Family Health Network Shares Connected For Life Program with Well•Spring

March 24, 2011 - PRLog -- Chapel Hill, N.C. – Family Health Network is in the process of deploying Connected For Life in the homes of 25 residents of the Well•Spring Retirement Community (Well•Spring) in Greensboro, N.C.  This deployment is part of a pilot study to test the effectiveness of the new technology with seniors and their extended families.  Connected for Life is designed to help families stay in touch, monitor, and assist older family members who desire to live longer, healthier, more independent lives.

“We’re very excited to be joining forces with Well•Spring. Well•Spring has frequently been recognized for its innovation and leadership.  The experience gained from interaction with Well•Spring management and participating families will allow us to improve our product,” said CEO of Family Health Network Harry Bailes.  “Connected for Life allows senior citizens to have easy access to a complete ‘circle of care’ consisting of family members, their church, their community and healthcare providers to improve the quality of care without increasing healthcare costs.”

Connected for Life  directly addresses the most frequently identified barriers to technology use by older adults.  The online program makes computers and surfing the web easy and seamless for seniors by featuring an intuitive user interface with large type and simple graphics.  In addition, the program allows users to respond to e-mails through a series of prepared answers or by simply recording an audio message for a more personal touch.  Seniors also have the ability to engage in video visits (web conferencing) with loved ones and healthcare professionals.

In the first phase of deployment at Well•Spring, five families were selected.  In April, an additional 20 families will be selected.  Already, families are sharing information with family members to improve their lives and health.  Seniors using the technology in the pilot study at Well•Spring have found the program to be empowering and easy to use.  

Connected for Life allows family members and health care professionals to remotely monitor, record and track a senior’s health status and medications on a daily basis.  The program features a check-in button where the senior can let caregivers know that they are okay.  Additionally, when the senior checks into the program they can review a checklist of their medications for the day and there is a list of basic medical questions to help caregivers monitor their day-to-day health.  

For more information about the Connected for Life program, please visit http://www.familyhealthnetwork.com.

About Well•Spring Retirement Community
Well•Spring Retirement Community, founded in 1986 by a multi-denominational group of nine local churches, is the area’s only not-for-profit, life care retirement community. In 2009 Well•Spring was awarded the Pathways to Greatness award by Larson Allen and the Leading Age.  Well•Spring is the first retirement community in the state of North Carolina and the only one in the Triad to receive both the North Carolina New Organizational Vision Award (NC NOVA) and accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities/Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CARF/CCAC). Well•Spring is one of only six aging services providers in the state of North Carolina awarded the NC NOVA. The Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC) was founded in 1985 as the nation’s only accrediting body for continuing care retirement communities. Well•Spring is located at 4100 Well Spring Drive, Greensboro, North Carolina 27410.

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About Family Health Network
Family Health Network’s Connected for Life online program breaks down longstanding barriers to technology use by seniors and enables communication with friends, family, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Seniors using the technology have found the program to be empowering, opening up new worlds and giving them unprecedented access to their care circle, their church, their community, and the world.

Connected for Life allows family members and health care professionals to remotely monitor, record, track a senior’s health status and medications on a daily basis. By providing real-time information sharing with caregivers and healthcare providers, this low cost program allows seniors to maintain their independence, brings families together, relieves stress of caregivers, lowers the cost of care, and improves quality of life. Connected for Life holds the promise to be the centerpiece of a next generation of care for our rapidly aging society.