How Cappella of Grand Junction Deepens Residents’ Connection with Loved Ones with Caremerge

A robust senior living activities program isn’t just good for residents. Coupled with the right family communication strategy, higher activity participation enables residents to connect more meaningfully with their loved ones at home.

Cappella of Grand Junction built an activities program modeled on that philosophy. Here’s how Cappella’s Community Life Director Misty Trout and her team strengthened connections between residents and their families and overall satisfaction by implementing Caremerge’s family and community engagement solutions.

Before Caremerge: A Fragmented Senior Living Activities Program

Prior to choosing Caremerge, Misty’s team had several criteria in deciding whether or not to renew their existing activities platform. They wanted to…

• Expand current senior living activity programming.
• Introduce an in-room TV solution for when residents are quarantined or prefer to stay in their rooms.
• Better communicate with and update family members.

Misty had heard of other senior living communities offering in-room engagement solutions, and she believed it would be a useful platform to have even during non-pandemic times, like during flu season.

She also noticed that residents were using the previous engagement platform minimally, which was taking a toll on activity attendance rates.

The Cappella team ultimately chose Caremerge because it offers multiple solutions in one platform: an activities calendar, resident engagement tools, family engagement options, and in-room TV content capabilities.

Happy Residents, Happy Families, and a Higher NPS to Show for It 

Before introducing Caremerge, Cappella’s feedback from residents’ family members usually boiled down to one request: better communication. 

Now family members are a lot more involved in residents’ day-to-day livelihoods at Cappella. With access to the activities calendar, they can encourage their mom or dad to go to events they’ll enjoy and see which ones they’ve attended. Misty often hears how much family members love receiving photos from staff members of residents participating in their favorite activities. 

Residents, too, enjoy how much more they’re able to stay in touch with their loved ones with Caremerge. She says she’s seen residents request a photo to share with loved ones because they know how much it’ll mean to them, and she hopes residents will feel encouraged to start using the app themselves.

For community-wide announcements, Misty’s team likes using the Family Announcements feature to keep family members up to date on any important changes in the community.

As a result of this new family communication strategy, Cappella’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) has risen substantially since introducing Caremerge. One resident’s family member increased their score from an 8 to a 10 after they began using Caremerge.

Boost Resident Engagement While Saving Time and Money

Cappella currently uses Caremerge’s Calendar Central and is looking forward to introducing Caremerge’s TV channel to residents.

One major operational benefit of using Caremerge is that on-site staff aren’t required to host all activities. This means Cappella can engage residents even while in-person events aren’t possible, and residents can enjoy increased access to activities right from their rooms.

With Calendar Central, residents can see what’s on the schedule for the day, and soon they’ll be able to tune in from their rooms on the TV channel. Cappella uses Caremerge to offer residents senior living activities like…

• Ted Talks
• Church services
• Fitness classes

The digital calendar and activities management system has saved Misty and team a lot of money, too, by foregoing the paper and colored ink necessary to print hundreds of community schedules.

What’s Next in 2021: Senior Living Activities That Foster Intergenerational Connection 

Misty knows that residents’ relationships with their loved ones are paramount to their overall health and well-being. Moving forward, there’s another type of relationship she’d like to cultivate with the help of Caremerge’s digital communications: intergenerational friendships.

She hopes to introduce more programs that bring children, high school students, and college students into the community to connect with residents. This creates a virtuous cycle of connection, as staff can share photos of residents with their new friends back to family members.

To learn more about how Caremerge can strengthen communication and connection in your senior living community,