With social distancing permeating the lives of all Americans there is one group that must not be forgotten. Senior citizens have been braving the isolation alone and typically their caregivers are their only link to the outside world. There is an increased cultural need for seniors to stay connected with their families in practical ways. This is why CEO and Founder Casey McConnell created the Eden: Life Care App. The Eden: Life Care App provides creative solutions to reduce isolation among the elderly and strengthens family engagement with innovative technology at the helm.
Easing the tensions caused by being away from your family is the core of the Eden app. Erasing the feeling of helplessness and replacing it with everyday experiences and expressions of love is the driving force behind the launch of this app. The Eden: Life Care App offers:
- The ability to share daily living and health updates, real-time photos, messages, documents, calendar and event information.
- 24/7 accessibility by approved family members.
- User friendly interface compatible with iOS and Android devices as well as a web based log in.
- Strengthens the bond between caregivers and the family of their charges.
- Secure and compliant with HIPAA regulations making it easy for facilities to use.
Eden is going a step further by honoring the elderly and caregivers with local events nationwide celebrating their work on June 10th. These events will be held across the country in participating care facilities.
I had a chance to interview CEO and Founder of the Eden: Life Care App Casey McConnell to learn more.
1. Why is it so important for seniors to stay connected with family and others?
In my Grandpa’s situation, he lived at home for 96 years and has been married to Grandma for 75 of those years. He has been away from her full time since March with no connections other than a call and those limited connections have been imperative for his wellbeing and mental outlook. For the first time in his life, he is struggling with depression and we do what we can to support him and his mental health, but it can be challenging at the moment. We want to remind our Grandparents they are not forgotten and we are all here for them when they are feeling isolated and alone. For our seniors with Alzheimers and Dementia, hearing the sound of a family member’s voice or seeing their face in a photo may be the only thing they recognize. These facilities take care of their basic needs and we appreciate everything they do, but the emotional connection makes them feel safe and loved. We all have that basic human need for emotional support.
2. Besides current stay-at-home orders, what are some other obstacles to this connection?
I have young children and our next closest member of the family lives 8 hours away. Many families struggle with balancing work and making it to the facilities during visiting hours, mealtimes in the facilities can be busy and stressful, family members live out of state, and (as you know) families with young children at home need to stick to their schedules to keep everything moving smoothly and may not be able to make it as often as they would like to see their Grandparents.
3. What sets The Eden: Life Care App apart from other ways to connect?
Typical connections include phone calls and family visits in these facilities and not all residents have a phone in their room. Facilities do have a portable phone, but many of them are understaffed at the moment and it puts a strain on the already understaffed team to be able to accommodate these phone calls. The Eden: Life Care App is a one-on-one personalized communication tool that all family can connect to, it is Cloud secure, HIPAA compliant and has a private and controlled community for a close-knit group of family and caregivers. With document and information sharing in real-time, family members can stay in the loop and paperwork and reporting is kept to a minimum for Caregivers.
Bake-a-Cake Campaign
2. Besides current stay-at-home orders, what are some other obstacles to this connection?
I have young children and our next closest member of the family lives 8 hours away. Many families struggle with balancing work and making it to the facilities during visiting hours, mealtimes in the facilities can be busy and stressful, family members live out of state, and (as you know) families with young children at home need to stick to their schedules to keep everything moving smoothly and may not be able to make it as often as they would like to see their Grandparents.
3. What sets The Eden: Life Care App apart from other ways to connect?
Typical connections include phone calls and family visits in these facilities and not all residents have a phone in their room. Facilities do have a portable phone, but many of them are understaffed at the moment and it puts a strain on the already understaffed team to be able to accommodate these phone calls. The Eden: Life Care App is a one-on-one personalized communication tool that all family can connect to, it is Cloud secure, HIPAA compliant and has a private and controlled community for a close-knit group of family and caregivers. With document and information sharing in real-time, family members can stay in the loop and paperwork and reporting is kept to a minimum for Caregivers.
Bake-a-Cake Campaign
The Bake-a-Cake campaign launches next week where Eden Life Care is mobilizing an army of Volunteer Home Bakers across the country to bake a cake to deliver to their local Nursing Home, Hospital or Assisted Living Facility on June 10th. With over 20,000 facilities around the country, we are connecting with as many home bakers as possible!
We have created an easy-to-follow recipe to make your boxed cake mix taste like it is from a bakery along with a home-made buttercream frosting. Our baker, Erica, will show home bakers how to make a heart shaped cake using one round cake pan decorated with “YOU ARE LOVED” and whatever treats they already have in the pantry like cookies and candies. This recipe is easy, inexpensive and fun for the whole family to brighten the day of our elderly and caregivers around the country on June 10th, National Grandparents and Caregivers Day. We would love your support and involvement in this campaign!
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