On-Demand Webinar Features Effective COVID-19 Communication Strategies

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Heidi Simpson

Earlier this week, LeadingAge Minnesota offered a one-hour webinar featuring Covid-19 communications experiences from Bethesda in Willmar, Emerald Crest Memory Care in Burnsville as well as a review of the modified visitation guidelines by LeadingAge Nurse Consultant Kari Everson

and media relations tips from Alyssa Shandler of Rapp Strategies. Watch it here.

Here is a summary of the communications insights provided by the panelists:

• Caroline Chan, Chief Director of Development and Communications, Bethesda, described their commitment to transparency from the beginning of the pandemic. A key feature is a weekly chart of testing and cases that gets updated on their website. They also use Facebook as their primary communications channel with families. A lesson learned is that they pivoted to communicating with staff first about news or changes, so that they can reinforce the messages with family and residents.
   
• Christine Drasher, Emerald Crest Director of Admissions and Marketing and Dementia Consultant, from Cassia in Burnsville, shared that they now have a private Facebook page with 500 residents and families that follow it regularly. It replaced an email list that was growing too large to maintain efficiently. Keeping people constantly informed has helped reduce fear by answering questions before they become big concerns. They are also having Zoom meetings for families when COVID-19 cases are confirmed in their site.
   
• Alyssa Schlander, Vice President of Public Affairs & General Counsel from Rapp Strategies, reminded providers to tell their own story to local media as often as possible. Also, remember to describe your commitment to prevention and what you’ve been doing for the past six months to deal with the virus. You can position yourself as a partner in prevention and a problem solver on COVID-19 in your community. A key message to share with local media is that the COVID-19 fight is not over and that you need their continued help to keep your residents safe and healthy.