Duncaster Lifecare, Bloomfield, Connecticut
Duncaster LifeCare is a boutique retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartment homes and care. Featuring country living and miles of walking trails, it’s also just minutes from the bustling entertainment and restaurant scene in West Hartford.
While it’s a wonderful setting for residents, their loved ones and workers alike, it needed a system for emergency notifications in case of extreme weather or other situations that would put people at risk. It chose Regroup Mass Notification.
Information on Any Device
Duncaster LifeCare knew it needed to be nimble to communicate with a large residential community, as well as their family members or other caregivers. In addition, there are over 300 staff members — healthcare providers, but then also restaurant staff, spa staff, gardeners and more — who would rely on the institution in case of emergencies including extreme weather and road closures.
Before mass notifications, the community was using a phone system that was inefficient and not reliable in emergencies. Regroup offered them a way to reach everyone, in every segment of the community, through SMS/text, email, and phone calls on any device at any time. It keeps everyone safe and informed, and doesn’t overload people with messages that do not pertain to them. With unlimited admins and a way to create groups of selected recipients — whether staff or residents — the cloud-based platform is the solution that worked.
In a pandemic, Regroup Mass Notification proved invaluable.
“Prior to COVID, we really didn’t have to use [Regroup] often, which was a good thing. Then all of this happened and we use it weekly to send out three messages to three separate groups: employees, residents, and families of residents.”
Michele Kennedy
Operations Office Manager
Hurricanes, Road Closures and More
Hurricane Sandy, a superstorm in 2012, impacted the entire area, but thankfully the Duncaster LifeCare community was largely unaffected. Mass notifications were still key in keeping the residents, staff and any visitors safe from harm, and provided much-needed peace of mind in a hard-hit region.
Officials at Duncaster LifeCare praised Regroup’s platform during Hurricane Sandy for its ease-of-use — a must-have when emergencies strike
Tailored, Personalized Information
Residents and staff (and any other stakeholders) are able to fill out a form to select how they want to receive information.
There are weather-related events, pandemic-related events, and even typical New England winter storms that will impact everyone in a different way.
Duncaster LifeCare uses Regroup in ways that are completely tailored to the recipient. He or she receives the message in a timely way, but in the way that is most effective for each individual. Including family members, who may be far away but are most keen to know how their loved ones are doing, especially during a time when they cannot visit.
Duncaster LifeCare prides itself as a place where people can thrive, worry-free. It has found that a friendly communications strategy, in addition to the much-needed workplace and emergency communications, is the way to reach out to residents and others about amenities, events, and more.
“It works out nicely because the CEO sends voice messages to add a personal touch to the weekly updates. We use text, email, and voice messages to communicate regularly.”
Michele Kennedy
Operations Office Manager
What Regroup Offers Assisted Living Communities
Keeping Staff Informed
As with many assisted living communities, Duncaster LifeCare has a lot to offer. Including gyms, a spa, restaurants, a library, and more. In addition to care staff, it needs a simple way to reach out to staff and other employees to provide information on staffing, weather, payroll, and many other topics.
Family or Caregiver Updates
It may seem like a simple task to communicate with residents on a campus, but there are so many stakeholders who may be miles away — or unable to visit during a pandemic, or for other reasons — who need to be informed. Regroup makes it easy.
Flexible Messaging Options and Unlimited Administrators
Regroup offers flexible options for text, voice, email, and social media messaging to every client along with unlimited groups, admins, and templates in the system.
The Most Ways to Send and Receive
Broadcast your message via email, text/SMS, push notifications, desktop alerts, voice calls, digital signage, PA systems, website portals, and more.
Mobile Apps
Send alerts from anywhere with only two taps, and enable recipients to receive push notifications based on their precise geo-location, even when local cell towers are down.
Conference Bridging
Quickly convene doctors, nurses, and other personnel to collaborate on patient care and coordinate plans, even when your workforce is dispersed.
Emergency Alerts Made Easy
Pre-programmed QuickMessage Templates help you get information out with only two clicks so you can be prepared for any disaster your organization might face.
24/7 Client Support Team
You’ll have a knowledgeable support team by your side to help with onboarding, training, and sending alerts.