February 2008

When issues arise with these systems (for instance when a resident pushes a call bell for assistance or a smoke alarm triggers) this automated alerting system can send voice and text alerts to pagers, email, cell phones, home phones and external email. This makes it possible for staff and residents to be notified of important events at any time or place. Staff members can quickly address safety and security concerns or environmental problems before they turn into emergencies.

Kendal at Hanover, in Hanover, New Hampshire, and Kendal at Lexington, in Lexington Virginia, have recently begun implementation of SARA technology. Kendal at Hanover has completed the first phase of a three-phase installation, which included installing equipment that would allow an interface with the current nurse call system in the health center.  This also included an interface to the Simplex fire alarm and an internal paging system.  Alerts from those systems are sent to internal phone and email as well as to blackberries and cell phones. Health center staff can quickly respond to requests for assistance and all staff and residents can be notified of emergencies immediately.

Kendal at Hanover's second phase is set to begin early this year and includes a solution to monitor resident activity in the health center.  This system will replace the current system which is no longer supported and difficult to maintain.  The third and final phase of SARA will be implemented in late 2008 and includes expansion of the system into residents' apartments.  This phase includes adding several components that will allow for wireless emergency pendants to be used in areas where wiring is difficult to install yet mobility is desired.  It will also have the capability of providing and monitoring motion sensors and pull cords in each apartment that will improve resident safety through rapid response to emergencies.

Kendal at Lexington has installed the SARA system in Webster, the assisted living area of the community. Call bells in residents' apartments are now redirected to pagers worn by the staff. A variety of information can be made available on the pager, including a resident's name, room number, and medical information. The system can be set to notify additional staff should a call not be responded to within an established time period. The system has also been connected to smoke detectors in the building and has already proven valuable. In December, when burnt toast in a resident's apartment set off an alarm in the corridor outside the apartment, the staff were able to discover that the detector inside the apartment was not working and quickly made the repair.

At Kendal at Lexington the system has allowed improved security in the Borden Center where entrances can now be locked in the evening and staff have access through a security code system.