Tidewater Jewish Foundation awarded a $25,000 Community Impact Grant to Beth Sholom Village for their new comprehensive telehealth initiative in March.
“We are very excited to introduce this technology program to our residents, families, and staff,” says Amy Weinstein, BSV director of philanthropy. “The benefits of an effective telemedicine program during a pandemic are undeniable. This technology is the future of proactive, day-to-day resident care in senior communities.”
The telemedicine initiative aims to provide countless benefits to Beth Sholom Village residents through mobile telehealth carts.
These carts, equipped with a camera, microphone, display, wireless access points, a variety of medical scope attachments, and more will provide real-time health services to residents without the need to go into a hospital or medical center. TJF’s grant will cover the approximate cost of the equipment and software for one of four mobile telehealth carts.
“Our expertise with state-of-the-art telemedicine technology will set Beth Sholom apart as the provider of choice regionally – both improving our ability to recruit new long-term residents and fill staff openings,” says Weinstein.
In addition to a reduction of hospitalizations and emergency room visits, BSV hopes the mobile telehealth carts will provide faster diagnoses and evaluations and remote participation of family members in healthcare decisions.
“The Tidewater Jewish Foundation is proud to support Beth Sholom’s innovation in health care delivery to members of our community by investing in this telehealth initiative,” says Naomi Limor Sedek, TJF president and CEO. “TJF exists to assist the Tidewater Jewish community’s future by promoting necessary, creative, and innovative solutions to present and future needs.”
The telehealth carts will also help with BSV’s COVID-19 efforts. When residents need to be quarantined, they are no longer able to dine communally, participate in activities, have outdoor visits, or use the therapy gym. The plethora of technology on the carts will make it so that a resident’s isolation won’t prevent them from getting quality healthcare and seeing their loved ones.
“This innovative technology will also help increase tele-visits with family, friends, and clergy, helping see BSV through the end of this pandemic, and beyond,” says Weinstein. “At BSV, telehealth will not replace human interactions, it will simply enhance our collaborative and holistic approach to patient care.”
For more information on how to support Community Impact Grants, contact Ann Swindell, TJF Donor Relations and Grant manager, at aswindell@ujft.org or 757-965-6106.
– Thomas Mills