“No-brainer” investment for residents, caregivers alike

When Elysian Senior Homes was evaluating fall intervention options for its newest community in Red Wing, Minn., management considered a variety of high-tech options, including camera-based alert systems — before realizing that the better solution was right under their feet.

“When you buy a fall-assist camera system or anything like that, you have eight to 10 years max on that equipment,” Elysian president Lucy Boxrud said. “We felt like the flooring was a better return on our investment. It’s a long-term investment for us.”

Boxrud and her team went with Viconic flooring for the Elysian Fields community, which will provide memory care and hospice services to 24 elders, as a way to more proactively mitigate the risk of fall injuries — instead of just reacting to falls after they happen.

“We’re constantly dealing with falls and what comes after; a fall is detrimental in a senior’s world,” Boxrud said. “So to have flooring help mitigate what happens when a senior has a fall — it was a no-brainer for us.”

Once open, Elysian Fields will feature Viconic flooring throughout both the memory care and hospice wings in most of the areas where residents will spend time, including the individual apartments, the hallways, and communal living spaces.

“If I was going to do this, I wanted it everywhere,” Boxrud said. “That was the most important thing, because people don’t just fall in their apartment. They fall in the hallway, they fall in the living room, they fall everywhere.”

That widespread coverage isn’t just beneficial for residents, according to Boxrud: The added comfort of Viconic flooring will provide better support for caregivers, who typically log more than 10,000 steps per shift and occasionally end up on the floor while preventing resident falls.

As Elysian continues to improve its existing buildings and plot new construction elsewhere, Viconic will remain a key part of the organization’s game plan.

“Most likely it would go into any new build that we have going forward,” Boxrud said.

About Elysian Senior Homes

Elysian Senior Homes located in Red Wing, Minnesota is a management company servicing Senior Housing communities. Elysian strives for healthy, enriched, and engaging lifestyles for our residents by creating person-centered support in their homes. For our employees, we continually invest in their growth and servant leadership. For our clients, we offer transparency, accountability and thoughtful stewardship of their assets. For more information, visit elysianseniorhomes.com.

About Viconic Health

Viconic Fall Defense reduces the risk of injury when people fall. A patented fall protection system right under the floor covering, Viconic is engineered for reducing the risk of fall-related injuries and for ease of installation. Once installed, it invisibly supports mobility, health aging, and independence for years to come. Viconic is trusted by the U.S. military and is an ideal option for new construction and remodels in all senior living care settings, as well as for home remodels for those wishing to age in their own homes. For more information, visit viconichealth.com.