Internet for Seniors – Legally Secured
The internet connects people, provides information, offers services, and provides entertainment. And anyone who believes that seniors, whether in need of care or not, have no interest in it is greatly mistaken. Demand in residential and nursing homes is steadily increasing. In the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, this was legally taken into account for the first time.
Only a third of nursing homes in Germany are equipped with WiFi, even though more and more so-called Silver Surfers, as internet-savvy seniors are affectionately called, are demanding it. Older people who are naturally proficient with smartphones, tablets, and laptops do not want to go without them in old age. Especially when family lives some distance away or friends and acquaintances are not mobile, they can still participate in social life. Offers for joint sports and leisure activities in the residential or nursing home can be displayed directly on the residents’ devices via email or redirection to a dedicated landing page. Whether the internet is provided free of charge, via the purchase of a ticket, or integrated directly into the home costs is up to each provider.
Not only residents benefit from internet in the home, but also nursing staff and other personnel. In the future, the topic of Smart Home will also play a role in this area, as will the exchange of medical data or building and room technology.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, the Residential and Participation Act was therefore amended accordingly in April 2019. Specifically, Section 5 now stipulates that the technical requirements for the use of internet access must be established.
(3) All individual and common areas must have the technical requirements for the use of internet access.
Whether the law will serve as a model for other German states remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the increasing demand will not change, and WiFi is ideally suited to provide people with mobile devices with online access in a cost-effective manner. By the way: The IACBOX can be optimally used in the healthcare and nursing sector. It offers service through easy login, various payment and billing options, interfaces, and ticket groups for different classes. It is already in use in numerous residential and nursing facilities and convinces residents and operators through user comfort and simple administration.