The Jacob Gains a Competitive Advantage with the DCC Nurse Call System

The development of a large, resort-style senior living community like The Jacob in Beamsville, Ontario, requires substantial capital and no small amount of risk. For developers to recoup their investment and start earning a profit, they must ensure that each retirement property is as competitive as possible. One way of appealing to the current wave of seniors is to offer innovative technology options that preserve their independence and keep them safe when used in conjunction with a range of support services. To help differentiate The Jacob from its competition, developer Emshih Living chose to implement the state-of-the-art DCC Nurse Call System from Panasonic Canada Inc.

“When we’re trying to sell a suite and show a family the care we can provide, when we’re asking seniors to trust in us—to trust that they’re going to be safe here—the DCC Nurse Call System really helps close the deal because the family can see that it’s going to help us take care of their loved one,” says Candise Nicholson, Executive Director of The Jacob.

“It can be a make or break for families when they’re choosing between two homes,” adds Jacqueline Smith, Director of Care at The Jacob. “If The Jacob has a modern nurse call system and the other home doesn’t, the added service gives them peace of mind and inspires faith in The Jacob.”

With COVID-19 creating so much fear and uncertainty around senior living facilities, the DCC Nurse Call System is especially reassuring for families because their loved ones are able to call for assistance from anywhere in the building by simply pushing the button on their wireless pendant. “When we admit a new resident, they have to quarantine in their room for two weeks, which is a little unsettling for the family,” says Smith. “The pendants really make a big difference because the family knows that we’re going to respond and take care of their loved one.”

Recognizing the DCC Nurse Call System as a major value-add, The Jacob’s sales team has made it a ubiquitous part of their outreach to seniors and their families. “The Nurse Call System is in every piece of our advertising and all of our marketing materials,” says Nicholson. “Knowing that we have this great feature—it gets people in the door, which then fills up our building.”

Nicholson anticipates using Direct Care Connect DCC™ software to analyze data from the Nurse Call System and identify new sales opportunities. “The ability to produce reports will be a revenue generator because it can tell us if a person needs more services, which we will work with the family to implement,” she explains.

Of course, it is sometimes difficult for family members to acknowledge that their loved one may need additional care. If a resident is experiencing difficulties, the care team can leverage the DCC Nurse Call System to provide objective proof of a deteriorating condition. “If somebody is constantly pressing the button on their pendant, that’s a red flag for us to delve deeper into their assessment and say,‘Maybe they need something else. What can we do?’” says Smith. With a report in hand, she can start a conversation about modifying the resident’s level of care.

The reliability and user-friendly design of the DCC Nurse Call System is helping The Jacob’s care team respond quickly and decisively whenever a resident needs assistance. Using DCC analytic tools, managers have the ability to monitor the care team’s responsiveness, identify problems as they arise and promptly come up with solutions. In this way, The Jacob expects to establish and maintain a high standard of care, giving seniors even more incentive to spend their golden years in Beamsville.