Wireless Solutions Shaping the Future of Senior Housing Communities
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Residents of senior housing facilities expect to have the same high-speed wireless services they enjoyed in their own homes for
personal and visitor use. However, ease of installation/configuration and total cost of ownership are critical considerations for senior
housing communities that are looking to meet resident needs for connectivity and leverage WiFi-enabled solutions to improve
resident care while reducing operating expenses. Below is a check list of core features and attributes designed for owners and
operators to use when evaluating solutions from various wireless vendors:
P Low to medium usage capacity for hundreds of clients
P Controller for centralized management
P Wireless isolation to protect corporate assets and clients on the network
P Basic firewall
P WPA2-PSK authentication (uses a plain-English passphrase to generate unique encryption keys)
P 2 SSIDs (1 open for guests, 1 for sta and residents with basic security)
P Seamless roaming to avoid dropped connections when residents and sta move between APs
P Onsite (or remote) wireless site survey and planning services
CONCLUSION
Favorable trends such as the increasing size of the elder adult population and improvements in the global economy will
drive future growth in the senior housing community industry. No longer a novelty, WiFi-enabled living communities will
be a business imperative for seniors that depend on mobile devices for social connections, health, and wellness. Senior
living communities are increasingly relying on advanced technology and wireless networks to improve resident care
and reduce costs via electronic medical records to document care, collect vital sides, and provide real time updates to
doctors and pharmacies. The use of remote monitoring sensors or location tracking devices can help to avoid and/or delay
movement to higher levels of critical care, increasing the average tenure of residents in senior housing communities.
Despite the significant lifestyle, health/wellness, and financial benefits associated with wireless networks, most senior
housing communities still face significant challenges upgrading or deploying WiFi with limited access to IT sta and capital.
Feature rich solutions, designed for large enterprises, are oen too complex and costly. Careful consideration should be
given to selecting a WiFi solution that will not only deliver the fast, reliable, and secure connectivity that residents demand
and caregivers/sta need to provide best in class care, but one that is also aordable and easy to use.
ABOUT NETGEAR
NETGEAR is a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, small businesses, and service
providers. Its line of ProSAFE ® business-class wireless products include secure, reliable, aordable solutions specifically
designed for ease of implementation and maintenance in small to mid-sized senior housing communities. Whether you are
in the exploration, project definition, implementation, or expansion stage for WiFi, NETGEAR can provide guidance and
advice to help design robust, secure, flexible and cost eective wireless networks through our extensive and experienced
reseller network. For more information, go to www.netgear.com.