Trinity News

Eversound is a group-oriented headphone solution that enables residents at any level of care to be more engaged in life enrichment programming and their communities. Eversound’s mission is to end social isolation among older adults.

The technology helps seniors overcome the effects of hearing loss, according to research studies by LCB Senior Living and Commonwealth Senior Living.

Although Eversound supports roughly 375 communities and 50,000 residents nationwide, UCH is the first senior living and multisite organization in Ohio to adopt the innovative technology.

“Our technology makes things simple for older adults and group-based activities in all levels of care,” said Alex Wilson, director of Resident Impact at Eversound. “The headphones are easy to turn on and adjust to the desired volume, plus they go right over hearing aids for clear engagement for every resident. Once they are set up, every individual wearing headphones will be able to more effectively engage in the activity, whether it’s bingo night, a trip to a museum or a conversation with their fellow residents or loved ones. All sound comes through crystal clear and each resident controls their own volume, so it’s set to their liking.”

Already United Church Homes is seeing an impact on residents.

“My son has tried everything he could try — ordered all kinds of hearing aids for me,” said one resident, Vivian, while wearing the Eversound headphones. “My mood has been up and down because I have trouble hearing people, but these headphones have helped build my confidence and lift my spirits.”

Eversound headphones are made with anti-microbial plastics to avoid disease transfer between residents and feature replaceable earpads. The headphones are also fully wireless — even when charging. Residents can hear from any location within 200-300 feet of the transmitter — a small box which enables residents to hear audio like a speaker’s voice, music from an iPod or their favorite television program.

Eversound technology is specifically designed to fit over hearing aids, which pick up extraneous sounds, and the headphones can be used with or without hearing aids.

In addition, Eversound can be used for extended periods, as both the headphones and transmitter last for five hours on a single charge. The headphones charge within a carrying case, so residents and group leaders need not worry about cords or chargers. They can connect to any audio source to enhance every activity, whether it is a resident council meeting or a movie night. Eversound also comes with a clip-on microphone, which enables the speaker to easily broadcast audio of their voice to the entire audience. The headphones are lightweight for total comfort during long listening sessions.

UCH Director of Hospitality Amy Kotterman headed up the pilot project at Trinity after learning about Eversound at a LeadingAge national conference in New Orleans last October. “These headphones have completely exceeded my expectations and brought so much joy to the residents,” Amy said. “After the successful pilot at Trinity, we’ve decided to roll out this technology at all UCH communities.”

Trinity Activities Assistant Ron Wilson trained other staff members on how to use the headphones. About a dozen residents have tried the system. “When they wear it, sometimes they can be skeptical at first,” Ron said. “They don’t want to use the technology or they’re not used to the headphones. But when they try it, they find out they really don’t have to do anything and their hearing is improved. Some of them were astounded that they could actually hear and immediately begin carrying on a conversation with people. Others were just laughing and happy.”

With the help of Eversound technology, UCH residents will soon have a clear world right at their fingertips.

Dr. Jodi Sperber, medical director and attending physician at Trinity, is overseeing second- and third-year physician residents from the Indu and Raj Soin Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program, part of the Kettering Health Network. The partnership will fulfill an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirement for physician residents to complete continuity geriatrics training.

Improving care coordination has emerged as a key strategy for enhancing the quality of life and lowering healthcare costs for older adults, experts say. This educational experience will afford opportunity to enhance coordination efforts across the care continuum.

Twelve physician residents will manage the care for Trinity Community residents with oversight and preceptorship provided by Dr. Sperber.

“It’s a big deal to get a new residency for medical education,” Dr. Sperber said. “It is a beneficial program to have, particularly in our community. We all recognize the need for more family medicine physicians to meet the needs of our aging population.”

United Church Homes is investing in the future by supporting this program.

“It keeps us vigilant to stay up to date and relevant,” Dr. Sperber said. “Young physicians offer a surge of energy, ideas and contemporary updates and guidelines based on current literature as part of their education. We, in clinical medicine, are susceptible to maintaining status quo due to busy schedules and comfort levels. This endeavor will offer opportunities for growth for all participants involved, including the physician residents, nurses, staff members and the residents themselves. I consider it a unique opportunity to demystify the nursing home space, and I am optimistic it will serve to further support and improve the excellent care already provided to our residents across our community.”

A typical day will start in the afternoon, with physician residents visiting patients, performing exams and formulating treatment plans. Later, they will go over their findings with Dr. Sperber, followed by a didactic session, comprised of a lecture and discussion, most of which will be led by the physician residents.

Dr. Sperber said Trinity’s secure memory neighborhood is a unique experience from which physician residents will benefit.

“It’s my favorite. It’s so gratifying,” she said. “They’re lovely people, and their special needs mandate the importance of a skillful approach. These residents provide an opportunity to perfect the optimal approach to patients with advanced dementia often compounded by multisensory impairments. It is easy to become self-absorbed with our hectic lives, but this population mandates a slower, more deliberate pace, and kindness matters. I emphasize maintaining the dignity and individuality of each resident, and it is impressive that when given the opportunity, we can connect on a personal level with these residents.”

The physician residents will use technology such as secure messaging to share information and make decisions. The secure texting app TigerText works integrally with electronic medical records (EMRs) to permit secure two-way messaging along with secure remote access to the EMR for data synthesis. In this way, management of acute issues is not restricted to the confines of physical space.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, EMR systems have the potential to provide substantial benefits to physicians, clinic practices and healthcare organizations. The systems facilitate workflow and improve patient care quality and safety, among other benefits.

Dr. Sperber is board-certified in Family Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and is also board-certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She is a certified medical director for post-acute and long-term care.

A Greene County native, Dr. Sperber has worked in several capacities in the Miami Valley region during her professional career including serving as the regional medical director for United Church Homes for five years. Her relationship with Trinity Community is sentimental and dates back to her childhood visits with her church group, Beaver United Church of Christ.

Dr. Sperber’s passion is for geriatrics with emphasis on acute and chronic disease management permeated with palliative care approach and hospice integration when appropriate. Palliative care provides a holistic approach to complex medical, social and financial situations. “It emphasizes quality of life for patients with chronic, incurable diseases by managing symptoms aggressively while addressing patient-specific or patient-directed preferences, recognizing that though cure is not an option, optimal symptom management is. I consider caring for the vulnerable, and often forgotten, my purpose — my mission in life. I feel compelled to serve those who have lived amazing lives and to assist them and their families in finishing well,” Dr. Sperber said.

“Ultimately, the goal is to live abundantly at whatever stage or condition one finds himself or herself in. Peace of mind, comfort and dignity are aspects of care I strive to accomplish for each patient,” Dr. Sperber said. “Each patient’s life journey is unique, and I am privileged to participate as their physician. Though incorporating technology into most aspects of my practice enables improved efficiency and aspects of care unfathomable in the past, I find old-fashioned communication still works best when it comes to direct patient care.”