PALM HARBOR, FL – July 9, 2024 – St. Mark Village, an award-winning continuing care retirement community in Pinellas County, continues to make significant investments in technology to improve the services and quality of life for residents and team members within the community.
“Our team has committed to embracing technology as it is improving multiple aspects of life and already plays an integral role in the exceptional care we provide,” said President and CEO Jeff Gorddard. “St. Mark Village’s mission is ‘to enrich the lives of the residents we serve’ and so we are continuously researching tools and resources that provide best quality of life.”
Over six years, Director of Technology Dylan Fresh, the community founder’s great grandson, and the information technology department have changed the technological landscape of the non-profit organization. One of the first major initiatives was improving wi-fi access at both the Nebraska Avenue campus and Highland Lakes location.
“In partnership with Cisco Meraki, we now have 250 wi-fi access points throughout our campuses,” said Fresh. “Residents are able to log onto the secure network anywhere on campus, knowing they have a team of professionals and AI software working to protect them from the constantly evolving cyber security threats.”
In addition to the enhanced wi-fi access and security, the community has also implemented multiple emergency notification communication platforms, providing additional peace of mind to residents, team members and family members alike.
“By implementing Informacast along with our Cisco infrastructure, we have quicker emergency response times, and our systems are even more proactive in identifying and remedying potential issues,” said Fresh. “Features like CallAware within Informacast, allows us to configure messages that reach multiple teams including medical, security and concierge about what’s happening real time.” Fresh also created a custom solution with Amazon Alexa, giving residents the ability to ask for help via their Alexa devices.
Another partner, Verkada, provides St Mark Village with state-of-the-art security cameras and access control. The security cameras offer facial recognition, and the access control system secures restricted access doors and memory care areas. The guest management kiosk also integrates with cameras and access control, providing a high level of security for the community.
“Infrastructure is important, said Fresh. “As we continue to upgrade our campus, we are adding future fiber and data cables that will be integral for future turnkey upgrades as technology evolves. Because of our investment, we have the capability of a 20 GBPS network, leaving plenty of room for future growth.”
In addition to infrastructure upgrades, investments have also been made in technology that bring fun to everyday life for residents at St. Mark Village. With Amazon Echo and Alexa devices that offer emergency and help features, the devices are also linked with the community’s app platform, providing the residents the ability to ask questions like “What’s for dinner?” or “What are today’s activities and announcements?” And the device will then verbalize the menu and notifications for that day or any date that was asked. For the Alexa devices with a screen, graphics that correlate to the requested information are shown. Residents can access this information via their personal devices or at the kiosk in the main lobby.
“The technology here is truly excellent,” said St. Mark Village resident Doug Brown. “My wife and I love the new resident app on our phone. It’s awesome and it gives me everything I need to know about what is happening here every day.”
The LuxerOne package system has also been implemented, offering secure 24/7 package pick-up for residents. Packages are stored in lockers just off the main lobby, and once delivered, residents receive a notification containing the code to access their package.
St. Mark Village also continues to test different platforms that provide engagement and stimulation, even to the highest levels of care.
“Software including ‘It’s Never Too Late’ (IN2L) and virtual reality goggles have brought a lot of fun and joy to our residents, helping to spark memories and enhance cognitive abilities all the while,” said Vice President of Healthcare Operations Randall Rees. “Seeing residents light up when they hear one of their favorite songs, or laughing and having fun by exploring new entertainment that incorporates physical movement, muscle recall and usage of motor skills is just amazing.”
St. Mark Village recently earning a five-star rating in all three healthcare categories by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The organization was also recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a 2023-2024 Best Independent Living, Memory Care, and Continuing Care Retirement Community in 2023. Then in December 2023, St. Mark Village was listed in the top 1% of the nation for Continuing Care Retirement Communities by Newsweek and Statista. To learn more about St. Mark Village, the lifestyle and amenities available, the continuum of care, life care promise, and recent accolades earned, visit stmarkvillage.org.
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About St. Mark Village
In 1977, Pastor James H. Fresh dreamed about a community where residents and team members embraced a wellness approach to body, mind, and spirit wellness. This dream evolved into St. Mark Village, a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Palm Harbor, offering the full continuum of healthcare services to over 460 residents. Visit stmarkvillage.org to learn more.
