400% Increase in Family Engagement | 90% Faster Response Times | 100% Digital Access to Resident Updates

The Aged Care Home in Focus

Nestled in a charming part of Adelaide, surrounded by lush parklands and a vibrant community of cafés and historic streets, this 60-bedded aged care home has built a strong reputation for providing compassionate and high-quality care. The facility is known for its commitment to resident well-being, but like many aged care homes, it faced challenges in keeping families connected with their loved ones.

Family involvement plays a critical role in aged care, influencing not just emotional well-being but also overall health outcomes. However, staying connected isn’t always easy—especially when families live far away or have busy schedules. Centrim Life’s communication features are designed to solve this problem, providing real-time updates, secure messaging, and video-sharing capabilities.

Jasper Davies, whose father, Robert Davies, has been a resident at the facility since 2022 shares his experience of how Centrim Life has transformed communication between residents and families. Grace Thompson, caregiver at the aged care, offers her side of the story home to describe how Centrim Life has helped staff bridge communication gaps and enhance family engagement.

Challenges, Consequences, and Hesitations

Challenges

Before implementing Centrim Life, the aged care home faced significant communication hurdles that affected both residents and their families:

• Geographical Barriers: Many family members lived interstate or even overseas, making regular visits difficult. Without a way to stay updated, they often felt anxious and disconnected from their loved ones.
• Limited Communication Tools: Phone calls were the primary means of contact, but they didn’t provide enough detail. Families wanted more—photos, videos, and real-time updates—to truly feel involved.
• Inconsistent Information Sharing: Updates on health, daily activities, and well-being were often delayed or inconsistent. This lack of clarity caused unnecessary worry and frustration for families.
• Social Isolation of Residents: Without regular engagement from their families, many residents felt lonely, leading to a decline in emotional well-being.
• Cognitive Impairments as a Barrier: Some residents, especially those with dementia, struggled to express themselves clearly over the phone, making communication even more challenging for families.
• Overburdened Staff: Care staff had limited time to facilitate communication, as their primary focus was on direct resident care.

“Not knowing how Dad was doing every day was tough,” admits Jasper Davies. “ A weekly phone call wasn’t enough. I’d worry about whether he was eating well, if he was feeling lonely, or if something was wrong. We just needed a better way to stay connected.” 

Consequences

The communication challenges at the aged care facility took a heavy emotional and operational toll on residents, families, and staff.

• Residents: Many residents felt isolated and overlooked due to inconsistent communication with their families. The lack of regular contact led to emotional distress, with some experiencing heightened loneliness and a diminished sense of self-worth. Without frequent updates, residents’ personal needs sometimes went unnoticed, impacting their overall well-being. For those with cognitive impairments, limited engagement made them even more vulnerable to misunderstandings and neglect.
• Families: Family members, unable to visit regularly, often felt anxious about their loved one’s well-being. Without timely updates, they were left wondering if their parent was eating well, receiving proper medical attention, or simply feeling happy. Many struggled with guilt, fearing they weren’t doing enough. The lack of clear communication also made family participation in care decisions difficult, leaving them feeling disconnected and frustrated with the facility.
• Staff: With no proper communication system, staff members spent a significant amount of time addressing family concerns individually. Repetitive phone calls and emails took them away from their core caregiving responsibilities, contributing to stress and burnout. The constant back-and-forth also led to miscommunication and delays in responding to residents’ needs. Over time, these inefficiencies strained relationships between staff and families, making daily operations more challenging.

“I felt forgotten some days”, confides Robert Davies. “ My son would call, but it was never enough. I wanted to see him, hear about my grandkids, but all I got were rushed updates. It was lonely.”

Hesitations

When the aged care home considered Centrim Life, they had several concerns about adopting a tech-based solution. Their doubts included:

• What are the key features to look for in aged care software to improve family communication? 
• What feedback mechanisms are available for staff and families to voice their experiences with the software? 
• How can we ensure that our residents will adapt to using new technology for communication with their families? 
• Will staff require extensive training to use the new system, and how will we manage that transition? 
• What measures does Centrim Life have in place to ensure the security and privacy of resident data? 
• How will the software improve communication between families and staff without overwhelming our existing processes? 
• How does aged care software handle secure messaging? 
• Does Centrim Life support video calls?
• How does secure messaging ensure HIPAA compliance?

Despite these hesitations, they knew something had to change. The risk of losing trust with families and failing to meet aged care standards was too great. They needed a solution that would simplify communication, not complicate it.

“We knew we needed to improve communication”, remarks Grace Thompson. “But we were nervous about introducing new technology. Would it be too much for residents? Would our staff have time to learn it? There were a lot of questions.”

Discovering the Solution – Centrim Life

The senior living home was actively searching for ways to improve aged care communication when they came across Centrim Life’s free demo offer. Wanting to explore their options, they scheduled a session. During the demo, the team at Centrim Life guided them through the platform’s communication module, showing how it could strengthen the connection between residents and their families.

What stood out the most was how easily Centrim Life fit into their existing workflow. Staff appreciated the ability to automate updates, ensuring families remained informed without adding extra work to their already busy schedules. Residents were excited about the convenience of staying in touch with loved ones—whether through messages, video calls, or sharing photos. Family members, including Jasper Davies, felt reassured knowing they had a secure and accessible way to check in on their loved ones.

The facility also valued Centrim Life’s hands-on approach to implementation. The team provided thorough training, making sure staff felt comfortable with the system. Confident in its benefits, the facility decided to move forward with Centrim Life, bringing residents, staff, and families closer together.

“We needed a solution that was easy to use and actually made a difference”, says Grace Thompson. “ Centrim Life just made sense—it helps us keep families updated without adding extra work for us.”

Results

The impact of Centrim Life was immediate. Communication between staff, residents, and families improved, and the facility saw meaningful benefits across multiple areas.

• Supporting Family Communication: Centrim Life offered real-time updates through story feeds, announcements, and private messaging. Families no longer had to wait for updates—they could access them instantly. 
• Feedback Mechanisms: The facility appreciated the built-in feedback tools, which allowed families and staff to share their thoughts and suggestions. This helped create an ongoing dialogue, improving service quality and ensuring that the system continued to meet the needs of everyone involved.
• Resident Adaptation to Technology: A key concern was whether residents would embrace the platform. Centrim Life’s user-friendly design made it easy for them to navigate, encouraging them to engage with features like photo sharing. Seeing pictures of their daily activities reassured families and strengthened emotional connections.
• Staff Training and Transition Management: One of the biggest challenges with new technology is the learning curve. Centrim Life made the transition smooth by providing personalised onboarding sessions. The system’s intuitive interface meant staff could start using it right away without the need for extensive training.
• Security and Privacy Measures: With HIPAA-compliant encryption and strict privacy controls, Centrim Life ensured that all communications remained secure. The facility felt confident knowing that resident data was protected at every level.
• Improving Communication Without Hassles: Before implementing Centrim Life, the facility worried about adding extra administrative work to their team. However, the platform simplified communication, reducing the time spent managing updates. Families now received the information they needed without burdening staff.
• Secure Messaging Capabilities: Centrim Life’s secure messaging feature enabled staff to share sensitive information safely while remaining compliant with privacy regulations. This ensured that all conversations were documented and accessible only to authorised personnel.
• Support for Video Calls: The ability to schedule video calls meant families could stay connected, even when in-person visits weren’t possible. Residents felt more connected, and families appreciated the ease of staying in touch despite physical distance.

Most importantly, the facility was impressed by the ongoing support from Centrim Life. Whenever they had questions, they received quick responses and effective solutions, reinforcing their confidence in the platform.

“I love how easy it is to stay in touch with Dad”, remarks Jasper Davies. “I can see updates, chat with him, and even video call—all in one place. It gives me real peace of mind.”

Benefits for Stakeholders

Centrim Life played a crucial role in enhancing communication and support for everyone involved in the aged care home—families, residents, and staff.

Families gained peace of mind with real-time updates on their loved ones’ care. Knowing what meals were served, what activities took place, and when visits were scheduled helped them feel more connected. The ability to send messages and share moments through photos strengthened emotional bonds, making long distances feel shorter.

Residents experienced a greater sense of belonging, knowing that their families were staying informed and engaged. Regular updates reassured them that their loved ones cared about their well-being. The added connection also encouraged participation in social activities, leading to improved mental health and overall happiness.

Centrim Life made daily operations smoother by reducing the administrative workload. Instead of spending time manually updating families, staff could rely on the system to handle communications efficiently. This gave them more time to focus on what truly mattered—providing quality care to residents.

Conclusion

Families, residents, and staff all saw a positive shift with Centrim Life. The platform did a whole lot more than improving communication—it helped strengthen relationships and simplify daily routines.

“Centrim Life made it easier to stay connected with Dad”, says Jasper Davies. “It’s simple, convenient, and gives us peace of mind. We’d happily recommend it to other families and aged care providers.”

Looking to improve communication in your aged care home? Discover how Centrim Life can help. Get in touch today.