At The Legacy Willow Bend staying up to date with the latest advancements in technology is one of the community’s tenents of high quality service. Innovation is behind every decision made by the community, however innovation doesn’t come without ensuring that everyone is equipped to utilize the latest technologies.  It’s for this reason Maggie Armstrong – a resident of The Legacy Willow Bend – is busy working with The Legacy Willow Bend’s lifestyle and member assistance coordinator, Lisa Harris, to ensure her fellow residents are able to fully utilize the senior living community’s new resident communication portal called Ripple. The system allows The Legacy Willow Bend team to communicate with residents electronically, providing information about events, dining, programs, activities and even resident profiles. Such a system enables users to put information all in one place and make it easily accessible. However, while many of the community’s residents are tech savvy, there are those who still need assistance. Because of this, Armstrong volunteers her time to help Harris by making  house calls to sit down one on one with other residents to make sure their accounts are set up correctly and that they are comfortable using the communication portal.

“Prior to implementing Ripple, everything was on paper and everyone had to keep track of anything important on their own,” said Armstrong. “With this system, we can all communicate directly with one another and the team here at the community. When we first started using Ripple, I knew there would be a need to help those who don’t use computers regularly. I spend a good deal of time using a computer in some capacity and know it can provide a sense of connection to the world. Helping make sure that everyone is able to use Ripple and even start utilizing other aspects of the internet feels like the least I can do.”

In addition to making house calls, Armstrong is also meeting with residents in the community’s library. This is beneficial for those who don’t regularly use a computer, or for those who don’t own one at all. For Harris, the communication portal enables her to share the latest happenings at the community with residents and team members, all while making sure they can connect with one another whenever needed.

“We’re thrilled with the incredibly enthusiastic responses we’ve received from everyone,” said Harris. “Everyone enjoys finding new ways to use the system and make life at The Legacy Willow Bend easier. We’re proud to say that we’re one of 13 communities across the country using the Ripple system, and we are pleased to be the only community in Dallas to offer such an advancement for our residents.”

According to Armstrong and Harris, with the program now in place, residents have eagerly been utilizing Ripple and during social events there is discussion amongst residents about how they are using Ripple and answering one another’s questions. For residents like Karen Kurzman, the portal has provided an opportunity to organize her life and take full advantage of all that The Legacy Willow Bend has to offer.

“The Ripple portal is incredibly convenient and allows the user to keep all the information they need at their fingertips,” said Kurzman. “Personally, I love how it eliminates the need for paper and that I can connect important reminders and updates with my phone. I have access to everything I need whenever I need it, and can easily get ahold of anyone on staff with the touch of a button. It’s wonderful to have access to such technology and to know that The Legacy is always working to ensure we are keeping up with the latest in technological trends.”

“At The Legacy Willow Bend, we’re dedicated to ensuring that our residents are equipped to live life to the fullest each day,” said Laura Levy, executive director of The Legacy Willow Bend. “With the implementation of Ripple, we’re able to offer our residents a way to communicate with one another, make their daily schedules easier to navigate, and provide them with the latest technology. Our world today is continuing to move further in a digital direction, and we want to do everything we can to ensure our residents are equipped to meet the latest changes in technology head on. We’re privileged to have individuals like Maggie Armstrong who are willing to make sure that everyone is able to use Ripple and any other technologies that come along.”