Senior Care

Increase Resident Engagement

February 2, 2022
Garin Gustafson
Post by
Garin Gustafson

I sat down with Alpine Media Technology’s CEO & Co-Founder to discuss their new product Quiltt, a new mobile app to help Senior Care communities better communicate with key stakeholders: from residents, their families, and staff this app is a must have. 

Why The Quiltt App and why now?

While we first started in the ski resort industry, we knew the foundation of our tech platform would apply and appeal to many other industries. The need for real-time, digital communication is paramount in today’s world, both during a pandemic and post pandemic. With senior care facilities hosting the world’s most vulnerable population coupled with staffing the most exposed group, those being the front line workers, we felt this was a much needed gap to fill. Our ability to provide a mobile app messaging resource helps senior care facility operators communicate to key stakeholders much more effectively, efficiently and above all, timely. Fortunately for us, this is what our guest messaging, mobile platform was built to do. 

 

How does Quiltt support new changes surrounding Covid-19 policies and updates?

Quiltt can support both the abundance and frequency of messaging surrounding Covid-19. The messaging can be targeted to either the residents, staff groups, or the families of the residents, ensuring all key stakeholders are informed in real-time. 

Additionally, the Quiltt app is not subject to spam filters that are applicable with emails and even some text based solutions. With its push notification abilities, facility operators can be sure messaging is getting to the appropriate parties and in real-time knowing that not everyone will be checking websites and facebook pages as regularly. A mobile platform is a must for most businesses these days and most certainly now for the senior care segment. 

 

What are some of the key benefits for the families of these senior care residents?

We are really excited about Quiltt’s role with the families of the residents. This has been a group that has not always been as updated and informed as much as they might like. Keeping in mind, families play a major role in deciding which facility their loved one secures, and in many cases, help manage the various services and contribute financially. Quiltt takes a proactive approach with this group, informing family members of the relevant news and facility updates surrounding the care of their loved one. From access to event and menu listings to emergency updates, weather and maps, this information can not only provide a peace of mind for families but the opportunity to engage with their loved ones as well; join for a weekly walk or a specific meal lets say.  

 

How does Quiltt complement other tech resources being used by facilities?

Complement is the key word here as there are many great apps that help monitor resident’s health, track medication, or specific for caregivers in regards to their own self- care. Quiltt is a messaging and communication resource, not necessarily a management tool. Above all, the Quiltt app aims to inform and update key stakeholders with relevant and real-time information, accessible anytime, anywhere. We’ve discovered this type of communication resource is filling a void for an area that wasn’t being fully addressed given the focus for the more one to one tech solutions mentioned above. 

 

What features of the Quiltt app will facility operators most likely use the most?

For senior care facility operators the Quilt app helps with the overall simplicity of pushing out messages and communicating in a much more efficient and effective way. Executive, Activity and Communication Directors will see the most use from Quiltt but as new features are added and current ones evolve it will be interesting to see the overall use increase among operators. 

The ability to push out mass messaging to large groups from a single touch of a button will not only provide Directors peace of mind but should reduce overall liability for the facility while increasing retention. Quiltt provides an added value that’s difficult to quantify but with facilities now hosting family members three to four generations deep, any tool or service that can build loyalty is key. As the entire world continues to shift more and more to mobile, Quiltt is an app for now and the future. 

 

How can the residents benefit from the Quiltt app?

You know, this group was hit so hard by Covid-19 and social distancing really impacted their social interactions. With visitations canceled and even most of the common area spaces closed, many residents have been confined to their rooms. In some cases, meals are dropped by their door with only a knock as a greeting.

A recent study from UCSF showed that loneliness was associated with a 60% increased risk of death. So it’s great to see apps like the Nest Hub Max by Google, a video call technology, being used to help retirement home residents feel a little less isolated. 

With Quiltt, we’ve added ‘pulse surveys’ to enable senior care residents to report how they are feeling in the moment.  This information is then shared with the facility staff who can then attend to the resident if appropriate.  But what we’re really excited about is how this same information is also shared with family members.  Family members then may want to call and talk with their loved one or do something more subtle and send smiles, waves, hearts or something along those lines to show they are thinking of them.

 

What is the pricing structure for the Quiltt app? Who pays and How Much?

The Quiltt App is available to senior care facilities as a monthly subscription with no limits on the number of residents or family members that can be added. We offer a range of options designed to meet the budgets of every facility including a ‘free forever’ option.  While some facilities have built similar apps, our ability to develop, maintain and deliver across an entire network while still maintaining customized features and needs is both affordable and sensible. What would easily cost them an equivalent price for just several hours of IT per month, we are able to dedicate full-time resources to this app, evolving and adapting to the growing needs of the industry.  

What are some of the limitations of the Quiltt app?

As stated before, we do what we do best in terms of addressing the messaging and communication needs for the groups mentioned above. We will maintain that focus and commitment to our facility partners and hope that new prospects are properly informed as to how we fill a piece of the overall tech-care ecosystem. The initial feedback from various department heads across an array of facility sizes and types has made our team very optimistic about the adoption and outlook for Quiltt.  

 

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About Quiltt
Quiltt is a mobile messaging and communication platform for senior living communities. Quiltt delivers real-time information and updates to enhance the way residents, families, and staff are informed about relevant community news. Quiltt improves overall communication, resident engagement, and operational efficiency. Quiltt’s push messaging capabilities ensure recipients are notified about important information and updates. Quiltt is available for both iOS and Android devices, on the web, and through digital signage displays. Quiltt helps optimize your communication strategy, leading to increased satisfaction for residents, families, and staff. To learn more, visit quiltt.com