Implementing new technologies in your communities to fight COVID-19


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Implementing new technologies in your communities to fight COVID-19

By Cubigo | 6 April 2020 | News

Senior Living providers have been hit hard by the pandemic as older adults are at increased risk from COVID-19. Most communities have now set emergency plans in place for the implementation of mitigation strategies. The operational challenges are considerable and team members are under continuous pressure to keep up with the new way of operating. Several providers are tapping into new technologies to cope with the crisis. Here’s an overview on how and why they are doing so.

A technology blanket helps to adapt to the new normal for staff, residents and family

During crisis situations, work processes that require new approaches are developed. These new approaches are implemented to cope with the new reality, requiring shorter communication loops, managing a higher volume of requests and implementing remote activities.

Some examples on how Senior Living providers have been rolling-out technology to cope with COVID-19:

  • Limit visitors and implement screening: the traditional sign-in book at the front desk isn’t adapted to a rigorous entrance procedure. Several communities have rolled out Visitor Management & iPad Sign in Software to make this process work smoothly.
  • Setting up new digital communication channels: having staff running around to hand-out the daily memos with the latest update to residents has not only been very inefficient but also entails a risk of cross-contamination. By using resident applications and in-room TV channels staff has been able to share information in a safe and efficient way.
  • Efficient distribution of the meals: many communities shut down their restaurants or are implementing staggered dining services. This an extremely cumbersome process but with the use of a resident and staff app, meal delivery and restaurant attendance can be managed very efficiently.

“COVID-19 placed a lot of extra stress on our organizations staff, using a tool to streamline communication and processes has helped us to reduce anxiety and improve efficiency” 

 

Implementing new technologies during crisis it is about communication and ease of adoption

The implementation of technology requires a smooth and clear process, and especially in the Covid-19 crisis it’s crucial to listen to the exact needs, make the implementation as plug-and-play as possible and make everything done remotely (setup, training, …).

  • Listen to the team members with empathy 

Pushback―or resistance, is inevitable with any type of major change like implementing new digital workflows. Implementing changes under time pressure and during a crisis can even be harder. Under stress, people have difficulty hearing, understanding and recalling information.

It is also important that staff feel they are being listened to before proposing new tools. Cubigo provides communication kits using graphics and visual aids to help to inform the staff how the platform can help them in times of crisis.

  • Easy of use to ensure a quick adoption

Cubigo’s platform has been designed since the beginning with the end-user in mind. It is a user-friendly interface focusing on helping staff members to get the “job done”. Our customer support agents provide individual 15min walkthrough sessions to get staff set-up in no-time.

Times are changing, and while technology adoption is rising within Senior Living Organizations the COVID19 crisis is propelling the adoption of these new solutions.

 

The Cubigo team recognizes the seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic, we understand how important your work is right now and want to help by providing you with pertinent information and the right tools.We encourage you to reach out to us individually or at covid19@cubigo.com.