If you ask most people, they will tell you that social media and the workplace do not go together. And while in many instances this is true – after all, you do not want to pay your employees to scroll through Facebook or Instagram endlessly – social media can also be beneficial.

In this article, we will go over some of the positive benefits of social media in healthcare from various user perspectives. By the end, you may very well be encouraging your team and residents to get online!

The senior living facility

First and foremost, social media can be a tremendous marketing tool. It is a great way for you to extend the brand personality of your senior care facility beyond your website. Sharing photos and events can help prospective clients get a sense of what it would be like to live in the facility. Beyond that, social media is also an effective way for your employees to enhance their own education and even promote the organization. The biggest threat is getting poor-quality information or – more modernly – security breaches. You can circumvent these risks by issuing guidelines about the sites that your healthcare professionals should use and the ones that they should avoid.

The senior residents

You may want to consider helping your residents create their own social media profiles. Of course, the greatest benefit for most is staying in touch with family and friends that they do not see regularly. Beyond that, learning a new skill improves cognitive abilities and allows seniors to pursue interests that may otherwise be limited at the care facility. For example, connecting to a cultural group where they can practice a foreign language.

The residents’ loved ones

Having a friend or family member moved to a senior care facility can be really difficult for all involved. Loved ones will feel much more confident if they can be connected to the facility – even if it is just online. For example, with senior care facilities hit so hard by the coronavirus, it was important to share information on things like visitations and what the facility is doing regarding health and safety. Posting this on your social media sites is far more efficient than having someone have to take calls answering the same questions over and over again.

 

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash