Vida Healthcare image

Dementia care specialist Vida Healthcare has launched a “revolutionary” new app to keep its residents and their families connected during COVID-19.

Recent research by Vida Healthcare looking into people’s perceptions of social care and care homes during COVID-19 has found that 46 percent of UK adults are worried about the pressure of visiting their relatives in care as restrictions ease, and 45 percent would like more care homes to be technology enabled to improve connectivity between residents and loved ones.

Responding to this requirement for improved technology and greater connectivity, Vida Healthcare developed the Family Team Talk app to allow families and friends of residents at the care homes to see a snapshot of daily life at Vida Healthcare.

The app is user-friendly and gives families instant access to catch up on the health and wellbeing of their loved one through posts and updates from staff, videos and images.

James Rycroft, Managing Director at Vida Healthcare, commented: “With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to relatives and friends of residents being unable to visit our care homes, one of our main priorities has been to continue creating a sense of community and keeping residents connected with their loved ones.

“Launching this app has raised the morale of relatives, residents and staff, and given everyone a greater feeling of connectivity and reassurance. It’s been a total success so far and we’re looking forward to seeing how families continue to use it, and receiving further feedback so that we can continue improving its usability.”

According to Vida Healthcare, positive feedback has so far been received from a number of relatives and friends using the app.

Adele, a relative of one of the residents who’s been using the Family Team Talk app, said: “Congratulations on the successful launch of Family Team Talk, it really is an informative app. I know everyone over at Vida Healthcare is extremely busy and working under great pressure. Once again we cannot thank you for all the love you show to mum and her friends within the homes.”

Originally created as an internal communications platform for staff to streamline discussions and raise staff morale, the success of the app led to Vida Healthcare expanding its offering and developing Family Team Talk.

Vida Healthcare was established to transform the care available to people living with dementia, with a focus on championing the use of bespoke environments and alternative therapies to improve wellbeing and quality of life.

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