Help Lonely Seniors Thru Live Stream Programs

The pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of our health care system, particularly in the senior living industry. Senior isolation and loneliness were already pandemics of their own pre-covid with millions of seniors living alone. The pandemic has also deprived a niche demographic of senior entertainers their incomes.

Back in November 2020, I took on a student from Northeastern University to look into the idea of establishing a Senior Entertainment and Education Network. What was a school project morphed into reality when I started sharing the vision we created with others.

Sage Stream (www.sagestream.live) is a budding idea designed to provide live-stream and pre-recorded content to seniors in all settings. We hope to partner with tablet companies and internet providers to provide the service to disadvantaged communities and individuals. Students and youth will be integral partners to help alleviate isolation and help with technology so that seniors can enjoy programming in their own settings.

We have content providers in all categories from poets to bakers to chefs. And of course we have entertainers.

My personal mission for seniors developed through entertainment. While I have been a  lifelong health care professional, I have been a musician and singer even longer. When I left the nightclub circuit, I started singing in senior living communities to the tune of 100+ performances year. That changed the trajectory of my health care career. 

The mission of Sage Stream is to relieve senior isolation, foster intergenerational relationships, supplement content providers’ income (artists and educators), and enhance senior living activities for older adults in all settings.
 
We have gathered a superior roster of worldwide content providers. This Netflix of Senior Entertainment will:
 
·      Reduce associated healthcare costs by alleviating isolation and its mental health impacts
·      Provide safe opportunities for socialization
·      Increase engagement of residents
·      Minimize staff burden
·      Share content for every interest and passion
·      Improve quality of life for residents and staff by introducing a new platform to educate and entertain
·      Enhance experiences, impact marketing and sales by using Sage Stream as a market differentiator and an engagement tool for family caregivers and prospect

Covid-19 has impacted all aspects of senior living in all acuity settings. Occupancy down, isolation growing and activities in flux. Pre-pandemic, there was an awareness of senior isolation and its mental, emotional and health impacts. Covid exacerbated that. And it became a major media headline.
 
Is there a post-pandemic? Or are we living with Covid and waiting for the next inevitable crisis and lockdown?
 
The current way of delivering activities is unsustainable.
 
Person-dependent activities result in variability of excellence.  The current climate in healthcare is shifting toward Person-Dependent activities.
 
And older adults are ready for change. More people who decreased in-person contact with family living outside of their household also said they had increased communication using video calls (42%), messages (37%) and phone calls (32%). What’s more, 62% said that they had increased contact with family by one or more of these modes of communication, and 50% reported increasing their communication with friends via technology. 

The roster of artists has the talent needed but more importantly the heart required. Those faces will establish the Sage Stream brand as one with quality content from empathetic experts. Our roster of artists will embed themselves like family in the communities and homes we serve, promoting interactivity through pre-performance preparation, resulting in anticipation by residents of what surprises lie ahead.

So here's the rub. I thought the school project would be just that. Student gets her grade. I get some good information. But then, just based on a vision, we received major press and major endorsements. We also had an opportunity to pitch a major senior living chain. 

I was not expecting this or budgeting for this. In order to have a turn-key operation that can help seniors sooner than later, I am turning to those of you who have a soft spot for our seniors and what they have been going through.

In conceiving the business plan, we actually need three times what we are asking for here. I am happy to share details with anyone wanting to know more.

I hope you can help. Sincerely, Anthony