Wilora Lake Lodge
Improves Life Safety and Resident Communications Using the SARA System
Description
Wilora Lake Lodge in Charlotte, North Carolina is a residential community offering Independent and Assisted Living with a "safety net" of services and support. Residents have the comforts of home, in a beautiful residential setting, while enjoying the peace of mind and convenience of a community and management team that has been tested over time.Opportunity
In offering both independent and assisted living services, Wilora Lake Lodge recognized several technology challenges. Having a dated emergency call system, their options for improvement were limited. And, like many facilities, the community's use of other technology had evolved over the years from the time the original life safety systems were installed. Wilora Lake Lodge is using computers, computer networks, email, cellular telephones, two-way radios and other devices that were not present when the nurse call system was installed over a decade ago.Solution
Partnering with Status Solutions, the developer of the Situational Awareness and Response Assistant (SARA) system, Wilora Lake Lodge introduced a new way for staff and residents to communicate, added new life safety capabilities for their residents, and integrated all of the technology systems for improved efficiency and productivity.
Wireless Coverage and the "Voice" of SARA Makes Communities Safer
Using the wireless capabilities of SARA, a complete coverage area was installed across the entire campus. Wireless enables devices that previously required cumbersome wiring, such as resident pull stations and door monitors, to be installed anywhere quickly and easily. An additional and very important advantage is the introduction of mobile panic buttons (pendants) for the residents. Residents can now call for help wherever they happen to be in the community and be assured that staff will respond.
When an incident occurs, SARA delivers the alert in the form of text and/ or voice to cell phones and community-based pagers. Through integration to the community administrative phone system, SARA can simply call designated extensions and speak the alerts using the "voice" of SARA. The voice alerts can also call outside the community and announce alerts across the two-way radios.
Communicating with Residents
SARA has introduced a new and efficient way to disseminate information to residents. The "voice" of SARA can be used to call the residents on their apartment telephones and "speak" the message. SARA can call in excess of one hundred residents in less than one half hour. This capability can be used to remind residents of dinner, bingo games, dance classes and other events that are important for their quality of life and happiness.
The reminders can be automated for recurring events or sent on demand as needs arise. An activities director can simply use a SARA screen from her desktop computer, type the message, choose the residents or resident group, and then SARA makes the calls and speaks the message to the residents.
Trish Bowen, Activities Director at Wilora Lake Lodge, enters her monthly activities calendar into the system and SARA calls the residents in the "activity group" to remind them of scheduled events. Trish uses the system almost daily to send messages on-demand if there is a false fire alarm, inclement weather, or if a scheduled activity has been cancelled. According to Trish Bowen, "Most of our residents really enjoy getting a call from SARA, and being reminded about the activities that interest them most."
Bringing Everything Together
The SARA system is also designed to better leverage existing technology tools that are already in place. Wilora Lake Lodge uses computers, computer networks, email, administrative phones, a few cellular phones, and a two-way radio system. The SARA system plugs into the computer network enabling the software screens to be administered and viewed from other computers in the administrative area of the community.
Through SARA's reporting engine and event history capability, what was once viewed as raw data can now become usable information. For example, response time reports can be viewed from anywhere with the proper password access. This enables directors to be kept aware of any recurring events, and allows them to take action before a minor issue becomes a problem.
Summary
Wilora Lake Lodge can now offer an effective way to communicate with its residents, improved safety for the entire community, and enhanced efficiency for staff members. The result creates a community in which everything works together in a more efficient, cohesive, and productive manner.
Partnership
The staff at Wilora Lake Lodge has commended Status Solutions for the prompt and helpful technical support they have received since the implementation. Trish Bowen comments, "As soon as I send an email to my technical support representative, he calls me back immediately on my cell phone!"
Wilora Lake Lodge has plans to extend the ability to send voice messages and reminders to its residents in the Assisted Living facility. The activities staff is currently knocking on doors to notify residents of scheduled events and other announcements. They are excited about extending this simple-to-use communication tool to another area of their facility.
