Meals on Wheels Rowan and Claris Healthcare Launch an Innovative Approach to Remote Senior Socialization using Claris Companion Tablets
COVID-19 has driven social service organizations to leverage new technology to provide virtual senior services.
SPENCER, N.C., and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Meals on Wheels Rowan ("MOW") has announced today that they will be using Claris Healthcare's Claris Companion technology to expand their reach to seniors at home to overcome social isolation brought on by COVID-19.
Like many senior care organizations, Meals on Wheels is challenged to provide their in-person delivery services during the current pandemic. Many seniors depend not only on Meals on Wheels to provide nutritious food but also on daily social interaction. These seemingly insignificant interactions during delivery are important to the Meals on Wheels participants. A simple "hello and how are you doing?" provide homebound seniors with an emotional boost and a sense that the volunteer and community care about them. With these interactions currently at a minimum, MOW reached out to Claris Healthcare to provide centrally managed Claris Companion tablets as a way to supplement these critical interactions with video calling, messaging, photo sharing, daily check-ins, and reminders.
Cindy Fink, Executive Director, said, "We have dedicated volunteers that care deeply about the seniors to whom they deliver meals. COVID-19 has created new challenges for us. Our mission is to deliver a nutritious meal and offer a friendly greeting and informal safety check. Claris Companion provides a senior-friendly tablet that allows us to connect with our participants easily and them to connect with their families and friends." Ms. Fink continued, "We were initially unsure if our seniors would be able to use a tablet; however, the Claris Companion is so easy and intuitive that it became clear this would be a real game-changer for our participants. Our goal is to initiate a pilot project with 20 tablets and participants by the end of the year. We have applied for grant funding to add 50 additional tablets and participants during the first quarter of 2021. The tablets are also available for purchase by any Meals on Wheels participant or their family. We are happy to work with any participant or family that is interested in Claris Companion. For local individuals or families who are interested in seeing a demonstration of the tablet, feel free to contact me, Cindy Fink at Meals on Wheels Rowan."
Geof Auchinleck, CEO of Claris Healthcare said, "We have dedicated our resources over the past eight years to develop software that older seniors find easy to use and engaging. Senior social isolation has long been a challenge with aging in place. The pandemic has exacerbated this challenge in ways that organizations like MOW have found incredibly challenging. Claris sees its role helping seniors stay engaged with their caregivers as our highest priority." He continued, "MOW has demonstrated that seniors can adopt innovative technology to live more safely and securely at home".
The Claris platform is specifically designed for older adults (65+). The Claris Companion tablet provides unparalleled access for anyone receiving care in their own homes – without any need for on-site installation, configuration, or training. Claris Healthcare developed its software solution, Claris Companion, in 2013 to address the challenge of senior isolation by increasing engagement with technology. Claris provides customers like MOW with a turnkey solution that includes a 4G tablet, preconfigured with software for email, video calling, photo albums, games, websites, and many other senior and family engagement features. Customers can also add Bluetooth medical devices like blood pressure monitors, weight scales, and other vital monitors. For more information about the Claris Companion Tablet, go to http://www.clariscompanion.com.
About Meals on Wheels Rowan
Meals on Wheels Rowan, founded in 1976, is a volunteer-based senior services organization. MOW delivers nearly 1,300 meals weekly across 511 square miles of Rowan County. MOW provides nutritious meals to seniors so that they can safely age in place. In addition to delivering meals, MOW volunteers offer a friendly face and much-needed social interaction for seniors living in isolation, especially given the current pandemic. For more information about Meals on Wheels Rowan go to http://www.mowrowan.org.
About Claris Healthcare
Founded in 2012, Claris Healthcare has developed the world's most engaging, flexible, and accessible platform designed to deliver care into the home. The Claris platform has applications in family care, chronic care, and acute care. With 46 million Americans over the age of 65 living with one or more chronic conditions and many in isolation during the current pandemic, remote patient monitoring is the solution to an ever-growing need to deliver quality care beyond traditional hospital settings.
Contact Information
Claris Healthcare
Paul Sharman, Founder
http://www.clariscompanion.com
1-866-284-4939 ext. 5
Meals on Wheels Rowan County
Cindy Fink, Executive Director
1307 Salisbury Ave, Spencer, NC 28159
704-633-0352
[email protected]
Media Contact
Paul Sharman, Claris Healthcare, +1 1-866-284-4939 Ext: 5, [email protected]
SOURCE Claris Healthcare
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