As the COVID-19 pandemic spread its way across the world last year and into 2021, no global industry or market was left untouched. The senior living industry, unfortunately, was no different.
While political governance on how to handle the pandemic seemed to change by the day, industry leaders and their community team members were pushed to not only pivot their strategies and operations accordingly.
According to Ricki Kaneti, founder and CEO of Colonial Assisted Living, headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, “We were forced to remain resilient and continue pushing forward to support our residents in the face of the pandemic’s growing threat.”
A year later, the COVID-19 threat has all but vanished, and residents have been able to return to living their lives almost exactly as they had prior to the pandemic’s onset. However, the pandemic also forced industry leaders to revisit the ways in which they not only prepare for inevitable crises but also how they can continue to add and provide value for community residents.
Communication
In the senior living industry, communication must not only be openly transparent, but it must also be timely and comprehensive. This was especially important during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when residents were prevented from receiving physical visits, forcing industry leaders to become more creative with the ways in which their residents could communicate and remain in contact with their loved ones.
By creating spaces where employees, as well as residents and their families, can freely communicate, businesses can continue to provide the highest standard of quality care.
Ongoing Social Engagement
Scientific research has shown that social engagement is a crucial factor in improving our mental health. This is especially true for older adults and senior residents in retirement communities, whose social activities and engagements have been proven to improve brain function and overall health.
Because social engagement is crucial for the health of older individuals, it is vital that communities continuously provide new activities that improve the emotional, mental, and physical health of community residents.
Surveying Community Health Needs
“The health of our community residents remains at the forefront of our minds as we slowly approach an end to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Kaneti. “Although the measures many of us in the industry put in place during the pandemic may no longer be presently needed, they can subsequently be pivoted to future health needs and challenges for our residents in the future.”
For example, along with maintaining a fully-stocked supply of consumable fluids, investing in materials such as personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitizers, and disinfecting technologies are essential in preventing the spread of most infectious diseases.
Fostering Teamwork in Company Culture
Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, no one creates a thriving business overnight. The best senior living facilities thrive due to the quality of service and care they provide, stemming from the top of your organization’s leadership chain down to your ground-level employees.
Similar to how fostering a culture of social engagement amongst residents can improve their health, fostering a similar culture amongst your employees is vital in providing the highest level of service you can for your communities.
Try implementing creative ways for your employees to interact with one another and your leadership teams, such as weekly team events, monthly programs, and even career paths for your employees to grow into leadership roles or positions with your business.
After all, just as your patient’s health will improve from increased social engagement, so too can the health of your business.
