How would you feel seeing the joy of a lonely resident visiting with a volunteer? Harnessing a network with over 1.6 million volunteers could make this a daily experience for you and your residents.
As the leading provider of visitor management technology for senior living and skilled nursing, we are committed to helping your community harness the power of visitor data to address industry-wide issues. We are thrilled to introduce a radical new initiative that empowers you with the awareness and resources you need to manage resident isolation and loneliness risks effectively.
Introducing #ProjectLoveMeter
We are pleased to announce the official launch of #ProjectLoveMeter, a social movement coupled with innovative technology and data insights to help operators and clinicians identify and mitigate the risks of isolation and loneliness, increase volunteer resources, and facilitate connectedness, one visit at a time.
The mission of #ProjectLoveMeter is to tackle the rising epidemic of social isolation, loneliness, and mental decline among residents living in senior living and skilled nursing, which often stems from a lack of social interaction and engagement with visitors.
Through data collection, customer collaboration, and industry awareness, we aim to create one of the largest volunteer networks available to our customers. We believe that, by working together, our industry can solve common barriers and promote resident quality of life for those we serve.
Resident Isolation & Loneliness Prevention Starts Here.
Resident social isolation and loneliness rates are on the climb in senior living and skilled nursing resident populations, and despite industry efforts, there needs to be more resources to effectively manage residents’ social connectedness.
Several statistics in Senior Living and Skilled Nursing emphasize the prevalence of the issue:
- 50% of residents have no close relatives
- 46% have no living children
- 50% receive no visitors
“We are in an immediate and urgent need to address the emotional health of those who are living in long-term care and senior living communities. Unless we proactively address isolation and loneliness, emotional and physical resident issues will increase, drastically impacting an already strained workforce.” Dr. Wahab, Curana Health
Historically, life enrichment directors and programs have been utilized to address the social needs of residents in senior living and skilled nursing facilities. Life enrichment programs typically include group activities and engagement platforms on set schedules. However, due to limited resources, these programs are often not enough to promote and sustain social connections among residents effectively. #ProjectLoveMeter seeks to help by providing operators and life enrichment directors with data and insights to proactively detect risks of loneliness. It also aims to supply essential volunteer support to help staff enhance the engagement and connections that residents need and deserve.
Charles Mann, Founder and CSO at Accushield, sums it up as follows,
“Our senior living and skilled nursing partners do an amazing job of caring for their residents. #ProjectLoveMeter aims to augment that care by utilizing volunteer resources to come alongside community staff to love their residents and enhance the quality of their lives. We are excited to proactively address loneliness and see both residents and staff thrive!”
Identify. Evaluate. Reduce
With #ProjectLoveMeter, Accushield will use an “isolation score” calculated by their kiosk-based software platform to identify residents who may be “at risk” of social disconnectedness due to a low number of visitations and other engagement factors. When a resident is identified as “at risk,” the software intelligently matches the resident with volunteers who share similar likes, interests, and availability.
The Accushield volunteer network currently has 1.6 million people but will also utilize partnerships with universities, churches, industry groups, local businesses, and other entities in search of volunteer opportunities. All volunteers undergo a credentialing process that meets community standards. Through an advanced matching algorithm, residents are paired with volunteers who have similar interests, availability, hobbies, and more, promoting enriching and meaningful social interactions.
Building Connections: The Heart of Accushield
The #ProjectLoveMeter initiative is part of Accushield’s broader mission to leverage this visitor data collected at the kiosk to improve resident care and social connectedness in senior living and skilled nursing. Since its start in 2013, Accushield has replaced over 7,000 traditional paper-based visitor sign-in books with a digital tablet, allowing communities to collect valuable visitor data that would otherwise be trapped in the sign-in books. The #ProjectLoveMeter upgrade allows Accushield customers to unlock the power of their visitor data to put lonely and potentially disconnected residents on a higher path to healthy, connected living.
Want to learn more?
Click here for more information about #ProjectLoveMeter
Want to join the Accushield Volunteer Network?
Click here to join the #ProjectLoveMeter Volunteer Network, and help make a difference in the lives of residents in your community. Together, we can make a positive impact
