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Is DIRECTV a Good Option for Senior Living Residents?

What Types of DIRECTV Services Are Available?

Senior living residents’ entertainment needs differ significantly from the needs of a family, young couple, or college student. Fortunately, DIRECTV offers several programming options with a specific range of services and features.

The types of television services available from DIRECTV are:

The best way to determine whether any of these services are suitable for nursing home residents is to explore the features included with each one.

Advanced Entertainment Platform (AEP)

The Advanced Entertainment Platform (AEP) is the most comprehensive DIRECTV plan. It includes 4K HDR channels and app-based programming, including live TV and on-demand programs. This plan allows users to cast onto their television via smartphones and tablets.

DIRECTV Residential Experience (DRE)

The DIRECTV Residential Experience (DRE) is a popular choice for hotels and large apartment complexes. It’s fully customizable, allowing management to pre-select specific channels, create a welcome screen or customized information channel, and remotely monitor usage.

Internet Protocol TV (IPTV)

This plan is well-suited to more tech-savvy audiences because the IPTV plan utilizes a property’s internet connection for streaming video services and requires a minimum bandwidth speed. As such, it’s an excellent choice for those with smart TVs or smartphones. Instead of offering live TV, this plan provides on-demand streaming services.

The Verdict: DIRECTV Residential Experience (DRE)

The DRE package might be the best choice for nursing homes. This package is explicitly designed for large communal spaces like hotels, apartment complexes, and senior living communities.

Senior residents are sure to appreciate the following features:

Simplified remote control
Wide range of HD channels
Customized facility channel
Simple channel guide

What Types of Television Services Do Senior Residents Require?

One of the best ways to select a television plan for senior living residents is to consider their specific needs. For example, you’ll want to ask:

What kinds of programs do residents enjoy?
What kinds of features are well-suited to senior living residents?
Do residents need broadband internet services?

You can survey your current residents to discover the answers to these questions. However, you can also rely on generalized information to choose a plan that fits your resident’s needs and preferences.

Generally, senior living residents require television services that help them stay up-to-date with community information and events. They may also prefer having access to HD channels and music channels.

Residents Enjoy Seeing Senior Living Information and Events

Residents appreciate keeping up with community information and events. But paper notices and hallway message boards are easy to miss or ignore.

Administrators and community directors that opt for the DIRECTV Residential Experience can display crucial facility information on a specific channel, making it easy for residents and their families to stay up to date with upcoming parties and activities, as well as daily meal menus and emergency information.

HD Channels Can Combat Poor Eyesight

Standard channels can produce lackluster images that are challenging to make out, especially for those with poor eyesight. But DIRECTV packages include more than a hundred HD channels, making it easier for seniors to see their favorite shows without squinting.

Residents May Enjoy Listening to Music and Radio Channels

Seniors may struggle to stay active, but regular physical exercise can strengthen muscles and improve blood flow. The most basic DIRECTV channel package is jam-packed with music channels.

Senior living residents can enjoy their favorite songs and artists all day long when they have DIRECTV. Easy access to music channels may encourage residents to get up and move, resulting in healthier and happier occupants.

What Are the Benefits of Installing DIRECTV in Senior Living Communities?

Before deciding to sign a contract with DIRECTV, it’s crucial to consider whether satellite television is a valuable amenity for senior living residents.

After all, senior budgets are often fixed and limited. Therefore, it’s essential to prioritize the most valuable services, including health care staff and nutritional meals.

That said, access to satellite television can be incredibly beneficial for senior living residents’ long-term mental health and well-being.

DIRECTV satellite television can help seniors:

Stay up to date with current events
Engage in community activities
Watch their favorite movies and shows
Connect with other residents
Learn new things and explore educational subjects
Enjoy a sense of comfort and familiarity

Transitioning from independent living to living in a senior living community can be a difficult transition for some seniors. Consequently, caregivers and staff must do everything in their power to make this transition as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

Notably, many retirement-aged adults continue to subscribe to cable or satellite television services, often opting out of popular streaming alternatives like Netflix or Hulu. So having DIRECTV services pre-installed in a new resident’s room can make them feel more at home.

Being able to turn on the television and watch their favorite shows can be exceptionally comforting, especially during the first few days or weeks of residency. Over time, residents can form friendships based on their favorite television programs and host viewing parties in their rooms.

Access to news channels can also help senior living residents stay up to date with current events. And the ability to watch newly released movies or learn new things via educational media is bound to add a spark of joy to a person’s golden years.

Final Verdict

DIRECTV could be a great option for senior living residents. One of the best options for senior communities is the DIRECTV Residential Experience (DRE). This system allows community management to program special notices and messages onto resident televisions.

Community administrators can learn more about DIRECTV packages and options by requesting a quote here at Groove Technology Solutions today!