Communications Leader in Senior Living Takes Major Step, Launches 'Touchtown Resident Apps'

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct. 22, 2012 - OAKMONT, Pa. – The well-known phrase “There’s an app for that” now applies for senior living providers and residents in senior living communities with the launch of ‘Touchtown Resident Apps.’ Designed specifically for older adults, Touchtown’s latest product provides an engaging communications platform for seniors, as well as easier and quicker access to lifestyle needs and desires. ‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ is a product line extension from the field’s leading provider of communications solutions, including in-house TV channels, digital signs, websites and other communications tools.

“We’re seeing a dramatic shift in the way people of all ages are using computers and how they prefer to communicate,” says Jeff Pepper, president & CEO of Touchtown. “The new generation of senior living is about different expectations, and ‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ is a natural next step in the evolution of communications tools to satisfy those needs.”

‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ will launch as a tablet-based program, in line with research that shows the use of tablets and other hand-held devices spiking. According to a recent report from Morgan Stanley, tablet sales are expected to nearly double in 2012, with strong projections for future growth. The same survey showed PC sales remaining flat.

“‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ offers a lot of possibilities for senior living communities,” says Russ DenBraber, president & CEO at Christian Living Communities. “We’re initially drawn to the safety and security features Touchtown offers, and our residents are pretty tech-savvy, so we expect that they’ll quickly adapt to and appreciate all the uses and possibilities of this new technology.”

Christian Living Communities, with three senior living communities in the South Denver Metro area, is among the first to adopt the ‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ package, ordering nearly 200 tablets.

The interface style of ‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ is similar to the Apple design standard, including user-friendly features, simple navigation, quick response, scrolling ability, and large icons and text. (See visual below.) Apps are customizable on a community and individual level.

App features include:
•   Send and receive high-speed messages.
•   List and deliver information about all community services, activities, events and programs.
•   Allow residents to request, access or sign up for community services (work-order system).
•   Display social activities, entertainment options and transportation requests, both within and outside of community.
•   Provide residents an easy way to collect and store health information, as well as other important documents and reference material.

“It takes communications to the next level at senior living communities,” DenBraber says. “The apps package allows us to offer an even higher level of personalized service that builds off other Touchtown communication tools.”

“Seniors demand just as much from their communication products as everyone else, maybe more,” says Pepper. “They want the right set of features to help them in their everyday lives, but it has to be easy to see, easy to understand and easy to use. That’s what ‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ deliver.”

Touchtown will display and host demonstrations of the new senior-friendly apps product at the LeadingAge Conference, October 22-24, 2012, in Denver, Colorado. Initially, ‘Touchtown Resident Apps’ will be sold as a bundled solution, which includes the app software, Android tablets, and a wall-mount or tabletop display.

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About Touchtown, Inc.
Thousands of senior living communities across North America rely on Touchtown as a complete solution for resident communication. Touchtown’s solutions cover the entire spectrum of lifestyle and emergency communication, from senior-friendly apps to emergency call buttons and sensors. This integrated approach makes it easy to promote community programs and activities while providing affordable emergency response and notification. Touchtown customers see results in improved workflow efficiency, enhanced marketing and a higher quality of life for their residents. The company, based in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, helps senior living providers break down barriers to communication, cultivating the member satisfaction that directly results in increased revenue for their businesses. For more information, visit www.Touchtown.us.