Peconic Landing Seniors Get Tech Savvy With New App

GREENPORT, NY — A new smart phone app designed specifically for seniors has received major recognition.

Launched in November 2016, Peconic Landing’s “Community Life Smartphone App” was named LeadingAge New York’s 2017 Innovation of the Year during a state-wide conference held at the Greenport community.

The award distinguishes organizations that use creative problem solving to improve the quality and access of services for seniors, according to the advocacy group's website.

The award was presented to Peconic Landing in June by LeadingAge New York EVP Dan Heim.

“Senior care organizations have the ability to directly touch the lives of many people, their residents or patients, their employees, family members and the broader community through their efforts,” Heim said.

Embracing technology and exploring novel ways of communicating with Peconic Landing members has been a priority for the community, said Patricia Lutzky, vice president of resident services.

“We wanted to create a 'go-to' guide for everything our community has to offer, to inspire our members to become more active participants in their community,” said Lutzky. “What we created is a custom tool that allows members to plan their day – providing information on everything from wellness classes and meal menus, to a messaging system for contacting different departments.”

Updated daily, the app keeps information in the palms of members’ hands 24/7, while streamlining communication efforts and department operations. The application was designed in-house and spearheaded by communications specialist Mia Carroll, and allows the community to keep costs down by maintaining full control of the app.

“With the influx of baby boomers, we had to adapt to the changing needs of our members who wanted to have access to information at any time,” said Carroll. “Our members took to the app immediately. They are engaged and use many of its unique features daily.”

Peconic Landing members say they use the app to stay connected to community happenings and events.

“I live in a cottage and do not come to the main clubhouse on a daily basis, so the app allows me to submit a request to a variety of departments online rather than filing a paper at a physical location. Having the calendar of events on the app gives me the flexibility to check on what’s happening each day by simply looking at my phone or iPad,” said Dr. Jan Harting-McChesney. “I rely on technology to make my life easier. I live in a technological world and am extremely pleased that Peconic Landing provides me with modern technology access to all aspects of the community.”

Robert J. Syron, President and CEO of Peconic Landing, said that after experiencing its many benefits over the past nine months, he believes custom smart phone applications could one day become a standard across the senior living industry.

“It is only a matter of time before communities across the country begin to embrace mobile technology to better connect with their members,” Syron said. “This concept keeps members connected, but also adds to quality of life. Its streamlined effect on operations is a wonderful plus that we will continue to explore.”

Since the app launched, analytics indicated that upwards of 350 people have downloaded the app, or more than half of Peconic Landing's community.

“These numbers translate to hours of human resources that would otherwise be spent on the phone or head down at a computer,” Syron said. “That leaves more time for face-to-face interaction with members, a quicker turnaround on each member’s request, and a serious jump in efficiency community-wide.”

Patch courtesy photo.