Quality of life at retirement residences isn’t just about care. Community, recreation, events, and nutrition are all cornerstones of providing a better retirement residence experience. Any efforts to improve quality of life in retirement residences has to start with these 4 key elements.
1. Meaningful Recreation
Recreation is the biggest factor after care affecting quality of life for seniors, especially when chronic illness can impair their ability to pursue favorite hobbies from the past. Recreation planning should focus on pairing a senior’s personal interests and strengths while providing solutions when illness or impairment might prevent full enjoyment. For example, an animal lover may enjoy trips to the zoo, but require a mobility aid to fully enjoy the trip. A bookworm with impaired vision could use audio books or a low vision aid.
2. Community Events
Likewise, it’s important for a retirement residence to plan meaningful community events for residents, from pet therapy to physical fitness sessions led by professional trainers. Community events can be a great way to change the usual routine and bring residents together for something special. It’s equally important to inform residents of community events, something that’s easily done with digital signage in the common room.
3. Healthy Food & Information
As people age, their nutritional requirements change with them. At the cafeteria, you can help seniors make better decisions by providing nutritional information such as calorie counts, sodium content (people need to stay better hydrated as they age), and other nutritional information. Residents will thank you for providing both more choices and the information they need to stay healthy.
4. Community Communication
Communication in a retirement residence is a crucial way to keep residents informed about upcoming events and creating a better sense of community. How can a retirement residence do a better job about making sure residents know what’s happening in their community?
Digital signage solutions are being used in more and more environments for just such a purpose. As digital signage companies like Netvisual focus their efforts on new industries like retirement residences, there are more and better options available when it comes to design, installation, and ongoing support. How can digital signage solutions help?
1. Welcoming New Residents and Staff – A healthy community is one where people know each other. When a retirement residence welcomes a new resident or staff member, let everyone hear about it.
2. In-House Channels – With software from digital signage company Netvisual, retirement residences can broadcast their digital signage network on an in-house TV channel accessible on residents’ in-house TV sets. They can look up what’s new, what’s for dinner, and what to look forward to in the future.
3. Dietary Information – In addition to providing healthier meals in the cafeteria, digital signage solutions help you share that information with your residences. Using easy-to-update signs from Netvisual, you can post all dietary and nutritional information you want on the day’s menu.
Digital signage solutions are helping retirement residences communicate with their residents. They help build a stronger sense of community and help residents make better lifestyle decisions. Start researching digital signage solutions today.
