The Surprising Effect of Hospitality TV On Senior Living, Healthcare, And Hospitals

You may be surprised at how many benefits there are to providing hospitality TV for healthcare stay patients and senior living residents. You can learn more about the surprising effects of this service in the article below.

Hospitality TV has been shown to help stay patients and residents stave off feelings of loneliness, stay mentally engaged, and even meet fitness goals. Hospitality TV packages include services that allow users to hook up to video chat services and telehealth providers.

By providing quality television to customers, healthcare centers and senior living centers can improve their funding. Regardless of which state your facility is in, you can reach out to Groove Technology Solutions for solutions on how to modernize your healthcare facility with hospitality TV.

How Does Hospitality TV Benefit Healthcare Facilities?

There are many reasons why quality hospitality TV benefits healthcare facilities. Providing access to television has been shown to improve patient/resident satisfaction scores. The implementation of modern technology also ensures that your IT staff will be able to work efficiently.

Hospitality TV Leads to Higher Patient Satisfaction Scores

It turns out that the quality of TV provided is statistically important to the healthcare patient or resident’s overall perception of your facility. There are several surveys and patient perception studies that put the significance of hospitality TV into numbers:

• Around  90% of older adults watch television daily.
• Retirees watch an average of 3 hours and 49 minutes of TV per day.
• A survey of 3,000 hospitals shows that patients are perhaps more sensitive to the “room and board” aspects of healthcare than the quality of medical treatment.
• While it doesn’t seem plausible to put such a high premium on in-room TV over the quality of medical care, there are ways in which smart TV technology is improving healthcare.

Public perception of your healthcare facility can also be vastly improved if smart patient care services are provided. Patients do enjoy the safety and security of accessing care services at the touch of a button. A recent survey showed that 75% of patients are satisfied with telehealth services, which are accessible from a reliable TV network.

Why Patient Satisfaction Scores Matter: Healthcare Facilities Receive Greater Reimbursement 

Those patient satisfaction scores do indeed appear to significantly impact the number of reimbursements your healthcare or senior living center may receive. You may have noticed this if you ever gave a hospital a low mark in any category on a scores survey. When this happens, customer service representatives may scramble to root out the cause of the low score.

High patient satisfaction scores are a catalyst to the hospital reimbursement process, while low scores are a hindrance:

• One of the most popular hospital surveys is the HCAHPS survey.
• The HCAHPS survey measures data related to the patient’s perspective on their care.
• Medicare reimbursements are at least partially tied to the patient satisfaction portion of the survey.
• Most healthcare centers are part of a larger brand. Low scores at any particular facility can impact the customer perception of the other facilities that a company operates.

Every year, roughly $1.5-2 billion in value-based incentive payments are available to the United States hospital industry. Given the fact that healthcare patients put such a high premium on the TV in their room, it would be safe to say that the quality of the TV provided has a measurable impact on the reimbursements that a healthcare facility receives.

Hospitality TV Simplifies IT for Healthcare Centers

A quality hospitality TV service will also simplify tasks for your IT team, since all televisions installed will be much the same. This is much simpler than an alternative in which your patients bring their own television sets or tablets.

Here are the many ways that hospitality TV simplifies IT in the healthcare industry:

• Devices are less likely to become outdated as long as the facility is continually making upgrades.
• The built-in computing device and network connection of modern TVs make them much easier to install than traditional TVs.
• Smart TVs are compatible with pillow speakers, a bonus for patients or residents with impaired hearing.

Any broken or missing parts should be easy to replace if the room’s technology is up to date. There is less of a learning curve when it comes to informing residents how to connect to services such as videoconferencing on their TVs.

Effects on Hospital Safety

There may be some concern that the hospital could interfere in patient communication with nurses and physicians on-site. The good news is that hospital TVs are specially designed to deliver maximum safety.

Features include: 

• Pillow-side Speaker Controls: The TV audio is cut off whenever patients are trying to communicate with nurses.
• Electronic isolation: The TV will not interfere with oxygen tanks and other necessary medical equipment.

• Grounded plugs with a reduced possibility of breakage, a significant positive in a facility that is outfitted with apparatus essential to life.

How Does Hospitality TV Benefit Healthcare Patients and Senior Living Residents?

In pursuit of higher ratings, some healthcare centers have even made investments in technology characteristic of a 4-star hotel, including flat-screen TVs. The industry has witnessed the emergence of so-called patient hotels in recent years as an upscale alternative to traditional hospitals or healthcare centers.

Fortunately, hospitality TV packages allow healthcare centers and senior living facilities the opportunity to implement much of the smart TV technology that is seen at these upscale patient hotels. Smart TVs have been around long enough for previous generations of specific models to provide interactive services (such as streaming, video chat, and internet browsing) at an affordable rate. You should have no trouble finding affordable equipment that meets the following demands.

Keeping the Mind Sharp at Any Age — Seniors Watch Game Shows More than Any Other Demographic

Research shows that seniors watch more game shows on TV than any other demographic. The median age of Jeopardy viewers, for example, is 64.2 years old. Other fan favorites include the likes of Wheel of Fortune and Family Feud. These shows help senior residents keep their minds engaged.

Keeping the mind engaged is a key aspect of maintaining health at old age. Benefits include:

• Strong memory
• Improved focus
• Better emotional health 
• Reduced stress

These benefits are most attainable when the viewer is actively participating in the game show that they are viewing. There are ways to keep patients or residents actively engaged using a television set.

Video Games Can Help Keep Seniors Stay Mentally Engaged

Although seniors are not typically thought of as dedicated gamers, there are many benefits for those who routinely play video games. Research shows that video games can act to offset and potentially reverse the negative effects of aging on the brain. Seniors in the study showed improved memory and concentration.

Nursing Home Residents Feel More at Home If They Have Access To TV

A 2016 review found that nursing home patients are more likely to feel at home at your senior living center if they have access to a TV. The study found that of all personal belongings (including furniture), the TV was the item that residents placed the most importance on. To them, it is an item that helps them stave off boredom while also keeping contact with the outside world.

It also offers a social opportunity in the case that the TV is in one of the communal living spaces at your healthcare facility. You can put on movie watch events, which gives senior living residents something to look forward to, even if that event is nothing more than a simple movie night.

Sports Are Culturally Important to Seniors

It would be an understatement to say that sports are a vital component of human culture. Hospitality TV is the only way that many seniors can actively follow their favorite teams and athletes. There are also many benefits of watching sports passively, as it is well-known that golf is viewed by many to help them fall asleep. 

Research has shown exactly how significant of an impact sports can have on everyone, including seniors, helping to service their needs for mental and emotional support. In their younger days, they likely attended games in person, but mobility issues make it impractical for them to routinely attend these events in-person anymore.

Fortunately, the TV is the best seat in the house these days, with wall-to-wall high-definition coverage giving the viewer a close and upfront view of the action on the field to the degree that would have been impossible with the older generation TV sets.

TV Keeps Residents Better Informed About Events in Their Life

Having a Smart TV in their room can keep residents informed about a multitude of important tasks, including community events, medication schedules, and healthcare appointments. 

Although you could just as easily keep a physical calendar, this is a much more fail-proof option since an alert on the TV screen is sure to capture your attention. While smartphones are also convenient for these purposes, it is, unfortunately, all-too-easy to misplace or forget to charge a small phone. 

The TV is the best back-up reminder, since the alert is sure to be noticed if the TV has been turned on. It is also very hard to misplace a TV, as well as being simpler for your patients to decipher what’s being said on the big screen versus the small screens of mobile devices.

Hospitality TV Saves Seniors Money

A full cable package can cost users as much as $200 per month, and standalone streaming services can cost an additional $10-$15 each per month. This means that many households are spending more on TV than on utilities, such as water and electricity. 

Given the fact that seniors today are spending more time on TV than previous generations, it would be safe to say that cable represents a major unnecessary cost for a demographic of individuals who can barely afford this service. Senior living centers and healthcare facilities can save their residents hundreds of dollars per month by offering hospitality TV.

Cable and satellite providers offer special hospitality TV packages to these facilities, which should take the pressure off of residents when the time comes to pay the bills. It would be safe to say that many seniors are going to subscribe to TV services themselves if hospitality TV is not offered. Thus, including cable, satellite, or streaming service in the residency package is a solid way for these facilities to ensure that their residents are living comfortably.

How TVs Are Helping Seniors Reach Fitness Goals

TVs can encourage exercise for seniors and those recovering from ailments within the confines of a healthcare facility. There is an ever-increasing number of fitness-related videos that can be found online or on streaming platforms. This is a new and exciting way for everyone to reach their fitness goals through programs that are custom designed for their circumstances.

Here’s why TV can play such a big role in fitness programs at senior living/healthcare facilities:

• Although most seniors are not exercising enough, research shows that they are much more likely to continue age-specific exercise programs than traditional fitness classes.
• Amazon Prime has more than 300 fitness movies and videos contained within its digital library.

The advantage of video fitness programs is that the viewer can work through the exercises at their own pace, ensuring they are using proper form through every step. The viewer can pause, rewind and fast-forward, as necessary. They also enjoy virtual fitness programs due to the added allure of being in a judgment-free zone.

TV: A Difference Maker for Isolated Patients

Some residents may be isolated to their rooms, suffering from mobility issues that prevent them from being able to take part in community events. Smart TVs give them a chance to participate in group activities, helping them defeat the loneliness of social isolation.

This can be accomplished via the use of telecommunication apps on the TV. Your senior living center, for example, may decide to host a holiday party in its common room. A patient confined to their room will still be able to participate in the event virtually.

Quarantine-Proofing A Room: Making the Case for Hospitality TV

The events of 2020 showed why hospitality TV is so important in senior living/healthcare centers. With residents quarantined to their rooms, many of them may have found themselves alone and with not much to do. Such events highlight the significance of hospitality TV in this setting. 

Today’s TVs are much more than just purveyors of entertainment, too. They also allow healthcare residents to communicate with loved ones via videoconferencing apps. For senior living centers to successfully attract new residents in the post-pandemic world, they will need to ensure that residents will have access to such services if they are confined to their rooms.

Hospital Patients Watch Nearly 11 Hours of TV Per Day

Having a TV in the room enables patients to focus on something other than their symptoms. It also helps alleviate anxiety associated with an upcoming surgery.  Hospital patients watch nearly 11 hours of TV per day, while the general population watches 3-4 hours of TV per day. 

Inpatient stays mean that patients suddenly find themselves with a lot of free time per day where they can’t do much of anything. The TV is perhaps the one object in the room that most reminds guests of being back home.

You may be surprised at how high of a premium hospital stay patients put on access to quality TV. In today’s world, it is one of the most valuable parameters of perceived hospital care quality.

The Role That Hospitality TV Plays in The Future of Healthcare

In recent years, the healthcare sector has realized the impact that TVs have on the ability of any given facility to deliver quality care. One such area where this is evident is the significant increase in telehealth services, which allow residents to connect to caregivers with the simple touch of a button.

Cloud-Based Patient Care Services Makes Remote Caregiving Simple

There exist cloud-based patient care applications that allow caregivers to communicate remotely with their patients. Programs include the senior smart TV app packaged by Independa. A resident can use the same TV remote that they use to change channels to start requests for communication with caregivers. This removes the need for a myriad of remotes and devices, often a source of confusion.

Access to Telehealth Services, Which Have Experienced Rapid Growth in Recent Years

Even before the pandemic, the telehealth industry experienced rapid growth, with a 53% increase in use from 2016 to 2017. Telehealth and telemedicine applications include routine check-ups, mental health support, and help with chronic conditions like diabetes.

This is another good reason to include smart TVs in every room of senior living centers and other healthcare facilities where a patient may be living for an extended period. They can seek medical advice with a simple click of the remote.

This is a big game-changer in the healthcare industry when it comes to being able to catch legitimate health hazards early on. There are several reasons why patients delay the act of seeking medical help:

• They are unaware of the true severity of their symptoms.
• They have internally normalized their symptoms.
• Not wanting to “waste a doctor’s time”

Telehealth and telemedicine programs remove much of the rationale for delaying a visit to the doctor since patients can access these services with the simple click of their TV remote and without having to leave the comfort of their residence.

Creating a Private Cable TV Channel for a Senior Living Center

Hospitality TV packages can even allow senior living centers to develop their private cable channel, providing residents with a unique sense of community. A private cable TV channel can inform residents about upcoming events, social news, and much more.

One senior living center took their private channel to a new level when they started broadcasting segments put on by residents themselves. Once the channel was established, the broadcasters were able to brainstorm several interesting segments, including one where they interviewed a new resident in each show to get to know them.

The same technology used to make private facility channels is also capable of adding channels of pre-recorded media, or adding channels that show activity in common rooms or lobbies. That way, those confined to their rooms can feel more aligned with the community happenings. If this is something that interests you, then you are encouraged to contact hospitality tv experts.

Using TVs for Video Conferencing

Perhaps one unseen benefit of TVs in the senior living/hospital setting is that the monitor can be used for video conferencing purposes. LG has even developed a smart TV called the Pro: Centric that is designed specifically for this setting. This not only allows medical professionals greater opportunity to communicate with their patients, but it also allows patients a chance to hold a video conference with their families.

You can also do this on phones and laptops, but a TV set may be a more comfortable option, especially if the patient has to lay down in the bed in a way that makes it uncomfortable for them to divert their attention to a relatively small screen.

70% Of People Receive Messages from Digital Signage, Including TV Monitors

A TV monitor instantly becomes the focal point of any room it sits in. If you are looking to keep residents and visitors alike informed about a particular event or set of events, then a digital display or video wall is an excellent way to achieve this. A recent survey showed that as many as 70% of people could recall seeing a digital display in the last month.

You will often see monitors along the walls of hospitals, senior living centers, and healthcare facilities. These will typically scroll through a series of evenly timed messages. 

There are many advantages to digital signage in the hospitality setting:

• Less labor required: With the right equipment, you can set up a series of screens to be played in succession throughout the day.
• Conserves paper use: No longer will you need to frequently replace outdated poster displays. 

• Saves money in the long run: You won’t have to keep on buying new supplies to build posters.

• Digital displays do a better job of capturing attention: The lighting and colorful displays are more enticing to the viewers’ eyes than poster boards.

How the Negative Effects of TV On Health Can Be Negated

Certainly, there are some downsides to frequent television viewing in senior living spaces that must be curtailed. It is not necessary to eliminate TV from your routine entirely. Still, residents and caregivers alike should strive to make TV time a positive aspect of daily life, for the reasons cited below.

The potential downsides of TVs in senior living spaces:

• Sedentary lifestyle: Sitting down and watching the TV all day can harm one’s health. Even in old age, some form of daily physical exercise is necessary.

• Distorted sense of reality: The frequent viewing of some programs has the power to manipulate the way that the viewer sees the world, negatively.

• Not mentally stimulating: This depends upon the content being viewed, but watching TV and mental exercise does not always go hand in hand.

How to Make TV More Fulfilling for Seniors or Healthcare Patients

Making TV more fulfilling for those in the senior living or healthcare setting will help the resident or temporary guest to feel like they are more at home. There are several strategies for ensuring that TV can be a good thing:

• Streaming services: Streaming services are becoming more popular than cable TV. These allow viewers to choose the shows and movies that they want to see on-demand.

• Settings: Adjustments to brightness controls can make viewing better for the eyes, especially for viewing periods before bedtime.

• Watch documentaries: This is another benefit of streaming services too, as these have neatly organized on-demand programs into categories. 

• Use A DVR: Those who have cable or satellite TV can regulate their TV viewership by recording shows, rather than having to constantly catch them live.

Groove Technology Solutions Can Help

Hospitality TV has a measurable impact on patient satisfaction scores, which then helps determine the number of reimbursements that a given healthcare facility can receive. More importantly, patients and residents can enjoy many benefits from hospitality TV that go well beyond the realms of the entertainment category. TVs can help bring more convenient care to patients through telehealth services.

The switch over to hospitality TV may seem like a daunting task at first. However, the good news is that our friendly experts at the nationwide company Groove Technology Solutions are well-versed in meeting the technology preferences of today’s senior living residents and healthcare center patients and are happy to help you overcome any challenge. Please reach out to us with any questions you may have about our services.