Four Seasons rolls out Wi-Fi to all its 370 care homes

Four Seasons Health Care which has a national network of 370 homes, providing specialist dementia and nursing care to 20,000 people, is introducing Wi-Fi into all of its homes.

Alistair How, chief operating officer of Four Seasons, said: “It has been a significant investment to upgrade our IT systems and install Wi-Fi in all of our care homes, but it is one that we consider to be very worthwhile. It has enhanced our residents’ enjoyment of life in their home.

“They are able to connect more frequently via social media services and email and they can also keep up to date with their personal interests more readily, as well as maintaining their independence by shopping online.”

Violet Amies, a resident at The Maltings Care Home in Fakenham, run by Four Seasons, has found that having Wi-Fi has made a big difference and “means that my daughter and I can sit together and use Skype to talk to my other daughter who lives in the United States, which is much easier than trying to arrange a telephone call. It’s great to be able to hear her news more regularly and to be able to see each other and share photos online.”

At Cossins House Care Home in Cobham, a resident who used to be a ballet dancer and is now living with dementia, regularly watches ballet videos online. This helps to stimulate positive memories, as well as encouraging her to reminisce about her earlier experiences with other residents and staff members. Many residents are also shopping for books and other small items online in addition to adding to their Kindle libraries, according to Four Seasons.

A growing number of older people now shop online and use social media such as Facebook to communicate with family and friends. Yet many care homes still do not have Wi-Fi.

Care home residents need to be fully included in today's society

Two years ago, Baroness Sally Greengross, chief executive of The International Longevity Centre-UK think tank, called for more care homes to provide internet access to residents after research by carehome.co.uk revealed that only a fifth of care homes do.

She said: “This is an area that really needs to be addressed to ensure that care home residents are fully included in today’s society.

“Technology can stimulate creativity and trigger reminiscence. It is so important for the intellectual and emotional wellbeing of older people, enabling them to connect through friends and family by email, Facebook and Skype. I would urge all care homes to have ICT as an integral part of their homes as it is a vital part of residential care.”

Internet gives back independence

Davina Ludlow, director of carehome.co.uk, would also like to see more care homes giving residents access to the internet.

She said: “The internet can be crucial in giving older people and people with disabilities back their independence and stop them feeling so isolated as they can shop online and order books and DVDs over the internet and chat to family and friends with Skype and look at photos on Facebook.”

The charity, Alive!, which provides activities for lonely and isolated older people, has found that after iPad sessions, the intellectual and emotional well-being of older people improves and lasts for days after.

Residents also tend to be more conversational leading to better relationships with peers and care home staff, ultimately improving social care.

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