Sentrics’ Entertain360 division, which offers TV, phone and Internet services, can now provide a COVID-19 hotline to any senior living community that needs it — free of charge — during the pandemic. The service gives community operators the ability to record a message of any length and allow family members access via a toll-free phone number.

The hotline is Sentrics’ fourth solution intended to senior care providers manage the impact of COVID-19. Sentrics sells a suite of services that support the physical, medical, social and behavioral needs of seniors.

The hotline, the company said, can save facilities time and allow staff to focus on resident care. 

“In distressed times, family members are hungry for information about loved ones who live in senior living communities,” said Chad Harris, executive vice president and general manager of the Entertain360 and Engage360 divisions. “While community operators want to answer every phone call personally, it just isn’t practical when they have hundreds and sometimes thousands of family contacts.”

The Sentrics COVID hotline can go live in two days or less and gives operators the ability to deliver a consistent and controlled message. Leveraging the hotline spares front desk staff from being flooded with family member calls. 

“With nine communities, we were communicating with more than 1,000 families every day via email or phone,” said Alex Salabarria, CEO of Oaks Senior Living in Georgia. ”With the Sentrics hotline, we can customize a COVID update for each location and give those same family members the ability to call from anywhere in the U.S. when it’s convenient for them.” 

Other recent Sentrics service additions include:

• Quick-install messaging and content distribution products that provide instant messaging, direct-to-room movies and community-to-room live event broadcasting to engage residents in new ways.

• Internet broadcasted senior exercises via Spiro100 to provide safe, in-room physical activity to help residents maintain strength and balance. 

• Emergency nurse call kits that stand up a wireless nurse call solution in less than two hours in any powered, temporary hospital.