled and older people within the population. This was the inspiration to pursue this potential market of older adults and people living with disabilities with K4Connect.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

A few years ago, not long after we started K4Connect, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It was benign, but the operation and recovery were more difficult and longer than thought. It was certainly no fun, and quite painful, yet as I look back at that time now, I really consider it a blessing. It is one thing to be empathetic to those we serve at K4Connect, but a whole other thing to walk (or for a few weeks not walk) in their shoes.

As I went through the various challenges I experienced, I just kept thinking, “what does a poor person do?” I had a caregiving wife, I had insurance, I had money, but what would have happened had I not? Who would have been there to help? I kept thinking about what it would have been like for my Dad. While he had a caring and loving wife, they did not have insurance and had very little in terms of money. I’m sure he would have recovered, but very likely not as well, certainly not as fast, and would have been even worse off financially. There is no doubt that experience helped shape me and our company, serving those that are so often both technologically and economically underserved.

So, how are things going today? How did your grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?

At the end of the day, helping people and empowering them to live better lives is what drives K4Connect. Throughout this journey I kept thinking about the work Jennifer was doing and how I wanted to give back. I keep thinking about what Eric goes through — and others like him — on a daily basis and want to build and provide a tech (because that’s what I know best how to do) that can empower people like Eric.

Today, K4Connect is serving tens of thousands of older adults in over 800 senior living communities — and growing.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

The general public might not be aware that the first time in history older adults will outnumber children. By 2035, there will be 78 million people 65 years and older compared to 76.4 million under the age of 18 in the U.S, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

While the number of individuals over the age of 65 is rapidly growing, the number of caregivers available to take care of this population is declining. That’s a major issue. It’s true this has been an issue for some time, but the COVID-19 pandemic really brought global attention to this challenge in senior living. What makes us stand out is that we’ve developed a technology that can help solve this by integrating any type of tech. It’s called FusionOS and it brings all of a senior living community’s technology products and services into one single system — just like the operating system working behind the scenes to connect all of the apps and tools on your smartphone. Ultimately, this all benefits our primary end user — the resident.

Older adults living alone at home now have more responsive living environments through smart home automated devices such as lighting and temperature; at-home safety dramatically increases through passive motion-sensing and reporting devices. We had a gentleman with Parkinson’s Disease share that he uses his Amazon Alexa device to orient himself when he awakes confused, and a woman with macular degeneration use Alexa to read her favorite books and important information when eyesight was a challenge for her. Ultimately, these technologies are helping older adults and those with disabilities live more independently — we call it simpler, healthier and happier.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Two come to mind:

I think one of the most important character traits for any founder (really, anyone) is empathy. There is truth in the saying, “you don’t really understand someone until you walk in their shoes.” Of course, you can’t always do that, but people — particularly today — need to work hard to understand the relative experiences of others. And while empathy is something of value in every aspect of your life — and yet we all seem to show too little of it — it is critical for the founder of a business. To really understand the customer, you must walk in the shoes of those you serve.

A second important character trait that has been instrumental in my success are my management and leadership skills. How I see it — a good manager effectively sees a project through, while a good leader is someone who can inspire and motivate others to a common goal. Companies can choose who are the managers in a company, but leadership is something earned. Almost any definition of leadership will include honesty and integrity as being essential, and while true, I tend to think another particularly critical element for the entrepreneur is to recognize that they are a member of a much larger team. It seems to me that too many entrepreneurs today focus more on self-promotion than that of their company or other team members.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

When I had just started my previous company, AuthenTec, I knew someone who was the CEO of another semiconductor startup that told me, “Starting a company is like running a marathon.” Despite the hype around startups, it takes a very long time to breed that “overnight success.” Technologies and companies often toil in the netherworld for years before the technology or company goes center stage — or has any level of success. What that means is that you can’t just think near term, for example, pop out your product, generate lots of revenue, and sell your company for a billion dollars. It doesn’t happen like that. You have to have a vision. What my colleague did not tell me, however, is that you have to run that marathon at a sprinter’s pace! Everything you do is driven by speed. Sure, you have the think long term, but at the same time, you have to perform now. Unlike a real marathon, which just clocks your time in the end, in a startup, you can get kicked off the course at any time if you are not making enough progress fast enough!

What are the most common mistakes you have seen CEOs & founders make when they start a business? What can be done to avoid those errors?

You need to understand a market and customers well enough that you are solving problems that they don’t even know exist. If you ask a customer what they want, whatever you come out with will be late and wrong. Big companies focus on incrementalism, while startups have to focus on something that is material, something that will leapfrog what’s currently on the market. When I was 41 we started AuthenTec, we knew who we are selling to and had a vision for the fingerprint sensors to get in that market. You have to know enough about your customers and the market so you can come out with a product or solution that makes the difference.

Do due diligence on your idea. People are eager to start their entrepreneurial journey so they just go out with their idea. If you’re looking to get financing for your startup, due diligence on your own product must be done because venture capitalists and investors will be well in-tune with your market. You have to understand the competition and how the product/solution is differentiated.

It takes a really long time — perseverance. There is a lot of lost sleep; you never get away from it and you’ll go through ups and downs that you never expected. If you’re going around with something that you think is a great idea, 99% of investors will reject you. You have to be determined.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Began Leading My Company”? Please share a story or an example for each.

Throughout this interview I talked about most of these, but here are some thoughts for individuals considering starting their own company:

1. A startup is like an ultra-marathon, but you have to go at a sprinter pace, the only variation being how steep the hill is in front of you on any given day. It’s crazy hard and from the start, you have to understand your why — why in fact you are doing this. It is the “why” that gets you through those tough days, weeks, quarters, or even years. In the end, the reality of the idea of an “overnight success” is that it often takes a really, really long time.
2. Don’t believe your own BS, or that of others. First, you have to understand everyone is hyping his or her company. Do you really think that everyone actually lives the life they show on social media? It’s the same with startups, they only tell folks the good stuff. The zoo in the back room, well, not so much. Outside, share your holistic vision in all its grandeur. Inside, keep plugging all those holes, because there will be plenty of them!
3. It’s all about the team. I don’t care how smart you are, or likely how smart you think you are, it takes a team coming together to make it happen.
4. That team includes your investors, look for those that can truly add value, that know what they are doing. Fact is that they can help make your company a success or they can squeeze the life out of it, and you.
5. This is not the most important thing in your life. For me, that is God and family, bar none. Your family has to buy into the idea of your doing a startup, since they will be affected too. As they say, it doesn’t do any good to win the battle if you lose the war.

How can our readers further follow you online?

Visit www.k4connect.com and follow us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this!

More from Thrive Global, here!

One of the most important lessons from 2020, especially for senior living communities, was the tremendous value of technology in times of crisis. Our K4Community, operating system, approach plays an absolutely critical role, surfacing all of the technology a senior living community needs in one one easy to use place.

May 6, 2021

By: Cindy Phillips, K4Advisors Managing Partner

We’ve passed the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 in the United States, and we continue to reflect on the past year. We learned a lot of lessons, but one of the most important, especially for senior living communities, was the tremendous value of technology in times of crisis.

We saw this happen around the world, and we continue to see it making an impact today. Residents in lockdown relied on technologies to help keep them informed on important community news and information, stay engaged with access to virtual activities and, most importantly, create ways to maintain contact with family and loved ones through digital communications like video chat.

But although COVID accelerated the need for these solutions, technology traditionally has not been developed to serve the older adult user — this brings inherent challenges. For residents, that’s often learning new apps and devices, managing personal accounts and using new technologies designed for younger demographics. For staff members, managing and supporting all of these different systems on top of everything else they are managing day-to-day, not to mention during a crisis, becomes incredibly difficult. Ultimately, the more barriers to adoption and usage, the higher the risks of technology actually providing value to the users (in this case, residents and staff).

This is where the operating system, or OS, approach plays an absolutely critical role, surfacing all of the technology a community needs in one one easy to use place. The OS acts as a centralized management system that propels the technology helping senior living residents live their lives to the fullest.

Among many benefits of an OS, there were three categories we saw increase in importance over the past year, and we expect it to continue well into the future as senior living continues to adopt more and more tech.

Stay informed – scaled communication

We’ve learned during the past year just how important it is for senior living community staff and operators to ensure residents stay informed of important news and events, from emergency protocols to daily menus. But delivering this information at scale — and often to different groups — is incredibly difficult without a digital component. Communication during a crisis is all about speed, alignment and coverage — printed materials slipped under doors or posted to common areas is not going to cut it. This process is time consuming for staff and also leaves a significant gap where residents are lacking information.

Having a system throughout a campus that can provide information about COVID-19 safety procedures, or emergency information or more general community news announcements, is key. For example, digital resident communications solutions such as common area digital signage and in-room community TV channels provide a dependable and efficient method of disseminating information quickly and at scale.

Managing and integrating multiple communications systems, however, often is challenging for staff members. Details can get lost between the different communication channels, or information can quickly become out of date or misaligned — the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about mask policies, the day’s menu items, corporate branding collateral, etc.

An OS makes it possible to not just ensure that residents and staff alike receive the right messages; it also gives staff members the tools to do so efficiently. Staff can manage these tasks simply — and even remotely — in one singular interface that speaks to all of these communications channels, saving time while ensuring accuracy.

Stay engaged – Diverse, virtual programming

It’s vitally important for older adults to stay engaged with activities with the surrounding community and the world at large — something that became almost impossible for much over the past year. As activity rooms and group events shut down, communities were hustling to find ways to consistently reach residents inside their homes to keep them engaged. An OS gives senior living communities access to all sorts of apps that do this — from mindfulness to entertainment — and seamlessly deliver it through connected tools such as a mobile application or an in-room TV channel. Staff members no longer are needing to find time to create socially distanced or at-home programming on top of the crisis management they’re tasked with; instead, they are bringing engagement content directly to residents with expansive libraries of activities and experiences.

Other apps allow older adults to easily access virtual activity calendars and get updates about a community’s clubs and organizations. Some communities might offer their own social media system to help residents develop connections. It’s even possible to record video content to share with others. We’ve also seen some of our communities engage in socially distanced hallway singalongs using Amazon Alexa, which shows how technology can empower creative solutions.

But, no matter how it’s accomplished, staying engaged is important for the well-being of residents, and it’s an easy to use system can make all these things come together easily and efficiently.

Stay connected – Dependable family connections

At the top of the list for any older adults’, or any age for that matter, quality-of-life is to stay connected to loved ones. Every grandparent wants to see and hear their grandchildren or children. Over the years, friends may have moved around the country but still want to remain close. It’s also crucially important to have a communication system in place to contact family members in case of an emergency.

But it’s tricky for many older adults to stay on top of the latest communication trends, such as Zoom or FaceTime, that make keeping these connections easy. An OS can create easy-to-manage ways for residents to have a video chat with family and friends, integrating a variety of tools and apps that allow residents to communicate however they prefer. This can even include hands-free communication via voice-activated devices to dial a phone number or to have an email read out loud.

An OS propels the technologies that help older adults keep in touch with those closest to their hearts — as well as with all forms of communications that keep them informed and engaged. At the same time, it gives staff the support they need to seamlessly deliver and manage these new solutions at scale. Having an OS in place allows communities to accomplish what they need to today while laying a technology foundation that allows them to easily expand as their needs evolve — something that proved invaluable during the crisis of the past year. Whether a global pandemic or other crisis scenario that brings similar challenges, the OS approach ensures communities have the ability to quickly, and at scale, launch the tools and resources they need.

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