Situation
The Laurels assisted living residences and The Haven residences for persons with
Alzheimer’s or other dementia represent a major step forward in residential care for the
aging. Their innovative use of real-time location systems (RTLS) provides an excellent
example of how technology can enhance resident care and service. Initially, The Laurels
and The Haven were looking for a solution that would simply replace their antiquated
nurse call system, which was incapable of pointing to the true location of a resident who
requested assistance. It’s not hard to imagine how difficult and time-consuming it was
for the staff to determine where the resident in need was located. This situation was
not only negatively impacting staff productivity, but also created the potential risk of not
reacting quickly enough to the resident’s call for help. Additionally, in the case of their
memory care facilities, one could even say the traditional nurse call system was a simple
waste of money, as it did not adequately serve the needs of people with dementia.

Solution
The choice of the Intelligent InSites Visibility Platform™ was straightforward. “We looked
at multiple nurse call systems before making our decision, and unanimously decided
to select the InSites solution. It simply gives us the best way to make sure we are
delivering superior care for our residents, and goes well beyond what anything else on
the market could provide,” explains Stacy Carter, the Regional Director of Operations
for The Laurels and The Haven Assisted Living Residences. The solution combines
leading location-sensing devices and web-based software which provide significant
improvements in resident care and staff effectiveness.

In 2008 the management team made a strategic decision to take advantage of an
innovative technology allowing for real-time locating and sensing. The main goal of using
this technology was to heighten resident safety and to foster the independence of each
resident. In 2008, they started implementing the system, which is now used in all nine
of their facilities. Although the nurse call part of the new system is quite similar in nature
to the previous system – a resident needed to press a button on a tag or pendant to
request assistance – now the staff knows exactly where the resident is located and
can head to the specific location immediately, without wasting time on searching all
possible areas for a resident. “Our residents do appreciate the fact that personnel
can find them faster, not to mention that they like the new smaller and lighter pendants,”
says Carter.

Unparalleled Flexibility
Implementing the InSites solution opened up unique possibilities to improve the level of
care provided to the residents of The Laurels and The Haven. “The flexibility of the system
allows us to follow corporate policies, but it also accommodates the unique requirements
of each facility,” explains Adam Rosenberger, the Director of Information Services for The
Laurels and The Haven Assisted Living Residences. But the level of customization of the
system does not end there, as it can be set up to address the needs of each resident. For
example, the system administrator can define zones considered a danger for individual
residents, depending on their current physical or mental abilities. In a multi-story building
you might want to know when a resident who has difficulties walking down stairs, is close
to approaching a stairwell. When a situation like this one occurs, an automated notification
is sent to staff who can assist the resident. Due to safety concerns, restricted areas such
as the kitchen or utility room, can also be set up as off limits for all residents. Based on the
proximity of the resident to the restricted area, the system instantly alerts staff by pager
or PDA providing the resident’s name along with his/her current location. In addition, to
avoid disruptions, the notification can be directed only to personnel who are currently
close by, and the notification can be escalated if the response to the alert is not provided
in a defined time period.

Benefits
The implementation of the Intelligent InSites’ real-time location system also adds a safety
measure to help prevent wandering and elopement. In some cases, someone with
memory loss is capable of remembering such things as the code to the exit doors,
simply by observing the staff opening the door. In such a situation, when the resident exits
through the door an “all-hands-on-deck” alert will summon the staff to immediate action.
Additionally, the solution has proved to be helpful in reducing escalation situations. In one
assisted living facility, the nursing director created a custom rule for a specific individual
who would get increasingly agitated and begin exit seeking. In the past this resident
would start kicking the doors, which could put him in a dangerous situation. Now an alert
is set up to notify personnel if this resident is in the vicinity of the doors for more than one
minute. This allows staff to engage with the resident to calm him down and redirect him
to another area.

Beyond Nurse Call
The Laurels and The Haven use the InSites solution not only to locate residents and
staff, but also to track valuable items, such as projectors, portable computers, and even
the community dog. “InSites solution is a useful tool for finding equipment throughout
the facility, and at the same time it has become an excellent theft deterrent,” points out
Rosenberger. The facility managers even put tags on key chains that have a key to the
narcotics cabinet, which ensures that these special keys are with appropriate staff at all
time. In addition, by attaching a tag to supporting equipment like a walker or wheelchair,
the staff can be instantly notified if a person that should use that equipment is moving
around the facility without the extra support. These warning notifications, which are sent
directly to mobile devices such as PDAs or pagers, often times save residents from falls,
as the staff can proactively provide assistance to the resident.

Culture Change
Although the residents at The Laurels and The Haven were used to wearing pendants, the
mandate for each and every employee (including cooks and maintenance crew) to wear
a tag was a completely new experience for the staff. Before the system’s installation, the
managerial team heard some concerns from employees regarding “Big Brother” watching
them; however after the system went live, personnel could see the positive impact it has
had on the lives of the residents they care for and their own daily work. As the system
tracks when and how long personnel have been with a resident, and how quickly they
respond to resident calls, it has led to more accountability and transparency across the
entire organization.

The InSites solution also assists with staff evaluation efforts. The reporting capabilities
of the software allow for providing task and activity reports for each staff member. The
report makes it easy to visualize specific patterns, so employees can be rewarded or
disciplined accordingly.

Comfort in Knowing
Access to the historical information also provides objective data when there are
questions or concerns from resident’s families. “Now the facility administrator can
easily pull up a report that shows all staff interactions with a specific resident. Often
times this is the only thing they want to know when their mom or dad complains that
no one ever comes to their room,” explains Carter. That type of data is also very useful
when it comes to conversations regarding the need to increase the level of care. By
analyzing the request for assistance patterns, families can now make well-thought-out
decisions regarding moving their family member to the next service level. In addition,
by automatically tracking the social activities of each resident, the activity director can
monitor the level of resident engagement, and effortlessly provide reports to the families
so they can see what activities their loved one enjoys.

Bottom Line
Since deploying the Intelligent InSites Visibility Platform™ The Laurels and The Haven
communities have seen a very positive trend in new admissions. This extra level of care
and personal attention provided at their facilities makes a world of difference to the
families who choose to move a family member to those communities. The residents’
families also appreciate the heightened level of safety and independence their loved
ones enjoy.

The bottom line is that with the use of technology advances, such as RTLS, the staff
can spend more time with residents truly ensuring the highest of quality standards.