Enhancing Our Resident Family Connection Program with New TabletsFor residents and families of Westminster Communities of Florida’s Health Centers, communication and connection during a pandemic can be difficult. But with a new Communicative Technology Grant from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), we are now able to offer additional technology to facilitate video calls using tablets.
We received the tablets after being given approval for more than $25,000 in grants for our communities to purchase these new devices, thanks to CMS.
That’s why Westminster Communities of Florida created our Resident Family Connection program to facilitate video calls for Health Center residents and their family members. A video call can be a support for someone who misses seeing their grandkids, or a lifeline for husband and wife to stay in touch when one is receiving long-term nursing care or recuperating from a major surgery. Through our Resident Family Connection program, Westminster has worked with our residents to help them keep in contact virtually.
With the approval of this grant, we have been able to provide 60 tablets for use by residents living in our Health Centers in nine communities. Our team members love helping residents utilize these tablets and connect with their families.
A Resident Using One of the Tablets“It’s been wonderful to be able to see and talk to my parents with these video calls,” said Suzanne Heffinger, whose parents live at Westminster Towers in Orlando. Heffinger said that, with all the necessary restrictions that are in place for the safety of all residents and employees, it’s been hard not visiting her parents – but also a reassurance that they’re safe. “Missing out on a month or a few months is so important, I’d rather that they be safe,” she said. “They would not have been able to do these video calls on their own, but every Friday at 12 o’clock, someone’s there to help them get on FaceTime.”
Thank you to CMS and AHCA for the grant and the opportunity to facilitate better connections between residents and their families.
