A team of certified crisis communications specialists has developed the first solution crisis communications solution for senior housing and services.

“A perfect storm is brewing in the senior housing industry,” said Debra Sheridan, president of 30-year-old IVY Marketing Group and creator of  the new ResponderHub. “Seventy-five percent of crises in senior housing are smoldering and could be avoided with proper preparation, training and response.”

ResponderHub combines response training specific to the senior housing industry with HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based software and a real-time communications app. It hinges on three tenets of crisis communications — preparation, prevention and response — in four categories of crisis: widespread, serious, business disruption and reputational. 

The service launched Jan. 1.

Users of ResponderHub receive on-site training including industry-specific role playing, appropriate setup of a situation room and software demonstrations. Users can also add media training, including feedback and coaching.

Accessible from any device, ResponderHub™ serves as a step-by-step guide to crisis response as well as a HIPAA-compliant repository for important information germane to each community. It also houses best practice information, trend reports of crises in the senior industry, descriptions and treatment of the four major types of crises, sample holding statements and policies, timelines for responses, monthly updates and other reference tools. 

An accompanying app functions as a real-time channel for protected internal communications. Push notifications go out to core team members, who then log into the site or app from any device to communicate via text, email and voice in a recorded setting that ensures documentation for future reference.  

ResponderHub offers optional comprehensive monitoring of online reviews and comments and can craft responses.