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Caavo’s June Senior Living Updates

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 16:29:19 GMT

Happy June! The summer months have finally arrived, and with it, more sunshine and an improved Caavo experience for senior living communities.

This month the Caavo updates focus more on staff enhancements that will streamline operation and improve usability, all thanks to the wonderful feedback from our customers around the country. If you have any suggestions that could improve the Caavo experience for your community, don’t be afraid to reach out to our team and let us know!

TELS Integration

TELS is a web-based software designed to help Senior Living operators and maintenance teams better manage their workflows. We’re super excited to announce that we’ve recently integrated the Caavo Assist Request feature with TELS!

Our integration with TELS allows residents to create Assist Requests on their TVs, or staff can initiate them on their Care Admin portal, and the requests will automatically be sent to TELS as work order! This ensures efficient coordination between staff members, and allows TELS to do the bulk of the organizing. To enable this integration for your community, simply reach out to your Caavo Account Manager and they’ll make it happen!

Assist Tile Management

The ability to request non-urgent assistance is one of the favorite Caavo features for residents, so we’re now allowing communities to customize their “Assist Request” tile on resident’s homepage.

This small change can be found in the "Manage Community" section of Care Admin, which makes it easier for community team members to create and manage Assist Tiles. If your residents would like the Assist Request button to be more accessible on their Caavo homepage, community staff can now customize the order in which Assist Tiles appear on the residents TV screens! Currently, the Assist Request tile is on the bottom right of the screen, but you can now make it the very first button at the top if you choose!

With this customization, staff can also adjust the order of Quick Responses nested under Assist Tiles, allowing more accurate and personable communication to residents awaiting assistance.

Announcements and Reminder Notifications Chime

Sometimes we need a little extra push to observe digital announcements and reminders. Usually if the announcement is accompanied by an audible sound, it prompts us to interact with it instead of ignoring it.

If you’d like to add an audible sound to your community announcements and reminders that are sent out to residents, you now can! Community admins will be able to enable this optional “chime” that will be sent alongside a Reminder Notification or an Announcement under Notify Type.

Please note that this feature does not impact the Wellness Check Notification chime and it will continue to perform as usual.

Other Key Upgrades

To ensure a seamless Caavo setup for a new resident, we have revamped the virtual keyboard on the Control Center so that its new layout is easier to navigate. Staff will now be able to quickly access letters, numbers, and all characters more efficiently, to make the Caavo setup as smooth as possible.

In case you encounter any technical issues, we have also modified the button sequence for logging a bug on the Control Center. The new sequence to press on your remote is now VOL x3 + CH .

As you try out these new updates, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Caavo Account manager if you have any questions or feedback about the changes. We love hearing from our customers and making sure that Caavo is being enjoyed by everyone in your community!

Caavo’s Senior Living May Update for Family & Staff

Tue, 09 May 2023 16:13:40 GMT

New month, new Caavo updates! Our product and engineering teams are consistently hard at work, making Caavo adjustments that will make life easier for community staff, residents and their families. We love hearing feedback from our senior living customers and are always happy to make improvements that will better the Caavo experience for everyone.

We’re excited to announce that this latest update includes new features and improvements that help staff workflows remain time-efficient and simplify TV assistance for residents.

Bon App-étit!

Care and wellness workers at our senior living communities can look forward to a new and improved way to refresh their weekly dining menus!

Community admins can now upload a CSV file to populate dining information for the community. This means that staff members can easily update the dining menus for their residents without having to manually input each item.

It’s All in the Details

Another notable improvement is the new Control Center Details screen. We have greatly improved the organization and accessibility of information so that staff can easily see which devices are connected to which inputs and check the status of a Caavo Smart Plug.

Staff also can see more remote details and now have an “unpair remote” button for when they need to switch out a remote that was previously paired to a resident’s Control Center!

Picture Perfect, a Better Remote TV view

One of the biggest Caavo features staff and family love to use is the remote-remote feature, which gives you a real-time view of what the resident is watching on TV and allows you to remotely control their TV from anywhere.

To make it even easier to see what’s playing on the resident’s TV and use the remote-remote buttons, we’ve expanded the “Control TV” viewport and moved the buttons outside of the screen. Now you can change channel or volume with ease and clearly see what’s happening on the resident’s TV.

If you have any questions about this month’s changes, please feel free to reach out to your account manager for further details and assistance. Or, shoot us a message if you’re loving the changes! We’d love to hear your feedback!

New Caavo Features Coming to Your Senior Living Community in April

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 18:07:24 GMT

At Caavo, we are constantly working to improve our products and services to better serve our senior living communities, residents and their families. In our latest product update, we are excited to introduce new features and improvements that we believe will make using Caavo even more convenient and enjoyable!

Making it Easier for Families & Staff to Assist Residents

We know that community staff are busy making sure that everything runs smoothly inside the community, leaving little time for side tasks. To make it more time efficient for staff and residents, we’ve created the Family Administrator which makes it easy for residents to have new family members added or changes made to their accounts.

A Family Administrator is a special type of Linked Account that can add or remove other linked accounts for the specific resident that they are associated with. They can also control what other linked accounts can do, such as enabling or disabling video calls or controlling the TV. This feature is especially useful for the resident's Power of Attorney or a similar family member, who can invite other family members without relying on the community staff.

Staff can also create, edit, and manage Favorites for residents using the Care Admin portal. Previously, only admin users, or family members, could do this. This means staff members can now help residents easily access their favorite channels and content with just a few clicks!

Improving User Experience & Fixing Bugs

In addition to the new features mentioned above, we have also made some small user experience improvements and bug fixes. The Care Admin portal has an enhanced user interface, making it easier for admin and staff to find what they are looking for and complete tasks more quickly when uploading calendar and dining menu PDFs, as well as when video calling.

For those community members that reported visibility issues, we’re happy to report that everything has been corrected! Staff will now be able to easily see an Assist Tile name when resolving a request, and residents will have clear tiles on the Caavo homepage as well as crisp visuals of web pages on their TVs.

Residents Stay Tuned

While there are no major feature updates for residents in this release, rest assured that we have plenty of awesome stuff planned for the future. We are always looking for ways to improve the Caavo experience for older adults.

If you have any ideas for ways Caavo can provide a better user experience for your community, families, or residents, please let us know! Our team is also appreciative of feedback from our amazing users.

5 Ways to Make Caregiving for Aging Parents Easier

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 21:47:22 GMT

Caring for aging parents can be challenging, especially when you’re taking on the role of a caregiver. Becoming a caregiver impacts your relationship with your parent in many ways and also thrusts you into the new and often unfamiliar world of senior care. While it may not be possible to prepare for every scenario, there are some first steps to help make caregiving easier for yourself and be sure your parents receive the support they need.

1. Assess Their Needs

It can be highly overwhelming going from a more passive role to being a caregiver. Before making big decisions, first understand what your parents may need regarding their care and wellness support. Then define what your parents need to live healthily and happily while maintaining as much independence as possible.

A good place to start is to assess critical areas, such as cognitive health, physical health, mobility, medications, and other daily living activities, such as cooking and cleaning. Of course, it helps to also talk to your parents about their concerns and where they believe they may need support. Once you understand what they’ll require daily or weekly, you can create a plan.

2. Get a Clear Healthcare Picture

One of the most critical aspects of helping care for aging parents is understanding their medical needs and advocating for them when necessary. This may mean taking a more active role in many aspects of their healthcare — from interactions with medical providers to dealing with insurance providers and billing.

Joining them for medical appointments (or having another family member or other trusted person present), learning about any medical diagnoses and medications, and understanding healthcare coverage are ways to ensure your parents receive the proper care.

3. Ensure Home is Safe and Accessible

Many older adults prefer to age in place at home. This doesn’t mean their living spaces can’t change — you’ll likely need to make some updates to be sure their home is easily accessible and maneuverable.

Do a quick “audit” of the home to look for any stairs, tubs, or tricky areas that could inhibit your parents from getting around or even lead to a potential fall. It’s worth considering some minor upgrades to make your parents’ space more senior-friendly.

Equipping them with an emergency button for falls or accidents may give everyone extra peace of mind and give them access to quick help if they ever need it.

4. Simplify Family Communication & Connection

Aging parents may increasingly spend more time alone. Staying socially connected to loved ones will stave off feelings of isolation and loneliness. If family members don’t live close enough to visit regularly, there are virtual communication options that can help.

There are even some great solutions for older adults who struggle with technology or are resident to change.

For example, Jubilee TV is a new TV-based video calling and communication system that uses the senior’s TV and a simple all-in-one voice remote. Using the Jubilee TV mobile app (available for iOS, Android, and web), family members can video call, message, and even send photos to your parents’ television so they can interact using familiar TV technology.

Jubilee even makes assisting easier, as you can remotely control their TV from the Jubilee TV app to help them change the channel or volume, put on a show, and even remind them of appointments.

5. Take Care of Yourself

One of the biggest challenges of caregiving is the added strain it can place on you and ensuring that you don’t neglect yourself in the process. This means taking breaks when needed, practicing self-care, and ensuring that you are getting enough rest and exercise.

Taking time to decompress and doing other activities you love is the best way to keep your mental and emotional health balanced so you can have enough energy to give to your parents. Caregiving can be a full-time job, and it is essential to remember that taking care of your own needs is just as important as taking care of your parents.

While there are many things to consider and prepare for when caring for your aging parents, it can be a rewarding experience that allows your parents to maintain their independence and comfort. With a care plan in place and a commitment to understanding their needs, you can ensure that your parents get the care they deserve.

Why Elysian Chose Caavo to Meet Residents Needs

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 18:13:34 GMT

“Everything we do is about streamlining our processes and being efficient, and making sure the care we provide seniors is forefront,” says Lucy Boxrud, President of Elysian Senior Homes, Minnesota-based senior housing management company.

That positive, can-do outlook is one of the many reasons Elysian Senior Homes is among the most highly-regarded senior housing companies in the state. The organization has a strong reputation for offering a comfortable home and using technology to provide best-in-class support for residents.

Elysian was the first senior living community in Minnesota to install Caavo’s TV-based communication system for residents. The organization first installed Caavo in its Downtown Plaza location in Red Wing, MN.

As an active adult, independent living community, Downtown Plaza operates with extremely limited staff. Elysian’s leaders wanted a way to support residents in maintaining their independent function, while preserving its staff ratio.

Deploying Caavo achieved this goal and more. Using Caavo’s TV-based system, Downtown Plaza residents can now request non-urgent assistance from the comfort of their own apartments using familiar TV technology. No more waiting for office hours, or submitting slips of paper to the office manager.

After the success at Downtown Plaza, Elysian was excited to introduce Caavo to residents in its Senior Homes of Lake City assisted living community.

“When we really looked at what residents [in Lake City] were needing, it was things as simple as…TV issues and other non-emergent calls,” Lucy shares.

Melissa Greene, EVP at Elysian, also saw big potential for better using the biggest screens in her resident’s apartments — she envisioned TV as a way to connect with residents and better support their needs.

At Lake City, residents often relied upon their pendants to alert staff of any issues or needs, even if it wasn't a time critical emergency. Whether they wanted to lower their TV volume and couldn’t figure out how, or their sink was dripping too loudly, these constant non-emergent pendant presses took staff away from other vital community tasks. And it was taking its toll on care and wellness staff members, who were constantly on high alert from responding to so many pendant presses.

Elysian sought out Caavo as a solution to help alleviate staff’s pendant fatigue while helping residents remain independent. The result has been a big win for Lake City’s staff because they’re able to shift non-emergent requests to less busy times.

Residents are happily adopting the new tools as well. “Our residents have embraced technology. We encourage them to be a part of technology to help streamline the care they receive,” said Lucy.

Equipped with Caavo’s all-in-one voice remote, Lake City’s residents can now request assistance from various staff and departments, like the front desk or maintenance. The requests are automatically routed to the appropriate staff or manager, saving unnecessary room visits.

Caavo’s built-in communication features give residents more visibility into the status of their requests, which gives them peace of mind (and reduces calls to the front desk). Staff can use the Caavo system to check in with residents and get more details about a request by sending chat messages to their TV. They can alert residents that a request was received and will be handled shortly. Once the task has been completed, the request is marked “resolved” so staff and residents know that assistance is no longer needed, and everything has been handled.

Pendants are now reserved for true emergencies, and staff can tend to non-urgent requests at less-busy times, leaving them to (happily) focus on value-added tasks. And residents can rest easies knowing that their non-urgent requests will be answered.

Watch Lucy’s interview to see Caavo in action and hear her talk about how Caavo has helped mitigate Elysian’s unbillable and non-urgent resident demands.

Senior Living Tech Solutions That Should be on your Radar

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 18:12:31 GMT

These past few years have been a technological revolution for senior living solutions. New AgeTech products aim to meet the needs of aging generations who are more accustomed to modern tech and seek devices that can make their lives easier and keep them healthy and connected.

Rather than simply adapting an existing product for an older adult, these new solutions are purpose-designed for the aging population. They focus on usability for seniors and how to address their unique needs most effectively.

Incorporating new technology into your senior living community is a great way to enhance the lives of your residents. It will also set you apart by demonstrating that you’re doing something different to improve resident experiences.

Keep Residents Agile & Strong

Access to facilities, motivation, and physical difficulties can make staying active difficult for many older adults. However, daily exercise and activity are vital to aging well and preventing injuries and illness.

Fortunately, some great tools are available to support seniors in getting the physical activity they need.

For any residents recovering from an injury, Restore seeks to help seniors regain essential skill functions with VR and online games. Instead of traditional physical therapy, which typically only lasts an hour or two, Restore encourages seniors to play therapeutic and stimulating games at home and with staff. With fun gameplay like casino or archery, seniors are encouraged to do gentle movements that strengthen weak points while simultaneously challenging the mind.

Balanced promotes healthy aging with online group workouts, stretches, and yoga classes for anyone 55 and older. Your residents can work out with specialized trainers and other seniors to regain their stamina and strength from the comfort of their apartments.

Put an End to Social Isolation

Remaining social with friends and family is one of the best ways for older adults to stay connected, feel fulfilled, and even combat depression. Technology can make it easier to keep social for those who live away from loved ones or struggle to feel a sense of community and connection.

Caavo for Senior Living turns every resident’s TV into a reliable two-way communication tool so they can easily communicate with their family and staff. Equipped with a simple voice-controlled remote, residents can receive video calls, send messages, and request non-urgent assistance on the biggest screen in their room.

Many older adults are thrilled to see their loved ones “visit” on their television screen. It feels as though their family member is truly in the room with them.

Caavo is a win-win for the entire community because it allows staff to communicate with every resident efficiently, assist remotely, and much more.

For residents who may not have frequent family visitors, you can provide companionship in other ways. Joy for All Companion pets offers life-like robotic cats, puppies, and even birds that respond to human touch and sound. These interactive pets give seniors all of the cuddly feels that accompany regular animal companionship without the maintenance.

Games are a great way to bring residents together for some fun competition, but board games and cards can get stale for residents and staff. Utopia Experiences offers communities virtual, interactive games that mimic America’s favorite game shows, like “Spintopia” modeled after “Wheel of Fortune”. Utopia Experiences provides a live host so your staff can spend time on other tasks and can even bring in family members to join the fun!

Futuristic Fall Detection

Managing the health and wellness of older adults often involves concerns over falls. Pendants can help in emergencies, but seniors may not always be able to immediately press their pendant after a serious fall.

SafelyYou uses webcams in resident rooms and AI technology to help senior living communities detect and quickly respond to falls. Upon realizing that over 90% of senior falls go unnoticed, SafelyYou’s system tracks resident falls, notifies staff, and shares the video footage that can help the community assess and prevent future falls.

While you don’t need to adopt every new AgeTech device on the market, looking into solutions that can elevate resident care and enrich resident experiences is critical to the evolution of your community.

New Updates coming to Caavo!

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 00:41:02 GMT

Big things have been happening behind the scenes at Caavo these past few weeks! Our engineering and product team is continually hard at work listening to customer feedback and suggestions to improve Caavo for senior living residents, staff and families.

February is no exception, with an update that brings a new look and feel to Caavo, along with a few features that make Caavo easier to use for residents, staff and families.

New App Name, Fresh Look & Feel

Families of senior living residents will notice the name of the app they use to connect with their loved ones has changed to Jubilee TV. This past month, we introduced a solution called Jubilee TV that supports seniors aging in place at home by making it easy to use the TV and connect with loved ones.

To avoid confusion for families downloading our app for Jubilee TV, we’ve changed the name of our app from “Caavo Connect” to “Jubilee TV.”

In addition to the new app name, family members will notice changes to the layout of our app. These changes are designed to make the app more intuitive and easier for you to navigate. You’ll still enjoy all the features you’ve come to know and love -- video calling, photo sharing and chat, remote-remote, and reminders -- just with a streamlined look and feel.

Changes to the Resident Experience

For residents, we’ve introduced accessibility improvements to make the Caavo menu easier to navigate. We increased the contrast of the tiles on the residents’ main page and made it easier for residents to recognize when a tile is selected.

We’ve also given residents a quick and easy way to access their TV Favorites. When they press the Guide button on their remote control, their Caavo’ TV Favorites display in a box that pops up on the screen.

Staff and family member can turn this feature on for residents by going to the resident’s Favorites in the Caavo app and changing the “Guide Button Displays TV Favorites” setting to “on”.

Easier Resident Management for Staff

The latest update makes it easier to for staff to manage resident move-ins and apartment changes. The community dashboard now displays residents by apartment number, and staff can can see a list of all apartments with the resident’s name and Caavo Control Center listed as well. We have also moved the “tabs” (Home, Assist, Notifications, Comms, etc) to a left navigation menu, which makes it easier to switch between tabs.

For those who want to see the updates in action, our team has prepared a wonderful video that showcases how the updates look and function.

Have any questions or feedback? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team! We’d be happy to hear from you.

Ways Senior Living Operators Can Use Social Media as a Marketing Tool

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 21:59:06 GMT

Social media apps are no longer just a place for friends to share parts of their lives with random photos and text posts. It’s now a space for businesses to get directly in front of customers and create a real connection.

If your senior living community wants to increase your brand’s online presence, we’ve gathered some tips to help skyrocket your brand’s socials!

A New Way to Market

When social media apps like Instagram and Facebook landed, people assumed they were just for people who wanted to stay connected to their friends and family. Fast forward to 2023, social media has changed the advertising world forever.

With billions of users sprinkled across apps like Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube, brands have learned that it’s a great way to get in front of their customers and grow their business. And everyone, from middle-school-aged kids to the boomer generation, is on social media.

Brands marketing on social media platforms have seen their businesses transform overnight, using Instagram reels or quirky tweets to capture attention and skyrocket sales. It doesn’t have to be any different for senior living communities.

Think of the families of seniors, and even seniors themselves, looking for communities that’ll be a perfect fit — most are using at least one social platform. A Khoros study states that 51% of people between the ages of 50 and 65 use Facebook, and 58% of people over 55 use YouTube!

Senior care and wellness staff looking for new opportunities are sure to be online as well, scouring social sites like LinkedIn for companies that align with their values and are leading the way for modernized senior care. Promoting internal events and company values is one of the best ways to encourage new talent to join your team and even expose industry newcomers to senior living.

Showcasing your community on these platforms is one of the best ways to expand your customer base and gain unprecedented new interest.

Using Social Media in Your Favor

Now that you have accounts on these popular social platforms, you may ask, what’s next? There aren’t many rules for utilizing digital platforms for marketing, but there are a few basics to successfully growing your following.

Knowing the specific visual requirements like image or video size or max video length will save you a lot of time and frustration. It also guarantees that viewers see your content in the best possible quality!

On any platform, consistent posting is the best way to grow a following and get the algorithm to work in your favor. The more often you post, the more your content will pop up in the feed of others!

Posting different types of content is critical, as many platforms now prioritize and boost short videos on feeds. Of course, it depends on the platform, but only posting images may not always be effective. Short video clips, GIFs, static images, and even a carousel of images are some of the content you can create.

Showcase different aspects of your community to give followers and potential residents a well-rounded idea of your community. Behind-the-scenes shots of the dining staff crafting meals, swimming class in the pool room, bingo night, and even an interview with a current resident are great examples of content followers may want to see!

Adopting a fun and personable tone is a fantastic way to come across as a genuine brand. Brands do best when writing captions with a less “corporate” tone of voice.

Senior Living Accounts Doing It Right

Sometimes the easiest way to understand what performs best on social media (and what viewers like the most) is to see which brands are succeeding and take notes! Here are some examples of brands in the senior living industry that stand out.

Senior Living Stories isn’t a senior living operator, but they’ve gained a massive following, sharing beautiful stories from seniors across America with engaging and heart-warming videos.

Allegria Senior Living has amassed over 16,000 followers posting their residents dancing to TikTok trends and giving life advice. While there aren’t many seniors on TikTok yet, the channel is an excellent way for Allegria to gain exposure and attract new potential employees while involving their residents in a new social activity!

Lifespark is present on multiple platforms, like LinkedIn and YouTube , and does a great job at posting different types of content. They post resident stories, give interviews on what technology they incorporate into their communities , and market to care and wellness workers- all with different forms of visual content as well!

There are many ways to approach engaging social media content, but if the above examples are any proof, showing authentic facets of your community is guaranteed to catch viewers' attention and grow brand awareness.

Keeping Spirits High in the Colder Months

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 19:29:39 GMT

As we move through the winter months with shorter amounts of sunlight and chilly temperatures, it can take focused effort to feel our best. For older adults especially, staying active and social is key to maintaining mental, emotional and physical health. Lack of activity can heighten symptoms of depression, cause social isolation, and lead to increased risk of muscle atrophy.

Thankfully, senior centers and senior living communities are committed to providing critical support all year round – their programming and activities are especially important during the colder months when we all have to resist the pull to stay indoors and hibernate.

Here are a few ideas for keeping seniors active and connected all winter long!

Let’s Get Physical!

If residents or seniors can’t do their normal exercise routines outside due to bad weather, bring it inside! While taking a walk outside the senior community or local parks is a great way to workout and see something different, communities can definitely engage seniors with indoor workout programs.

To encourage seniors to get their steps in, set up a scavenger hunt inside the community that gets everyone moving around. Walking from their apartments, to the dining hall, to the pool room and other areas of the community, is a great way to get their steps in and bring some fun to their normal routine. Offering a nice hot meal at the community’s favorite local restaurant as a reward upon completion is sure to get everyone excited!

To expose residents to a different form of wellness, try yoga. Of course, seniors don’t have to roll out a mat and hold downward dog and pigeon poses for 5 minutes if they aren’t able, but you can have them sit or stand and try different poses from where they’re comfortable. Standing mountain or seated butterfly poses are a great way to stretch, move the body, and even challenge the mind.

Make Time to Chat

Social isolation is a common worry for many families who don’t live nearby their aging parents. Fortunately, technology is making it easier to stay connected, even for older adults with vision, hearing, cognitive and physical challenges. For example, families and older adults using Caavo’s TV-based communication system can easily stay in touch by video chatting or sending photos, all using familiar TV technology.

Caavo uses the senior’s TV to receive calls and texts, while the Caavo voice-controlled remote acts as a microphone to respond to text messages. Seniors love seeing family members pop onto their television and being able to chat with them without technical difficulties or needing assistance to get a call going. Connecting with family on a regular basis leads seniors to live happier and healthier lives, especially during colder months when they may not be socializing as often.

Hands-on Fun

Many seniors may remember taking home economics class in their youth, providing them with hands-on skills such as cooking or sewing. Learning new skills and spending time crafting is a great way to keep the mind active and bring excitement to daily life.

There are a million different crafts and creative DIYs to have seniors do. Pottery with easy-dry clay, collage making, knitting or crocheting, painting, origami, writing poems- the list is truly endless! You could focus on a different activity every week to keep things fresh and be set until Spring!

Creative activities don’t have to be so hands-on as well. Hosting a salsa or swing dancing night is a great way to get physically active and be artistic. It also gives the seniors a chance to simply listen to different genres of music, if they aren't in the mood to boogie.

While all of these activities can be organized year round, it’s especially important to bring a little extra light and joy to your residents during the coldest times of the year. Getting the residents active, socializing, and crafty is a sure-fire way to keep their moods elevated all the way to Spring!

Bringing Seniors into the Digital World & Improving Two-Way Communication

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 18:50:00 GMT

As the population ages, it's becoming increasingly important to create products that are accessible, user-friendly, and effective for older adults. This is particularly important when it comes to two-way communication tools, which provide critical connection to friends, family, and the community.

If the technology older adults need to stay connected is too complex or difficult to use, it can lead to social isolation and feeling left out of important conversations with family and friends. For most older adults, hesitancy to use technology for communication isn’t because they don't want to stay connected, it's because the technology doesn’t meet their needs.

As with most complex problems, there is no easy solution here: Designing products for older adults is no simple task. There is nuance and a wide spectrum of considerations, but there are a few key design principles too keep in mind when creating products for older adults.

Keep It Simple

One of the most important principles to consider when designing products for older adults is simplicity. Older adults often prefer clear and easy-to-understand designs, with large text, simple icons, and minimal clutter. They are less likely to be interested in technology with too many options, so it's important to focus on the most essential features and make them easy to access.

Simplicity is core to the Caavo experience for seniors. For starters, seniors don’t have to face the usual stress that comes with learning a new device because everything is on the already-familiar TV.

Video Calling with Caavo is another example of simplicity in action. Many seniors lost interest in the idea of video chatting with their friends and family during the pandemic, especially if they had to schedule time with staff to help get them up and running.

Caavo gives older adults a second chance at video calling independently by bringing the entire experience to their television screen. Family members call the resident from their Caavo app on their phone, tablet or laptop, the call rings on the senior’s TV and they only need to use their remote to answer.

With a camera propped up on the TV, family members can get a great wide angle view of the senior, while the senior can see their loved ones on their big TV screen and hear everything loud and clear via their TV speakers. The conversation can flow smoothly with no concerns about bad angles, accidental muting, or flipping the camera view from front to back.

All Are Welcome Here

Accessibility is another key principle when designing for older adults. This includes ensuring that the experience is accessible for people with limited mobility, visual, or auditory impairments. Things like high-contrast colors and large icons and buttons can help make technology more accessible for older adults with visual impairments. Likewise, alternative text or audio descriptions can help support older adults with auditory impairments.

Caavo uses a simple user interface, which removes all the but most important information. Large tiles on the Caavo home screen are easy to navigate and understand. Similarly, TV Favorites remove all the visual clutter or a typical TV guide and focus on only the channels and streaming services that the older adults uses regularly.

Caavo makes chat messaging accessible as well. The typical phone or tablet-based texting experience involves small fonts and small buttons on a tiny screen. With Caavo, loved ones can send chat messages to the TV. All residents have to do is hold down the Microphone button on their Caavo remote and speak their response. No more getting left out of the latest family group chat news!

Stay Flexible

Flexibility goes hand-in-hand with accessibility. Older adults have a wide range of abilities and preferences, so it's important to design products that can be adapted to different users. This includes creating products that can be used in different environments, such as in the home or in assisted living facilities, and making sure the product can be easily adjusted to the user's preferences.

With Caavo, for example, seniors can use their remote control to navigate the screen if they’d like, alternatively voice control is a great option for users with limited mobility or visual impairments.

Caavo was designed to consider communication needs for older adults in a variety of settings – from aging-in-place, as well as Indepedent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care settings. For those in communities, there are communication features such as 311, which brings non-emergency requests to the TV. When a resident requests assistance, staff can stop by to provide support, or pop open a chat and start a conversation with the resident, providing updates and checking in. Even for standard morning check-ins, staff can use Caavo to send a Care Check through the TV and get notified if the resident hasn’t responded so they can follow-up.

The Future is Now

Thanks to the simplicity of TV-based communication, seniors can be more connected than ever to their friends, family, and senior living staff. Equipped with only a Caavo remote in hand, residents not only gain their autonomy back, they also reactivate their voice in the world – and that’s powerful!

Community Broadcasts Launch on Caavo + Other Updates

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:52:28 GMT

Live streaming has taken the world by storm, with popular sites like Twitch and social media apps like YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram hopping on the trend. Seniors may not be avid users of social media live streams, but tech-savvy senior living communities understand the power of being able to share live broadcasts with residents.

Caavo’s new Community Broadcast beta feature allows senior living communities to live stream content to every resident’s TV.

Asked and Answered

We created our new Community Broadcast feature as a direct response to customer feedback.

A Minnesota-based community wanted a way to broadcast its church service to residents in their apartments. Mobility challenges and illnesses cause many residents to forego attending the services in person – especially during the height of the pandemic. The community wanted to allow residents to participate in the worship service from the comfort of their apartments.

Enter Caavo.

Our talented product and engineering team quickly realized we could solve this community’s problem and brought Caavo Community Broadcasts to life!

Communities can find the new feature within their “Favorites” in Caavo CareAdmin. Once staff selects the “Community Live Stream” button on the phone from which they wish to stream content, they can begin broadcasting the live stream.

Residents can access the live stream from their Caavo Favorites or by selecting a pop-up that appears on their TV when the community broadcast begins. The use cases are already starting to roll in – from live streaming on-site music concerts to Memory Care residents to broadcasting the afternoon chair yoga activity.

Caavo communities can now share onsite events in real-time so all residents can experience the fun!

Community Favorites Get a New Look

Along with the live streaming feature come some changes to the staff and resident Favorites.

Staff can now create TV favorites for the entire community, making it easier for all residents to access their favorite channels, apps, and streaming content. Staff can choose multiple TV channels that residents can access in their “TV Favorites.” They can also select multiple Roku Channels and assign a custom image to each “Favorite” created, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video.

Staff can also use Community Favorites to share web-based information with residents, like community Facebook posts or a webpage showing meeting room space availability.

Residents can see Community Favorites and their personal TV favorites by selecting the Favorites tile from their Caavo home screen or saying “Favorites” into their Caavo remote. Favorites are grouped into sections for TV channels, Roku, photos, and web pages.

If residents want to add TV channels to their favorites, they can press the “Add a Favorite” button and speak the channel name into their remote.

At Caavo, we love when our users and communities share feedback and suggestions for making our TV-based community system more effective and valuable. We’re always striving to support residents, staff and families. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team and send in your feedback!

Reduce Loneliness with Video Calling this Holiday Season

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 21:56:02 GMT

Let's spread holiday cheer to our senior loved ones!

The holiday season is usually a time spent hanging with family, cooking bountiful meals, and exchanging gifts. But for seniors spending the holiday away from family, the holidays can feel isolating. Fortunately, technology can help bridge the gap and help seniors enjoy the season.

Video calling is a great way for families to reach out to their loved one and make them feel happy and connected to the holiday festivities. Adult children and grandchildren, and even friends and others like a pastor, can keep in touch and brighten a resident’s day - especially when they’re not physically nearby.

With Caavo, video calling with seniors is extremely easy because it all takes place on the television. Families don’t have to rely on your staff to start a call or bring in a laptop -- seniors can answer calls independently. When a call comes in, the TV will chime and prompt the senior to answer the call using their Caavo remote.

Here are a tips for families to make the most of video calling this holiday season:

1. Be Proactive

We suggest that family members initiate the call with the resident to make it as easy as possible for the senior. It’s often a wonderful way to surprise them with a familiar face on their television! Family members can video call the resident by using the Caavo Connect app on their cell phone, tablet, or even laptop.

2. Have a Plan

If the pandemic showed us anything, it’s that video calls are a valuable tool for keeping connected and engaged, especially when we’re unable to be in the same room together. The most successful video calls are ones where both the family and the senior are engaged and involved. When popping onto the resident’s TV for a video chat, don’t forget to ask them how they’re doing and have them share some of the highlights of their week.

3. Create Memorable Experiences

Consider how you can incorporate video calling during the course of your holiday festivities -- this will make a more exciting video call that will truly let the resident feel like they’re part of action. For example, when the family is gathered together on Christmas morning they could start a video call so their loved one can be present as the family opens their gifts! Even better, the family can send a gift as well and give their loved one an opportunity to open their present on camera!

4. Keep Traditions

If the family has a tradition of cooking together, they can fire up the oven, prop a laptop up on the kitchen counter, and allow their loved one to be a part of the process. They may not get to taste the end result, but we can guarantee they’ll love being in the kitchen with family again!

Give the ultimate gift!

Oftentimes, the best gift a family can give their loved one is a meaningful conversation and including them in holiday plans. Caavo takes away the video calling friction and makes it easy for families to make the holiday season a little brighter for your residents!

Giving Senior Living Communities the 311

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 23:29:26 GMT

How do the residents in your senior living community let you know they need assistance? Does your Care & Wellness staff have to treat every pendant press as an emergency, regardless of whether the need is urgent or not?

Pendant fatigue is real. We heard from communities responding to 5-10 pendant presses per resident daily. The sheer volume of these requests quickly causes overwhelm for already constrained, high-turnover Care & Wellness resources.

Our new 311 Assistance Request feature allows residents to use their TV to request non-emergency assistance. When requests come in, staff can neatly organize and manage all requests while assigning the appropriate department to respond.

311 allows communities to optimize Care & Wellness resources by shifting non-emergency requests to less busy times or offloading them directly to appropriate staff. No more dropping everything, only to find out the resident needs a new light bulb! This saves staff from unnecessary stress, which can lead to burnout and workplace unhappiness , and gives care and wellness workers a little extra peace of mind.

How does it work?

Let’s say Martha in apartment 10B has a leaky faucet that won’t stop dripping. Definitely annoying, but nothing to raise the staff's heart rates over with an emergency pendant press.

Martha can head to “Assist Request” on her TV and select which staff department she’d like to get in contact with to request a faucet fix. Once she scrolls past the “Front Desk” and “TV Support” buttons, she’ll land on “Maintenance.”

After selecting “Maintenance,” she can “Schedule a Visit” from the maintenance team and speak into her Caavo remote to provide the details of her request.

Upon completing her maintenance request, she’ll see a message on her TV that a staff member will follow up with her shortly. Now Martha can patiently wait, knowing that the community has officially received and logged her request.

With 311, residents can submit requests for specific staff members — for example, asking the front desk to invite a family member to Caavo or letting Dining Services know they don’t need their dinner delivered. Caavo frees staff from false emergencies and confusing workflows.

Allowing Staff to Breathe Easier

On the backend of a 311 request, staff can sort through all of the unresolved assist requests, assign them to the appropriate team members, and even chat with the resident to gather more information or update them on the request status.

Caavo organizes requests by department, so managers can easily see which tasks are in the queue for a specific team. Who wouldn't want a system that keeps their teams accountable and organized and keeps processes efficient?

After staff resolves a resident’s request, they can mark it completed and add any final notes to document the work completed for the request. Caavo saves and files all resolved requests, making them easy to find if another issue arises at a later date.

Assist Request officially started rolling out to communities with Caavo on November 15th, but you can always contact our team if you have any questions about the update. If you’re looking to integrate Caavo into your community (we can’t think of a better Christmas gift for staff and residents!), request a demo and discover all Caavo has to offer!

Appealing to the Modern Senior Living Worker

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 21:55:40 GMT

It’s no secret that senior living communities have been hit with some major staffing challenges this year. Modern candidates have different goals in mind than the previous generation of workers, desiring companies that offer higher wages and an environment that caters to their personal happiness.

While operators have raised wages and adjusted their recruiting practices to remain competitive in this fast-changing market, there is one sure-fire way communities can entice industry newcomers and seasoned care workers to come their way: New. Tech.

Technology can alleviate pressure on staff for day-to-day duties as well as improve the resident experience, making life easier for staff overall.

Let’s look at a few ways disruptive tech can attract more talent to your community.

Optimizing Staff Time with Better Workflows

As community staff’s workload increases, efficient workflows can be hard to maintain. Simply completing all necessary tasks is challenging enough.

This is where new technology can save the day, helping relieve staff of major headaches and burnout.

Caavo’s two-way communication ability makes mundane tasks like daily manual resident check-ins and print out dining menu updates a thing of the past! Caavo automates these processes so staff only need to check their online dashboard to potentially follow up with residents who didn’t check in or to update the dining menu for the month.

Even communicating with residents one-on-one is a breeze as staff can send a message to a resident’s TV (ie. “You said you need maintenance in your apartment. How can we help?”) and quickly understand if anything is needed, without breaking a sweat from running around the community.

Imagine in pre-Caavo times, staff would have to print out community announcements and event updates (or worse, use a disruptive intercom) to alert residents of any relevant news. Save paper and retire that dusty intercom system with Caavo’s reminders and announcements that are easily created by staff and sent out to each resident’s television! And staff can be sure residents received the announcement as it pops up on their TV screen, even if their TV was initially off.

Seamless processes and top-notch resident communication … who wouldn’t want to work in a community with that in place?

Entice New Hires & Industry Veterans with a Stellar Work Environment

Showing candidates how your community fosters a positive work environment can be a major deciding factor when talent is looking to join a new team.

Recent graduates wondering if they should work for a senior community may be worried about work-life balance and the overall stress of the job. That’s where the power of modernized senior living tech, like Caavo, comes in!

If candidates heard how your community used Caavo to streamline staff processes and allow residents to maintain more autonomy, it could skyrocket their interest and ease any workplace fears they may have. Telling them how Caavo allows residents to easily watch their favorite TV with a voice-controlled remote and even allows them to video chat with family members through the TV! Staff won’t have to worry about troubleshooting TV troubles or struggling with a new tablet to get FaceTime to start for a resident.

Caavo’s Remote-Remote feature, which is a virtual remote to control a resident’s TV, allows staff members of any level to remotely assist with any minor TV request. We’re sure many care workers never dreamed of hearing the words “remote” in any conversation about senior living care, but Caavo makes it possible!

In some communities, staff is even driving across town on their time off to help residents change the channel or start the football game. Luckily, with Caavo, that’s a thing of the past.

What Staff Really Want: Less Paperwork

Paperwork isn’t exactly the exciting part of a job for any working professional, especially senior living staff who already have so much on their plate. For talent looking to enter the industry, managing documentation for compliance is definitely a less exciting part of the job and may even seem quite daunting!

Communities that want to give their staff a bit of a break and show new team members that they’re joining a trailblazing team can look to Caavo. By automating requirements like daily morning check-ins, staff can forego traditional manual methods of checking in and recording responses.

Caavo’s Care Checks pop up on every resident’s TV screen and require each resident to press a button on their remote to acknowledge the message. Once a resident responds or doesn’t respond, it will be automatically generated into a report and saved as a document! Staff will no longer have to fear wrongly recording a resident response or even accidentally skipping over a resident. And with the paperwork already done, they can focus more on hands-on caregiving tasks!

If you want to learn more about Caavo and see how it can benefit your team and residents, set up a demo with the team!

Let’s Talk: New Caavo Updates Enhance Resident Communication

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 17:22:07 GMT

,If you’re already using Caavo’s interactive TV-based communication system in your community, you know it’s a sneaky-fast and effective way for staff to communicate with residents. If not, all you need to know is that Caavo lets staff reach every resident on their TV (even if the screen is off). Make community-wide announcements, video chat, share calendars and dining menus, and even send interactive check-ins to ensure everything is okay—from any smartphone or computer, anywhere.

With our latest update, we’ve added some exciting new features designed to give staff more control and functionality when communicating with residents.

Get Down to Details with Care Settings.

Caavo’s Announcements are a fast and easy way to send a one-time message to residents. Whether it’s a fire drill, window cleaning, event time change, or other community news, it’s a great way to keep everyone up-to-date with timely, accurate information.

Customers told us this feature is a time-saving game changer for staff. They also said they often want to send Announcements to residents in a particular care setting, e.g., Independent Living, Assisted Living, or Memory Care.

You asked, we listened.

With our new Care Setting functionality, staff can designate a Care Setting when sending Announcements. If, for example, the dining room for Assisted Living is closing early, staff can send a notification to only the impacted residents.

It’s all about getting the right message to the right audience as efficiently as possible.

Hear ye, hear ye! Announcement Shortcuts .

Speaking of the right message, our new update also features Announcement Shortcuts, which allow staff to send out announcements more quickly.

Instead of writing a message from scratch about the fire drill every month, you can make an Announcement Shortcut and reuse it.

After you create an Announcement Shortcut, you’ll see it listed in your Announcements tab.

Select the message and hit Send Now. Two clicks, and you’re on to the next thing.

Dinner is served. Grove Menu Integration .

Now onto a tastier upgrade! Residents love the ease of viewing dining menus on their TV with Caavo, and our new Grove Menu integration makes it deliciously easy for staff to keep dining menus up-to-date.

Dining menus created in Grove Menus will update automatically in Caavo. Staff can also set a time or date range on the menus, so they will be removed automatically from the resident’s TV once they’re no longer available—chef’s kiss.

“Hello? Are you there?” Camera Turn On Requests .

Video calling is a core Caavo feature. We’re always looking for ways to improve the experience for residents, staff, and families, including giving everyone as much visibility and control as possible. Our new Camera Turn On Requests functionality does just that.

Now, staff and families can request that a resident turn on their camera during a video call. This is particularly helpful if a resident chooses not to turn on their camera when they initially answer the call but staff or family would like to get eyes on them.

Here’s how it works: Once the video call connects, staff or family can select the Camera icon on the video call screen. This will display a message on the resident’s TV requesting they turn their camera on and instructing them to press the + button on their Caavo remote.

Residents can decline the request to keep the camera off, but this is an easy way to encourage them to turn on the camera while still respecting their privacy.

We Welcome Your Feedback!

The one thing all these updates have in common? They are based on feedback from our customer communities!

We love hearing about the creative ways you use Caavo to enhance communication and save staff time. Our ears are always open, so if you have suggestions or comments on how Caavo can improve your community's communication, don’t hesitate to share them with the team!

Meet the Caavo Team at LeadingAge!

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:26:42 GMT

Move over CES, the biggest event of the year (in senior living) is almost here!

LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo is one of the most important events for people, not-for-profit communities, and organizations in the senior living industry. It’s a week full of networking, progressive panel discussions, and a time for disruptive businesses to show how they’re transforming the space. This year, it’s happening in Denver, Colorado from October 16th to the 19th at their downtown Convention Center.

It’s only right for Caavo to be in attendance, and boy, are we excited!

For our LeadingAge debut we’re coming fully loaded with special treats, custom product demos, and even a coffee station. You can meet the team, including our CEO, and learn more about how Caavo is transforming senior community communication for residents, staff, and families.

If you’re attending LeadingAge, it’s not too late to schedule your meeting with the team and see the product in action! Our team members will walk you through all of our product features like video calling, voice remote control, wellness checks, and our virtual remote control. See Caavo from every perspective, whether it’s being used by a resident in memory care or by a family member who lives 500 miles away from their senior loved one.

Don’t worry if demo appointments are all booked up by the time you read this, you can still stop by our booth #1616 at the Expo from the 17th to the 19th!

We can’t wait to see everyone there!

Using Technology as a Community Sales & Marketing Tool

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 16:22:28 GMT

New senior living technology can help your community stand out from the competition, here's how.

Primarily fueled by the pandemic, technology has become a bedrock of social interaction for many older adults. People in their 60s, 70s, and beyond are turning to technology to stay connected, entertained, and manage day-to-day living.

When it comes time to explore senior housing options, the desire to use technology is here to stay. The good news? If your community can foster connection and build community with technology, you have a unique ability to set yourself apart.

While identifying technology systems that would be most beneficial to residents and their families can be a challenge in itself, there’s another hurdle to overcome after you’ve deployed the technology: How to make the most of the investment by promoting it in your sales and marketing efforts.

There are a few simple ways to get started:

I. Identify how technology makes your community different

When it comes to technology, one area many senior living communities are investing in is engagement. From online portals that help residents stay connected to loved ones to apps that make it access up-to-date community information, technology is making senior living communities more accessible and user-friendly than ever before.

Understanding what tools you offer and the benefits for residents and families will be key to differentiating your community.

Let’s say you install a Caavo TV-based communication system in every resident apartment. Caavo makes it easier for families to stay connected with video calling, photo sharing, and remote access to their loved one’s TV while making it easy for seniors to use their TV with voice control and favorites.

So in your sales and marketing efforts, you could emphasize your community’s commitment to transparency and communication. Families can video call residents any time they want without requiring staff intervention!

Or perhaps you’ve invested in dining technology that gives residents more choice and a better ordering experience. In this instance, having a grasp on how residents can use technology to customize their dining experience will allow you to communicate this differentiated experience to potential newcomers.

II. Incorporate into website, social media and marketing materials

Once your community has implemented new or upgraded technology, ensure it’s reflected in your marketing materials. Show off that investment and make it work for you by adding it to your tour folders and new resident materials.

Your website and social media are core to your marketing strategy and an excellent opportunity to showcase the technology your community offers.

Record a video of the technology in action for your social media channels. Or ask residents and family to participate in a video testimonial to share how and why they’ve enjoyed the technology. And don’t worry about having great production quality. Simple videos recorded with a smartphone often perform better because they feel authentic.

III. Bring the technology into the tour experience

Tours are critical to show potential residents and families the benefits of living in your senior community. Having them experience the new tech in your community firsthand can make it easier for them to visualize life in your community.

Taking our previous Caavo example, you could add a Caavo system to your demo apartment and make sure it’s ready to use. Perhaps your activities director could video call while you’re touring. You could ask the resident about their favorite show ahead of time and schedule the TV to turn it on while you’re there. Or you could show the resident and their family how they can access activity calendars and dining menus from their TV.

If your community has invested in stimulating exercise apps for its residents, be sure the tour shows other residents using the application or even allow the potential resident to try it out for themselves.

Families and seniors making decisions about a community are sure to remember the one that fully immersed them in what life would be like there.

IV. Keep Staff Top of Mind

New residents aren’t the only group drawn in by new technology. Prospective staff can benefit as well. When recruiting new staff members, mention the technology your community uses during the hiring process and how it will make their jobs easier.

It’s a great way to differentiate you from other employers and demonstrate your community is ahead of the technology curve.

In the case of Caavo, for example, staff can video call residents to triage pendant presses. This can reduce anxiety because the team knows what the residents need before they enter the room. It also can reduce time spent on unnecessary room visits due to accidental pendant presses, etc.

Technology can enhance your community in many ways, including attracting residents and staff alike, and making them happier overall. If you’re curious about how Caavo can transform your senior living community, check out a demo here .

Disrupting Senior Living: Leading the Way in Advancing Senior Tech & Creating Lasting Change

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 22:10:39 GMT

SafelyYou holds a Summit for senior living technology pioneers to take the stage and share ways to advance the industry.

While tech for older adults is not often synonymous with disruption and innovation, there are leaders in the space making big moves to change the status quo.

That’s why we’re excited to announce our participation in SafelyYou’s Silicon Valley’s Senior Living 2022 Summit ! We’ll be joining other senior living pioneers from around the country who are bringing modern solutions for senior problems.

Caavo’s own CEO, Ashish Aggarwal , will be featured on a live panel the second day of the conference. The Disruptor Panel “Technology Disruptors: Creating Change, Achieving Commercial Success”, closes out the conversations with four other prominent voices in the senior space: Carrie Shaw of Embodied Labs, Tom Paprocki of Direct Supply, Myra Norton of Arena Analytics, and SafelyYou’s CEO, George Netscher.

Breaking into the senior living industry poses challenges to be sure, but we’re proud to be paving a successful path.

Ashish will be sharing Caavo’s approach to introducing our TV-based technology to senior living, and discussing how we’re changing the way communities, residents, and families communicate.

“If we are to take care of our elders and the aging populations, all signs point to the need for a massive change. The tech industry is innovating at an incredible pace, but the market fragmentation and inherent business structures in senior living has prevented it from digitally transforming along with other industries. It’s time for senior living to integrate new technologies and we’re happy to be a part of that change”, says Ashish.

We’re in good company. Event hosts, SafelyYou, aren’t unfamiliar with changing the landscape of senior living. Their groundbreaking fall-detection technology uses AI-powered video to ensure elderly falls don’t go unnoticed.

With these trailblazers on the panel, this discussion won't be one to miss. Get more information on the Summit here .

Reinvigorating Family Connections: Meet Anne Harjar

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 21:35:12 GMT

Staying in touch with family who may live far from you can be a challenge, but speaking with loved ones living in senior communities can feel almost impossible. How can you share photos, send texts to check in, or do a casual video call with an elder who may not know how to use a smartphone or may even have limited mobility?

The Danbury Senior Living Community committed to solving those challenges by partnering with Caavo. Once installed, Caavo automated processes for staff, allowed seniors to have better control over the television, and granted families an easier way to communicate.

What we didn’t expect was the major impact Caavo would have on one family who has been struggling to visit and speak with their loved one for years.

Introducing Anne.

Anne Harjar, fondly known as Nonnie, is absolutely beloved by her entire family. She's lived at Danbury for over a year and was recently moved to the Memory Care unit after a second stroke, which has left her bedridden, with aphasia and unable to have full use of her arms.

With all of Anne’s family residing out of state, communicating with her has been extremely challenging and, we'd imagine, disappointing for everyone. They’d rely on people visiting Anne to set up a FaceTime with the family, which was far and few in between. "To say this has been sad, frustrating, and very limited is an understatement!”, said Anne’s daughter, Margaret.

Caavo Saves the Day

After searching for a solution that would allow the entire family to speak with their Nonnie, while relieving Anne of having to use complex technology, they turned to Caavo.

“A couple of months ago, I received information from you about your service…I put it in a pile to look at later, thinking it wouldn’t be helpful to us because Mom is unable to operate anything. Recently, I investigated this and only now wished I had done so earlier!”, Margaret shared.

Now with the Caavo system installed on Anne’s TV, and the family utilizing the Caavo Connect app, they can stay in touch on a daily basis! Margaret opened up to us how Caavo has really made communicating with her mom a simple process, free of the headaches the family faced earlier.

“The ease of use of the CAAVO app is incredible. Through this video calling app, now we can ‘barge in” to connect with Mom whenever we want. We can even send pictures! Our large extended family and friends are ecstatic!”

Connected At Last

With the help of Caavo, Anne is a part of her family’s daily lives again, despite living states away. Even her grandchildren and pastor are looking to connect to the Caavo app so they can spend a few moments with their cherished Nonnie.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am blown away by how wonderful the CAAVO Connect app and service is!", gushed Margaret.

Have your own story to share? We'd love to hear it!

Say Hello: Caavo Adds Four New Employees to Support Senior Living Growth

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 23:06:27 GMT

Meet the newest team members working to bring Caavo to every senior living community in the country.

It takes a village. The phrase most definitely applies to caring for loved ones, but it’s also true for building a successful company. We’re happy to announce that our village is growing — we’ve added four new team members to support our continued expansion in senior living.

Some are veterans in the industry, while others are just getting started. The common thread: Each of them is eager to support our customers in using technology to improve the lives of residents and families.

Get to know Caavo’s newest trailblazers:

Jacob Blount, Director of Account Management

“Caavo is going to take the aging adult space by storm,” says Jacob, our new Director of Account Management.

We sure like the look of that crystal ball, Jacob.

Based in North Carolina, Jacob started his career hyper-focused on professional audiovisual technology, then shifted to support technology adoption in the senior living space. His roles have spanned operations, customer success, and product marketing, making him the perfect candidate to support Caavo’s senior living customers.

“I am thrilled to help grow Caavo to a household name in senior living.”

After seeing Caavo in action, Jacob quickly recognized the technology is unlike anything else on the market and brings new and unique capabilities to senior living communities.

“Caavo’s technology makes the TV a one-stop shop for engagement, communication, and safety — all while making the TV experience even easier for seniors. Just think, a resident can say “ESPN” or “community calendar” into their voice remote, and we route their screen to exactly what they want!”

Despite his short tenure at Caavo, Jacob already sees the blue-ocean potential.

“I’m excited to support our customers to help them maximize the value of their Caavo system and identify creative ways to meet each of them where they are. Caavo has the potential to be the iPhone of senior living — and I am confident that’s something this team will achieve.”

Nia Harrill, Marketing Manager

Hailing from Southern California, Nia is a multi-faceted marketer who has worked for startups, ad agencies, and even nonprofits, elevating brands’ digital personas. The first chapter of her Caavo story began in 2019 when she joined the company as a marketing assistant. Today, her story continues as our Marketing Manager supporting senior living.

“Caavo has always been an amazing product to me, even from our days selling directly to consumers. My own family has used Caavo in the past, so I personally know the potential of our TV system. Now that we’re looking to make life easier for seniors, I really believe we can make a difference and shift the senior living industry as a whole.”

Nia’s excited by the opportunity to tell Caavo’s story. She especially can’t wait to tell the world how Caavo makes it easier for senior living residents to stay connected to their loved ones.

“I’ve heard stories of families struggling to contact their senior relatives because they can’t get the tech to work or they have to rely on a busy staff person to bring in a laptop and help make the video call. With Caavo, there’s no new device to learn — seniors can use their TV remote to engage with their families, be it video calls or receiving family photos. It’s a game changer.”

Michelle Teague, Training Manager

Residing in “Mr. Roger’s neighborhood” Pennsylvania, Michelle spent the past seven years as a corporate trainer in the senior living and health care industries. Her expertise also extends to instructional design, which she uses to create training programs that successfully bridge the learning gap for participants.

That experience is what led her to join Caavo.

“I jumped at the opportunity to use my senior living and training background to create memorable learning experiences for staff, families, and residents in senior living communities,” Michelle said.

She knows teaching new technology to seniors isn’t always easy, but the challenge is worth the reward to her.

“It’s inspiring to see how the technology Caavo continues to develop helps connect seniors to their family members and care providers.”

In her new role at Caavo, Michelle sees an opportunity to shift people’s perceptions of seniors.

“Seniors continue to grow and learn on a daily basis. Most of them realize how important it is to keep the brain active. Learning to use Caavo allows them to expand their minds while they stay in contact with their family members. There are a lot of family members out there who are surprised at how quickly seniors are picking up on how to use Caavo. It is fun and heartwarming to watch the lightbulbs go on for the seniors as they receive video calls and messages from their family members on their TV.”

John Bollino, Installation Manager

Installing the Caavo system in resident apartments is a critical part of introducing our technology to a new community. John, our new Installation Manager, is seasoned in ensuring the process is smooth for staff and residents alike.

Based in Maryland, John has worked in the communications industry for over a decade. Previously he was an operations manager for companies like WinStar, DIRECTV, and Orbytv.

What made him switch to our mission-focused startup?

“I was introduced to Caavo through my network and learned about the new rollout for the senior living industry. After several interviews and discussions regarding the plans for senior living, I felt like Caavo would be a great fit.”

And how right he was!

John recently managed his first installation -- successfully bringing Caavo SRI’s New Haven at Little River community in South Carolina.

Echoing the sentiments of the other team members, John loves how Caavo is improving the lives of seniors and families.

“I look forward to seeing Caavo change the way families and the senior living communities communicate and ensure the care of their loved ones,” he said.

Installing Caavo systems in seniors’ apartments allows John to get a firsthand look at how Caavo’s technology truly delights seniors. It confirms for him that this isn’t just a technology company but one that truly does make people happier.

SRI Management Leads the Way with Caavo in South Carolina

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 21:39:30 GMT

Caavo gives residents, families and staff new ways to communicate at SRI Management's New Haven at Little River community in South Carolina.

It didn’t take long for the residents at SRI Management’s New Haven at Little River community to decide Caavo’s TV-based communication system was a must-have addition to their lives.

One resident, Mary, hasn’t seen her granddaughter in years due to a move to the west coast and the pandemic. After getting her new Caavo system, Mary could see and hear her granddaughter’s excitement loud and clear on her big screen TV.

Using Caavo to easily accept video calls from her family and have them appear on her TV has been a mood booster for her.

Another resident, Dan, is an avid Roku streamer but would get frustrated trying to keep track of the “tiny remote.” After the crew installed his new Caavo system, he looked for that tiny Roku remote but was astonished when the team explained he no longer needed it!

Now Dan can easily bounce between his preferred streaming apps using only his trusty new (and not-so-tiny) Caavo voice remote.

Caavo Comes to the Palmetto State

Using the TVs in residents’ apartments, Caavo is improving communication between senior living residents, staff, and families like never before. Today, we’re happy to announce our latest installation in South Carolina with SRI Management .

We recently installed new Caavo systems in every resident apartment at SRI’s New Haven at Little River community in Little River, SC. Our team spent the week training staff, families, and residents on how to operate the new system.

SRI Management, which currently manages more than 30 senior living communities encompassing over 2,500 units, is renowned for providing residents and their families with a unique senior housing experience. And now, the organization is leading the way again, as the first in South Carolina to offer Caavo’s TV-based communication system to its residents.

"TV is a familiar technology our residents use every day for news and entertainment," said Don Bishop, CEO, SRI Companies. "The Caavo technology is straightforward for users and offers multiple capabilities for residents to connect and engage with family while streamlining operations. This technology will be a game-changer for our communities."

At Last, The Right TV-Based Solution

The TV is the only interface that appeals to seniors, and most spend a big part of their day with the TV on. Savvy communities, like SRI Management, recognize the potential to simplify the TV experience for resident this large, loud, all-important screen to improve communication.

But they came up short, until Caavo.

“We’ve been searching for a TV solution like Caavo for 20 years,” said Shelley Kaiser, Chief Operating Officer at SRI.

Caavo’s unique capabilities, such as voice control, powering the TV on/off, on-screen overlays, and ability to control the TV from anywhere, make it unlike any other technology on the market.

Even better? It was designed specifically for residents and staff in senior living communities.

“The thing I’m loving about Caavo so far is that it’s so simple,” said Kathleen Douglass, Executive Director at New Haven.

The Most Effective Communication Tool

Caavo's TV-based check-ins see more than 95% compliance across communities. With this nearly fail-safe option for reaching residents, New Haven’s staff is already finding ways to enhance communication. Staff uses Caavo to send reminders to residents about events and activities and to make community-wide announcements.

Caavo also sends daily check-ins to Independent Living residents and automatically notifies families when residents respond as an added layer of safety and peace of mind.

Residents also enjoy the ease of making concierge-style assist requests to let staff know they have a question or need maintenance assistance.

And while video calls are most often between seniors and family members, New Haven’s staff has found that video calling residents to respond to questions instead of running across campus is a time saver.

“Video calling has been great, and the more we call residents, the more comfortable they get with the technology,” said Kathleen. “Caavo is a really great way to do things.”

Three Cheers for TV

Using new technology can be overwhelming for seniors, but when presented as a familiar and easy-to-use remote, product adoption can be surprisingly easy and fun!

We can’t wait to see how other seniors, staff, and families at New Haven continue to find new ways to take advantage of their new Caavo system.

Engagement 2.0: How Technology Will Shape the Resident Experience of the Future

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 20:47:18 GMT

SHN Wellness panelists discuss the challenges and opportunities providers face when implementing new technology.

The pandemic forced senior living providers to press “fast forward” on implementing new technology.

“What we saw during Covid was there was an actual demand for technology for the first time,” Sara Kyle, Principle at consulting firm LE3 Solutions said during a panel on technology and the resident experience at Senior Housing News’ recent WELLNESS/DISHED event in Orlando.

“Now that people have experienced the convenience, connectivity, and accessibility technology brings, it will only continue to grow. But there’s a lot of pre-work that has to be done and education and explaining, rather than just throwing technology at something to fix it,” Sara said.

This unprecedented demand for technology showed the world that age and technology aren’t mutually exclusive. The key for everyone, regardless of age, is relevance.

“It has to be relevant to residents,” said fellow panelist Rich Delong, Sr. Director of Resident Experience at SRI Management. “If we can show them the connection between technology and how it’s going to improve their life and give them joy and the benefits of living well. By making that connection, we’re going to be able to move them further into this technology world, which we need to because it’s not going away.”

During the pandemic, technology was a lifeline—the only connection to the outside world for many.

Now that the dust is starting to settle, providers must make sure they’re supporting seniors, staff and families in understanding how, and why, technology can benefit them.

“It’s continuing to create this story and this picture of why technology is needed, not just that we want you to change and do something different. That’s an education and that’s a process and it’s continuous,” Sara said.

From educating residents to training staff and managing expectations all around, implementing technology in senior living presents no shortage of complexity, and there are no easy answers. Despite the challenges, technology provides unique benefits for residents, staff and families that simply can’t be achieved by sticking with the status quo.

During the wide-ranging discussion, panelists discussed topics including best practices for implementing new technology, engagement trends, the role of family, and the future of technology in the resident experience.

Here are a few key takeaways:

On using familiar technology:

“How do you mesh those two together - residents, the older adult population, and technology? You use something familiar to them that also has expanded capabilities they can learn as they go.”

Rich Delong, Sr Director of Experience at SRI Management

On giving residents tech-related resources:

“We are throwing so much technology at residents and we are giving them no resources to solve those problems, other than you hope the person working at the reception desk can show them how to use the technology … You have to find a person who is skilled and knowledgable to support residents.”

Sara Kyle, Founder and Principal, LE3 Solutions

On making technology relevant to residents:

“As providers we have to help our residents use technology to achieve the outcomes they’re looking for. They want them to experience joy. They want to be well. They don’t want to fall. We have to show the technology we’re going to bring to them is going to enhance their life in these ways.”

Rich Delong, Sr Director of Experience, SRI Management

On getting community-level staff aligned:

“Decisions are being made at a corporate level and sometimes they don’t align with how it could be deployed and executed at the community level. You have to communicate why these decisions are being made and why it’s relevant to staff. Let them know it’s going to augment what they do, not replace them. And be honest that this is going to take time, but the outcome is worth it.”

Sara Kyle, Founder and Principal, LE3 Solutions

On balancing long-term vision with short-term results.

“The visionary, early adopter customers we’re working with all have a long-term vision for what they can ultimately use our technology to achieve, but they’re also able to see what we can be done today. They identify small steps they can take right now to start providing value, knowing where they ultimately hope to get in the future and bridge that gap.”

Michelle Wright, VP Marketing, Caavo

Want more? Listen to the full audio recording from the panel .

Three Reasons TV Should Be on Your Tech Roadmap

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Wed, 04 May 2022 21:42:56 GMT

Thanks to technological advancements, TV now works the way you’d expect a smartphone or tablet to work.

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

When it comes to using technology to communicate with residents, you have a few options:

Smartphones and tablet-based solutions have been a primary focus for many technology companies. Still, seniors often struggle to use them, and adoption is a big challenge because the interface is unfamiliar.

Smart speakers are starting to make some serious noise. Seniors are very open to voice-based tech, but there are functional limitations to not having a screen.

And then there’s TV.

You know, that age-old technology that every resident uses, most for several hours a day.

✔️ Biggest screen

✔️ Loudest audio

✔️ Tactile feedback

✔️ Familiar interface

It’s a natural place for staff and loved ones to engage residents.

And yet, it’s probably not on your tech roadmap.

Understandable.

The TV-based systems you’ve seen in the past don’t measure up for a few reasons:

Sub-par user experience. Yes, TV is the only technology seniors will willingly embrace. But the cable or satellite remote they’re using was not designed with seniors in mind. SO. MANY. BUTTONS.
Not Compatible. Existing systems don’t work with your TV infrastructure. So you’ll need to switch providers or tell seniors they can’t continue using their DVD player, Roku, or game console.
Unreliable. Systems can’t recognize or control TV power state. That means you have no way to reach a resident if their TV is off. And if you send a message when the TV’s off - poof! It’s never going to reach them.
Privacy concerns. Other solutions rely on third-party technology from firms like Amazon and Google, so your data is out of your control.

By now, you’re probably wondering why the TV experience hasn’t kept pace with the mobile devices we all carry in our pockets all the time.

TV-based technology innovation took a backseat during the mobile app gold rush of the last decade.

There was one exception, though.

Putting Interactive TV on the Map

While everyone else focused on smartphones and tablets, Caavo spent hundreds of thousands of engineering hours, over 7+ years, to build a platform that delivers a seamless, interactive TV experience.

It’s time to give TV another look.

Here’s why:

TV Technology is Ready for Prime Time
Caavo’s TV-based platform addresses the frustrations of yesterday’s TV-based options.

Caavo hooks up to any TV with HDMI and works with your community’s existing cable/satellite, streamers & DVD players.

The simple voice remote was purpose-built for seniors.

The Caavo Power Monitor detects whether the TV is on or off and allows Caavo to turn the TV and camera on -- no resident interaction required.

Seniors can interact with video calls and reminders without switching channels or inputs, and if the TV’s off, Caavo saves the message until it’s turned on.
Reap the Benefits of Voice on the Big Screen
Voice technology is a one-two punch for many operators: big impact + easy resident adoption.

Caavo’s TV-based platform goes for the knock-out by bringing interactive voice technology to the TV.

Oh, and our platform, including our proprietary voice control technology, was fully developed in-house, so your data remains private.
Increase Staff Efficiency by Enhancing Communication
A TV-based platform allows you to address your staffing strain in multiple ways, including streamlined communication, family engagement, video triage, and more.

So if a resident doesn’t respond to an OK check, a nurse can make a video call to their TV to ensure everything is all right. Or, you can notify the entire community (and family members, too, if you want) about an elevator outage or the fire drill with the push of a button.

TV is Ready for the Limelight

TV is the ideal place to communicate with seniors, but until recently, it wasn’t a viable option. Thanks to technological advancements, TV now works the way you’d expect a smartphone or tablet to work while giving you all the benefits of a large, loud screen with a tactile remote.

Request a demo to talk more about how to add a TV-based solution to your organization’s technology roadmap.

Struggling to Get Residents to Adopt New Technology? Try This.

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:32:07 GMT

Training residents one-on-one can win over even the biggest technology skeptics.

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

It typically goes something like this:

Trainer: Hi there, I’m going to show you how to use your new Caavo remote.

Resident: I don’t want a new remote. My TV works fine.

Trainer: This remote can do some things yours can’t, and I think you might like it.

Resident: Fine.

The trainer hands the resident her new Caavo remote and begins to demonstrate basic functions. They show the resident how to power on the TV, turn the volume up/down, and change channels.

Within 5-10 minutes, there is almost always a shift from fear and anxiety to cautious optimism.

“OK. I think I can do this!”

Now the real fun begins.

The trainer observes and asks a few simple questions.

What do you like to watch on TV? Do you have grandkids? What activities do you like to participate in?

The responses help the trainer pinpoint the features likely to get the resident excited.

Think of it as an analog Buzzfeed quiz.

Out of town grandkids? Let me show you how they can send pictures to your TV or video call you from their dance recital. You’ll be able to see (and hear) because it’s on your TV screen.

Love watching the Cubs? We can program your TV to automatically turn on and change to the right channel at game time.

Play Bingo every Tuesday? Let’s set a reminder on your TV that’ll tell you when it’s starting.

Perhaps the trainer notices the resident has vision impairments. They will demonstrate how the resident can use the microphone button to change channels with their voice. And then they'll ask the resident to try it for themselves to get more comfortable.

All of a sudden, cautious optimism is genuine excitement.

The resident often latches on to a particular feature like voice control, video calling, or reminders. They’re motivated because it’s personal .

They see how it can make life better for them, and it opens them up to considering other aspects of the technology.

Now they can use the TV to submit a maintenance request or request a callback from the front desk. They can check the dining menu or the activity calendar without calling the dining room or the front desk. They can press a button on their remote to see the local weather forecast.

The best part? Once that initial spark of excitement is ignited, it doesn’t burn out when the training session ends.

That’s the beauty of TV-based technology.

One-on-one training sets residents up to embrace the new technology, but it’s the platform itself – the TV – that’s the real secret sauce.

Unlike a new tablet, speaker, or another unfamiliar device that’s easy to cast aside, the TV is already a centerpiece of your residents’ lives.

It’s the only technology nearly every senior willingly embraces.

That means they’ll start enjoying the benefits of your new TV-based technology right away, and once they start, they won't want to quit.

Interested in more ideas for introducing new technology in your community?

Senior Living Foresight recently published an article sharing our best advice for training residents, staff, and families: Fear and Loathing to Fun and Loving in 8 Minutes or Less .

A New Addition to the Lineup: Caavo for Senior Living

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 17:02:25 GMT

We started Caavo in 2015 on a mission to make TV easy for everyone by streamlining and simplifying.

Our first consumer products focused on unifying entertainment for home theater enthusiasts. With our newest solution, we’re excited to serve another important, and often overlooked, audience: senior living communities.

It turns out the TV technology we’ve spent the past 7+ years developing represents a unique new opportunity for senior living operators.

Different From the Opening Credits

In 2018 we launched our first consumer product—an HDMI hub and smart remote—to an outpouring of press accolades.

The technology was hailed as a new category of home theater device.

A simple, elegant solution for unifying that horrifying mess of cable/satellite boxes, streamers, and gaming consoles, all running different apps on different interfaces using different remotes.

Some called it “a clever hack,” but however you slice it, our approach to cracking the “problem of TV,” was new. We were doing something no one had done before: Processing video over HDMI, then using a proprietary AI engine to control connected devices and overlay content on the screen.

Technical-speak aside, the result of this new, different approach was a new, better experience for consumers.

For Ages 5 to 95

We’ve always been obsessively focused on making our technology simple for everyone to use. Customers called our remote a “marriage savior.” They raved about their kids finally being able to turn on their own Saturday morning cartoons (and YouTube videos) on the big screen.

It was also thanks to our dedicated customers that we began to see the potential of our technology to enrich the lives of more people.

There was one group in particular that we kept coming back to. You guessed it: seniors.

Customers also kept telling us about putting Caavo units in the homes of their aging parents. They said our technology was intuitive and easy, and they loved the Caavo mobile app to control their parents’ TV remotely.

TV to the Rescue?

TV is quite possibly the ideal place to engage seniors. It’s the technology they’re already most comfortable using. It’s their go-to for news, entertainment, and background noise.

Case in point: the average senior spends 7.5+ hours a day with their TV!

As we began talking to more people about the concept of a TV-based platform for seniors, we kept coming back to the idea of a solution specifically for senior living communities.

From staff shortages and census pressures to senior isolation and growing pressure from families, operators are facing unprecedented challenges. A TV-based platform could help address all these issues, and more, helping communities engage seniors more efficiently and effectively. Plus, there are TVs already installed in every room!

So Much Potential

But if TV is so great, why aren’t more communities already using it?

Unfortunately, today’s TV-based solutions don’t reflect technology’s full potential.

When we began to investigate other TV-based solutions, we discovered an unfortunate status quo:

Residents are required to switch to a certain input or channel
Systems don’t work with, or control, existing cable/satellite providers
No ability to control TV remotely or automatically start video calls
System doesn’t know if TV is on and can’t control power
TV-based interfaces aren’t intuitive for seniors
Solutions rely on third-party technology (Amazon or Google) causing privacy concerns

Yes, there are other tablet and smartphone-based options, but they’re generally poor substitutes because there’s a steep learning curve. Seniors often become frustrated with the unfamiliar technology and unwilling to adopt it.

We realized that so-called “clever hack” we‘ve spent the past 7 years developing, patenting and refining could actually address many of the shortcomings of existing TV-based solutions and finally unlock TV’s full potential for senior living communities.

The Result: Caavo for Senior Living

Caavo for Senior Living is the first and only TV-connected platform for reliable communication and complete remote control of the TV and anything a senior is watching. Caavo brings video calls, wellness checks and assistance requests to any TV (even if the screen is off) and allows staff and families to remotely take control, from anywhere.

By applying our patented technology to create a TV-based engagement and control platform for senior living communities, Caavo for Senior Living offers a new kind of experience for seniors, families, and community staff that was never before possible.

The addition of Caavo for Senior Living to our lineup is a perfect complement to our existing consumer product, and we’re excited to continue simplifying, enriching, and connecting people’s lives through technology.

A Blueprint for a Successful TV Technology Install

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 23:49:19 GMT

Let’s not sugarcoat it: It’s hard to get seniors to change their behavior by incorporating new technology into their daily lives. It may even be hard-wired, according to a study published in the journal Neuron , which found the brain circuit that helps us adapt to change fades with age.

True, devices like tablets, smartphones, and smart speakers are becoming more common among seniors. However, most seniors still aren’t entirely confident or comfortable using them.

Adding new features to familiar technology — like bringing video calling to the TV — is generally an easier transition for seniors. Still, you’ll need to be mindful about not asking them to make significant changes to their usual behavior.

At the same time, technology represents a massive opportunity for senior living operators to increase staff productivity, streamline operations, and improve engagement. Ignoring these technological advancements, especially as other communities embrace them, is a surefire way to get left behind.

You must move with technology to stay relevant.

The trick is to minimize the risks so you can maximize your rewards.

You need a thoughtful, measured approach, and learning from others who’ve already been there is a perfect place to start.

In this post, we’ll share five lessons you can learn from other communities that have implemented Caavo’s TV-based engagement platform. Buckle up because we’re going full transparency mode to help set you up for success.

Lesson 1: Define what you want to achieve (and avoid).

Every community has its opportunities, challenges, goals, and motivations, so your definition of success for your new TV-based technology should also be unique.

Clearly articulating goals and objectives up front is a common theme among communities that find success with Caavo’s TV-based solution.

Another thing they do? They figure out what they want to avoid. This helps leadership prioritize features and position them with staff, residents, and families.

Start by asking: What tangible outcomes do we hope to achieve — and avoid — by using a TV-based solution?

A few example outcomes might be:

Increase staff efficiency
Decrease maintenance labor costs
Improve engagement with families
Avoid residents feeling like they’re losing face-to-face interaction

Lesson 2: Think ahead.

It’s been a couple of hundred years since Benjamin Franklin famously advised, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” His words endure surprisingly well. As technology becomes more advanced, preparation becomes more important.

In general, when you’re preparing for Caavo, preparation should fall into two categories:

Technical Preparation . The goal here is to make sure your community is technically ready to make this transition. We collaborate closely with our most successful communities to anticipate and minimize any potential issues or surprises. Typical activities include conducting a pre-install site survey, doing a dry run ahead of install, and setting up a demo room.

Communication. More is more when it comes to sharing impending new technology. Successful communities communicate with residents and staff multiple times before installing Caavo. Let everyone know what to expect. Tell them how the technology will make life better. Don’t forget to include families in the mix. Explain the new technology and how they can get involved.

Lesson 3: Walk before you run.

When you’re introducing new technology it’s tempting to go big. It’s understandable. You’re excited by all the ways Caavo will make life easier for staff and residents and you’re eager to get them going right away.

Fight that inclination and slow down.

Here’s a general recipe for onboarding success you should copy from other communities:

Train staff on both the Caavo CareAdmin dashboard and the Caavo TV interface
Introduce the new remote control to residents (and show them voice control)
WAIT AT LEAST TWO WEEKS
Add interactive features, one at a time, waiting at least a week in between each
Onboard family members and introduce them to Video Calling, Chat, Reminders and TV Control Anywhere features

Regardless of how you sequence the roll-out of new features, it’s most important to introduce the new remote control to residents first. Then, wait at least two weeks before activating other features like Wellness Checks or Video Calling.

Give residents time to get comfortable and confident with their new remote. Because Caavo requires such minimal behavior change from seniors, we’ve found they catch on quickly and, as a result, are more likely to try new features like voice control.

Speaking of voice (pun fully intended), don’t be afraid to encourage seniors to use it! Our communities find voice is really empowering, especially for residents with visual impairments or dexterity challenges.

Lesson 4: More participation means more impact.

This is one place where starting small doesn’t pay off. Rather than installing Caavo in a sub-set of resident rooms, the most successful operators select at least one community and deploy as broadly as possible from the start. Then roll out to additional communities from there.

A few advantages of this approach:

You’ll gain traction & build momentum faster. As with any new technology you introduce, there will be skeptics and setbacks, but fostering a similar experience for all residents can bring them together. Resident superusers will emerge strong champions happy to spread the word. This word-of-mouth advocacy creates an outsized impact when the technology is available for all.
Community features are more powerful. Caavo’s Resident Groups, Community Broadcasts, and community content features offer more benefit when applied across your whole community. For example, your Activities Director wants to send a chat to alert the Walking Group to a schedule change. She’s going to save a lot more time if everyone in the Walking Group has Caavo installed, rather than a select few residents.
It’s easier to motivate staff. New virtual ways of working will ideally replace manual tasks, rather than being additive. For example, when you switch to Wellness Checks on the TV, staff will be much more motivated to use the technology if they no longer have to spend time walking the halls to check for “I’m okay” door signs.

In Conclusion: Measure Twice, Cut Once

Although you can’t wave a wand to make all your residents embrace new technology with open arms, a thoughtful, well-planned installation and deployment will make the whole process feel a lot more magical.

See Caavo in Action with Senior Savvy Founder Abbie Richie

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 12:09:32 GMT

Follow along as tech guru and Senior Savvy founder Abbie Richie gets an in-depth look at how Caavo is improving lives of senior living staff and residents.

Thanks to our content partner Senior Living Foresight for coordinating the demo!

6 Criteria for Selecting TV-Connected Technology

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 23:31:43 GMT

Ask any senior their go-to device for getting information, and television is their likely answer. According to The Nielsen 2020 Total Audience Report, most seniors spend around seven-and-a-half hours a day with their TV, either actively watching or leaving it on in the background.

Given TV’s popularity among seniors, it seems a natural place for operators and loved ones to engage with residents, through video calls and chat messages, sending reminders and wellness checks, or sharing dining menus and community information.

Yet most TV-based solutions on the market today don’t reflect this potential. Frustration with new technologies — not to mention the audio and visual complications of small screens — is a significant barrier for older adults, creating a “lack of self-confidence and motivation to pursue using the technology,” according to a 2019 Healthcare study

Thanks to innovations from new players, TV-based solutions are now poised to take center stage in senior living.

“Our patented technology was originally hailed for making TV simpler for everyone in the family to use,” says Ashish Aggarwal, co-founder of Caavo, a TV-connected engagement platform with a successful track record in the consumer electronics industry. “Then we kept hearing from customers who were putting our Smart Remote and HDMI Hub in their parent’s homes. It turns out the simple experience we designed for consumers worked amazingly well for seniors. We realized that we could be helping more people, while also supporting senior living communities in addressing timely and critical issues like social isolation, engagement and critical care.”

By bringing a fresh perspective to TV-connected engagement, new players such as Caavo are beginning to unlock new potential for age-old TV technology. Here are six considerations operators should use to guide their evaluation of these platforms, and a few questions to ask along the way.

Never disrupts what’s playing on TV

Part of the appeal for residents of TV-connected solutions is that they are already familiar with the technology, making for a minimal learning curve. If the system includes new functionality, such as the ability to use voice commands to control the TV, it should make life easier for seniors and not mandate they change behavior.

They should still be able to watch TV as they usually would; the system won’t interrupt what they’re watching, and will instead display text and images on top of any television program, or will preserve them until the TV is turned on.

Questions to ask :

Does the system use overlays on top of programming so residents don’t have to switch to a certain input?
Do seniors find the interface intuitive for making video calls, viewing reminders and any other activities?

Works with your current TV infrastructure

Your residents are already using a variety of entertainment providers that are familiar, including cable/satellite, streaming media players, DVD players and game consoles. The right TV-connected engagement system should work with all the devices they are already using, with no need to switch providers or introduce unfamiliar tablets or touchscreen devices.

Question to ask :

Does the system work with, and control, my existing cable/satellite provider?

Enhances resident communication

From video calling and chat messaging to sharing dining menus and activity calendars, TV-based solutions offer a more comfortable, robust and reliable platform for communicating with residents. Plus, the big screen is easier for seniors to see and hear than most mobile devices.

A resident didn’t respond to their wellness check? Make a quick video call to their TV to check in. Movie night starts in 15 minutes? Notify individuals, groups or the whole community with the push of a button and the message will appear on everyone’s TV.

Questions to ask :

How will staff share and update community information?
Can messages be sent to individuals, groups, and/or the whole community?

Guaranteed to work, and without resident action

As your community transitions to more efficient, virtual ways of working, you want the peace of mind that your communication will always be displayed on the resident’s TV screen, without relying upon them to turn on the TV or switch to a specific input.

The most advanced systems on the market today offer both the ability to control the power state of the TV, as well as emergency response capabilities. This will allow staff to automatically start a video call in critical care scenarios without requiring the senior to answer.

Questions to ask :

Is the system guaranteed to work, show messages and make calls?
Does the system know whether the TV is powered on? Does it work even if it’s off?
Can a video call start automatically, without requiring the senior to answer?

Nurtures family connections

Social isolation continues to be a massive problem for operators. A 2018 AARP survey revealed that three in 10 U.S. adults “report lacking companionship, feeling left out or feeling isolated from others” — emotions that only intensified during the pandemic, especially for senior living residents confined during lockdowns.

TV-based engagement technology can make it easier for families to stay connected with their loved ones without having to rely on staff to schedule a video call, set a reminder or troubleshoot TV issues. Seniors can stay more connected when they’re not physically together with family, enjoying their grandkid’s baseball game or piano recital on their big screen.

Families can also remotely control the senior’s TV and create reminders that automatically take actions. A reminder for weekly worship could take the senior directly to the live stream on YouTube, for instance.

Questions to ask:

Is there a mobile app for family members?
Does the system offer multiple ways for family members to communicate, such as video calling, chat messaging, and photo sharing?
Does it allow reminders to automatically take actions?

Gives your community actionable insights

Technology should not just be easy to use, it should empower caregivers to make proactive decisions about residents. Newer TV-based systems use advanced AI technology to interpret and analyze what’s happening on the TV and provide critical data you can use to assess and measure the health and well-being of residents.

As an operator, you can tap into valuable insights related to resident activity and engagement levels, including TV usage, interaction with reminders and community channels, and frequency of communication with staff and family.

Question to ask :

What type of analytics does the system provide?

This article is sponsored by Caavo and was originally published in Senior Housing News .

The Ultimate Solution to the Biggest, Most Annoying Problem

michelle@caavo.com (Michelle Wright) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 23:48:12 GMT

New and innovative technology is often hard to visualize. You have to see it to believe (and understand) it. A computer in your pocket, anyone?

When our content partner Senior Living Foresight experienced Caavo for the first time, the team quickly understood how the technology leap frogs all other TV-based technology.

Case in point: " I need to stop you now if you’re thinking you’ve tried these kinds of devices before. This is different ," writes the article's author Susan Saldibar.

Saldibar goes on to explain how Caavo's technology is unique and how your staff, residents and families benefit from features like video calling to the TV, Wellness Checks, remote TV control, and more.

" If I seem sort of over-the-moon with this, maybe it’s because, as a marketer, it isn’t hard to see how Caavo can bring a clear advantage over competitors, not just to attract new residents, but also employees. "

Read the full article from Senior Living Foresight for more on how Caavo supports senior living residents, staff and families.

This article is sponsored by Caavo for Senior Living Foresight.