As of 2021, according to carehomes.co.uk only 6,823 out of 21,500+ care homes in the UK have internet access for residents. Whilst providing WiFi at an elderly care home might once have not been thought about, with the rise of internet usage in all age groups (including those over 75), providing an internet connection at a care home is becoming more and more expected. With people relying on the internet to catch up with friends and relatives, or to carry out online banking, it’s almost becoming a necessity of all businesses. Still not convinced that your home needs it? Here are 3 reasons you need full coverage WiFi at your care home…
1. Allow Residents to Stay Connected
By having a WiFi connection that reaches every room in your care home, your residents will be able to use their smartphone, tablet or laptop to stay connected to the outside world. By using the internet, they can stay up to date with all the latest news and most importantly they can chat with family members and friends. With a strong WiFi connection, you are giving your residents the opportunity to communicate with their family and friends whenever they want. The International Longevity Centre – UK found that allowing residents to connect with their family and friends is good for their emotional well-being and helps them to feel less isolated.
2. Increase Independence of your Residents
The transition from living in your own home to living in a care home is often a life-changing event. So, it’s important that residents are made to feel as comfortable as possible. By giving your residents an internet connection in their room, you are allowing them to take care of their own entertainment so they not just reliant on the scheduled entertainment in your home. They will be able to browse the web, shop online, watch catch up TV and much more – just like they used to in their own home.
3. Improve Quality of Care
Not only is a strong WiFi connection important for your residents but it’s also crucial for your team to provide high levels of care. By having WiFi that reaches even the furthest point of your building, your team will be able to carry an iPad or tablet from room to room to do care checks or update care records without worrying that the connection will drop. It also makes it easy to implement Technology Enabled Care Solutions and dementia-friendly software. Residents with dementia can use a tablet to listen to music or look at photos from different time periods as part of memory reminiscence tasks. This sort of therapy would be difficult to carry out without a reliable internet connection across your entire home.
Here at Yo Telecom, we have successfully implemented full coverage WiFi at hundreds of care homes. No matter the size of the building nor the thickness of the walls, we guarantee 100% coverage. This means that every room, every corridor, every store cupboard will have a strong reliable connection. Interested in getting this set up in your care home? Just drop your details in the form below and one of our communication consultants will be in touch!
