Having a range of entertainment and precise communication is vital for senior living communities.

By Jane Kincaid

A number of studies have shown how important social interaction and stimulation is for the well being of residents, which is why having a range of entertainment and precise communication is vital for senior living communities. Senior Housing Forum partner LifeShare Technologies has created a solution known as CommunityShare that gives communities the ability to tailor their TV choices to meet a diversity of needs.

CommunityShare is aimed at keeping families, residents, and staff up to date, entertained, and engaged, says Miles McCollum, LifeShare account executive. “From digital signage to calendaring, music, games, notifications and more, CommunityShare enhances senior living environments.”

Highly User-Friendly

McCollum notes that CommunityShare is also easy to install, maintain, and customize. The web-based system is compatible with any television, eliminating the need to purchase additional hardware. The solution displays digital signage and gives users the ability to easily exit the slideshow in order to use the TV for on-demand resources, including games.

Among the games included in the system is a custom made one called Guess What, which can be tailored with clients’ own photos. McCollum states that many clients have described how excited their residents get when playing a game of all familiar pictures.   

There are also podcasts, with subscriptions available for senior-specific programming, which are constantly updated to keep up with the latest in this cutting-edge product line. One of those podcasts is Sunday at the Memories, a radio station highlighting music and events from the 40s through the 60s that many seniors listened to in their younger years.

Additional options cover the areas of therapeutic music and faith. Through a partnership with Coro Health, clients can pull music playlists up at any time via CommunityShare or schedule the music to play automatically at certain times of the day.

Variety of Resources Available

If someone has an activity and they want music in the background, or if residents are just socializing and prefer something less distracting than a TV program, then they can also key the music.

For faith-based needs, there is everything from A to Z, literally, with the entire Bible available as well as playlists containing prayers, sermons, and inspirational music in an all-audio format. If a member of the clergy happens to cancel a Sunday morning visit, clients can have their own service with music and faith programs on-demand.

On the video front, CommunityShare clients can upload their own videos or insert YouTube entries whenever they like. 

Digital signage, notifications, calendaring, and the aforementioned music and games are all designed to enhance senior living environments. While digital signage is the forefront of the system, the company realized there was also a great need to provide senior communities with additional activity resources.

Users also have the ability to get creative with CommunityShare, from birthdays and memorial recognitions to displaying pictures and videos to marketing resources, such as videos and advertisements.

What’s more, CommunityShare can be augmented with a wireless speaker option and customized with content by location. The system can even be used for staff breakrooms and delivered on a free mobile app.

To learn more about LifeShare Technologies, call (317) 825-0320 or click on the logo button below to visit their website:

Click on the button below to download a PDF copy of this article: