Friends of Residents is a non-profit advocacy group in North Carolina focused on residents in long term care facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living. One of our projects is to improve the capacity and ability for virtual visitation for families and residents, as well as with care givers, ombudsman, etc.
I am reaching out to Cisco based upon the Web Ex platform - we are seeking partners to engage in the project - both with some technical expertise as well as financial or product/services.
North Carolina. The CDC and NCDHHS have issued its strongest visitation restrictions to protect community spread of the virus. One of the ways facilities can help residents combat feelings of loneliness and isolation is using tablets, laptops, and cellphones. Technology includes applications that allow a virtual “visit” so family members can both see and hear from their loved one.
Another impact of restrictions on visitation has meant our state-wide ombudsman are unable to maintain in-person visits to residents. Improved access to technology would benefit their ability to stay connected to residents and their concerns.
FOR (Friends of Residents in Long Term Care) along with valued community stakeholders are hoping to secure funding to make technology more available for adult care homes (assisted living) during COVID-19 and beyond. Another critical need is improving and expanding bandwidth across North Carolina so facilities can support virtual visits.
We hope to establish both interest and support of a partnership with an organization prior to possible next steps. On behalf of the over 100K North Carolinians residing in long-term care, thank you. Lauren Zingraff, MSW Executive Director, FOR https://forltc.org
