In later living communities, high performance internet connectivity will boost quality of life for residents, along with satisfaction levels and outcomes for the later living housing operator.
Wifinity has been lucky to work with organisations in the later living sector since 2023. We are involved in the rollout of a new high-quality WiFi service in partnership with Anchor Hanover, one of the country’s largest providers. However, unlike traditional broadband, we’re doing things differently.
To give individuals a robust and secure network that offers a ‘home-like’ broadband experience, our service gives each resident a private, secure network, allowing them to connect personal devices and use online services with confidence, even whilst roaming about their later living development.
Wifinity presented our experience at this month’s ARCO Conference 2024 and wanted to share the positive use cases for both residents and operators and the community in which they live and work.
Increasing Digital Inclusion
Reliable home WiFi lets residents in later life stay connected, active and part of the digital world. The majority have used the internet for much of their lives and want to keep using it as they did before their move. Access to high performance WiFi allows them to do the basics like follow the news, enjoy online entertainment, and stay in touch with friends and family. But it also makes much more happen.
Buffer free video calls, social media interaction, and access to online forums, online classes, hobby groups and volunteer opportunities help maintain strong connections with their family and friends. Online access to common interest groups, like political memberships or pressure groups, allow affiliations and influence to continue regardless of location.
Residents can continue to work should they want or need to, while access to local community events brings the outside in. Encouraging continuous learning and enabling access to interests and passions, is an essential way to reduce isolation, improve mental health and overall well-being.
One resident that Wifinity has spoken to, continued her learning by enrolling in the University of the Third Age (u3a). She was able to pursue her interests, communicate with other members and to continue learning from home. Another determined resident, passionate about politics, who attended many rallies and demonstrations in her past is now housebound. She is able to continue her passion, helping to organise future rallies, communicating with members, and emailing local politicians to share her views.
Digital Service Access
With personal, work-related and government services becoming increasingly paper free and digitised, internet access means that life admin can be managed from home. This is especially important for those with mobility issues or for the convenience and safety of online interaction.
As a managed internet supplier, we know that some online banking, local government and healthcare services are new to a lot of people, and extra digital life skills support is needed. That’s why we have a team of customer engagement representatives who help residents face-to-face to understand how to get online and use common applications. Tailoring it to the individual needs of the residents and freeing up the resources of the onsite staff, who might otherwise need to spend time administering the service.
Enhanced Care Levels
Our infrastructure also supports systems and applications that enable better resident care – both within the community and from external providers. I like to think of any care network (I mean this in the people sense), as an ecosystem that works best when every stakeholder has the tools to carry out their work in the most efficient way.
If the later living property for example, doesn’t have solid connectivity, access to health and wellness applications, residents’ own health-monitoring devices, emergency response systems, real-time alerts and devices used by visiting health professionals are all compromised. This reduces quality of life and efficiency for the provider.
A network (now in the technical sense!) that supports these devices and integrations means that residents get ongoing, timely and appropriate care. Back to the mental health point above, this also reduces anxiety and trust in the community’s ability to support their needs.
Third-Party Suppliers and Contractors
The same benefits are replayed for other third-party suppliers and contractors like telemedicine services, food delivery, or home maintenance. Remote and mobile services take a ‘mobile first’ approach, which needs a predictable internet connection across the property.
Cellular coverage – even with the addition of 5G – can never be everywhere, and engineering and environmental factors mean that in-home WiFi is still the preferred solution. These suppliers are all part of the pyramid of care. Making them effective means that resident satisfaction stays high. Nothing should stand between a resident and their Friday night Deliveroo!
Benefits to Later Living Properties
In the same way that coffee shops and pubs were early adopters of guest WiFi services, because they quickly understood that it attracted and retained loyal customers, the later living provider or management company that sees digital connectivity as a priority, will attract and retain residents. Moreover, a more modern, connected, and satisfying working environment will also attract and retain staff.
Greater Resident Satisfaction
The availability of high-performance WiFi directly correlates with higher levels of resident satisfaction.
Residents who can easily connect to reliable internet are more likely to rate their living experience positively, are less likely to relocate, and build a better, stronger community.
Staff and Contractor Happiness
A connected working environment is critical for employee satisfaction and retention. Poor conditions lead to high turnover rates, low productivity and morale. A 2021 Society for Human Resource Management report (SHRM) found that organisations with poor workplace environments see an average employee turnover rate of 48%, compared to just 13% with well-equipped supportive facilities.
It merits to consider the role of connectivity in efficient communication and coordination, more effective service delivery and maintenance. Connected staff can use digital tools to manage their tasks and communicate with residents, enhancing overall productivity and service quality.
Smart Home = Happy & Efficient Home
I can’t imagine life without my smart devices at home. Google gives me someone to shout at.
We all have our favourite smart home Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The property’s centralised network will allow automated home management: lighting, heating and security systems, making life more comfortable and safer for residents, let alone saving them money. Plus, a major contribution to the property’s energy efficiency and sustainability.
In our recent experience, installing high-performance WiFi across multiple later living sites is complex and requires meticulous planning and execution. Every property is different and needs to be surveyed to understand its unique requirements. A poor plan leads to poor results. Wifinity’s planning process reduces any downtime and supports a smooth service rollout, so that residents and staff can benefit from day one.
Making the network span all areas of a property also improves efficiency and puts in place a unified system for staff, residents, and visitors. The setup simplifies management and ensures consistent connectivity throughout all private rooms and communal areas.
Resident Support: The Critical Success Factor
We’ve made rollout even smoother with a unique approach. Active engagement with residents is crucial for the success of any new WiFi system, it helps them to be empowered, building trust and satisfaction.
To support residents in their digital journey our customer engagement team goes into communities, educating residents on how to use the new system, setting up their devices, and providing ongoing support.
Any later living WiFi investment must be future-proofed higher bandwidth demand and support for more advanced services. We help install scalable and flexible solutions, allowing properties to stay competitive and relevant.
At ARCO I heard that every later living community is focused on the resident. In the same way that today’s teenagers are ‘digital natives,’ our goal is to create a connected, supportive, and thriving environment for ‘digital residents’ by supporting their digital inclusion, health and well-being, satisfaction.
Contact stephanie.smith@wifinity.co.uk for more information about Wifinity later living connectivity solutions or learn more by visiting our Retirement Community Internet Services.