Given technology advances, why is it that when it comes to resident engagement, we’re still dealing with separate systems sitting in silos, none that talk to each other, let alone share data?

By Susan Saldibar

Given technology advances, why is it that when it comes to resident engagement, we’re still dealing with separate systems sitting in silos, none that talk to each other, let alone share data?

And, isn’t it ironic that some of these very same systems lack the flexibility to do things like tailor messaging down to the individual? No wonder senior living operators continue to push back on technology.

During the last two segments of Steve Moran’s Conversations video session with Kian Saneii, Founder and CEO of Independa (a Senior Housing Forum partner), the problems of silos and staff communications came up. For those who aren’t familiar with Independa, they provide TV-based remote engagement and care in senior living communities. So, basically, they take something we all use, a TV, and transform it into an easy to use, highly interactive communications, social engagement, services delivery and education platform. Pretty cool.

From mass broadcasts down to a single person-to-person message. And everything in between.

Steve asked Kian how Independa handles staff communications and training. Kian explained how the flexibility of the Independa platform allows for complete customization of communications in terms of who needs what and when. “What’s promoted for the staff is very different from what’s promoted on the marketing side,” Kian tells Steve. “So, we have personal digital signage, embedded inside the system. You can have very different content go to employees for compliance and HR, and or education.”

Steve liked the idea of CEOs being able to send a motivational message to the team from their laptop. And, the granularity of being able to go from a broadcasted group messages down a message tailored to a single individual is pretty powerful stuff.

So many solutions, so little integration. No wonder we have a problem with technology.

So we have all this great technology sitting beneath some pretty creative and useful applications. Why the slow uptake among senior living operators?

Part of the problem is a lack of integration between systems. “It’s legitimately a challenge to have to manage a whole bunch of individual siloed solutions,” says Kian. “There’s a solution for social engagement, there’s a solution for telemedicine, there’s a solution for surveys (often via paper on clipboards in the hands of staff as they sit with residents), there’s a solution for dining menus in the room, there’s a solution for telecare, there’s an IoT solution so that I know if someone is in the bathroom for 4 hours, or if they got out of bed six times per night,” he adds.

The problem? All these solutions are sitting in separate silos. And that means they must be operated and maintained separately. This is why Independa created a single platform with integrated features in the first place; what they call a “platform of platforms.” Not every area is needed by each operator, or each individual. The platform gives you the flexibility to deliver all the right services for your market and for your residents.  

Steve asked Kian about pricing. Turns out it’s pretty reasonable.

Kian was more than happy to talk about pricing. It starts at about $1 dollar per person, per day, with the potential to go down substantially, depending on quantities and length of the agreement. All this opens you up a world of features you can turn on or off, depending on what you need. “It’s a pretty ridiculous ROI frankly,” Kian says. “And we deliver on the bottom line and staff efficiencies, on the top line, and on branding and resident satisfaction.” So, as you move from one level of care to another, pricing isn’t impacted.

Clearly Kian and his team at Independa have identified a need in this industry and are filling it. As Kian tells Steve, “We built it for ourselves. We can thrive at any age and we should stay where we are longer, safer and more comfortably. And we should be able to delay or eliminate the next stage or episode of care. That’s what we do.”

You can watch Steve’s interview with Kian in the “Connections” videos below. And, there are some big announcements coming soon from Independa, so you might want to stay tuned to their website.


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