Helping Aussie seniors stay connected
An aged care provider’s outdated guest WiFi system prevented elderly residents from connecting to their families. Affinity Blue implemented an updated system maximising Aruba’s ClearPass platform configuration, enhancing accessibility, security and user experience across 28 sites.
The Situation: A complicated WiFi onboarding process that frustrated and discouraged residents attempting to access the internet.
The Solution: Installation of a new, streamlined guest network with captured portal for increased accessibility and seamless connectivity.
The Result: Significant increase in WiFi usage, with 70% of residents now connected to the guest network compared to single-digit users previously.
THE SITUATION
An Australian aged care organization seeks to provide their elderly residents living in Victoria and Tasmania the ability to live the life they want. However, their existing guest WiFi system was not user-friendly nor accessible to the residents, requiring them to undergo a complex onboarding procedure involving multiple submissions and layers of approval. That often resulted in long wait times, with some residents waiting days or even weeks to gain access.
“For elderly Australians living in aged care facilities, a reliable internet connection is more than just a convenience – it’s an essential part of staying in touch with loved ones and maintaining quality of life,” said Simon Hayward, Managing Director of Affinity Blue. “But each site was set up in such a way that made the whole process inaccessible for their end users, discouraging residents from using on-site facilities.”
These issues were amplified during the pandemic, when lockdowns made digital connectivity even more vital for residents. And aside from the poor user experience, their technical setup also posed challenges. The guest WiFi, meant for residents’ daily use, was tethered to strict corporate network access policies, restricting site access and forcing elaborate login procedures to prioritise compliance – often at the expense of residents’ freedom online.
Recognizing the urgent need for a better system, the aged care provider reached out to Affinity Blue for assistance. They had worked with Affinity Blue before on another site and hoped that their engineers would be able to deliver a similar streamlined solution for their residents.
THE SOLUTION
Affinity Blue’s engineers worked closely with the facilities staff to assess the existing infrastructure and re-design the guest WiFi network, prioritising ease of use, security and efficiency. By isolating it from the corporate network, they eliminated the need for workplace site restrictions and reduced the risk of malware spreading from guest devices to core IT systems, creating a safer and more user-friendly experience for residents.
To streamline access, Affinity Blue leveraged Aruba’s ClearPass Policy Manager to give facility managers greater visibility and control over network authentication. Using ClearPass, the engineers created a captive portal with a one-time tick-box verification. Once registered, residents’ devices were cached through ClearPass, eliminating the need for repeated logins.
“Remembering and re-entering passwords becomes an incredibly frustrating experience for elderly users. We wanted to make connecting to the internet as easy as possible for them,” explained Simon. “This is where ClearPass’ flexibility shines. It’s essentially a blank canvas that can be easily customized to suit any UX – in this case, it allows us to set up the exact conditions that the facilities and its residents needed.” After obtaining an agreement, Affinity Blue tested the system at a pilot site, gradually rolling it out en masse to a total of 28 facilities after receiving positive feedback from residents. And to further encourage adoption, an engineer was sent out to hold “New WiFi Days” at each facility to assist residents with registration and provide troubleshooting help.
THE RESULTS
The upgraded system has transformed WiFi accessibility for residents, increasing usage from just 1 to 2 users per site to almost 70% of residents across their centres becoming active users. Visiting family members and guests have also taken advantage of the change, with grandkids now able to play games with their grandparents on devices brought from home.
By removing unnecessary hurdles, residents now have the autonomy to manage their own connectivity, browsing freely in their own time and space. “We didn’t want to just fix a WiFi issue,” reflected Simon. “These sites are their homes. They shouldn’t need to have to ask someone for a password every time they want to use the internet or face the same restrictions as a workplace.”
“We’ve been impressed with how the team at Affinity Blue has transformed our requirements into successful outcomes. Their deep knowledge of networking products and pragmatism when approaching each implementation has made working with the team extremely easy,” said a Senior Project Manager at one of the facilities. “Their technical experts freely share information and understand exactly how to scope the work – this in turn gives us confidence in any project we undertake with the team.”
The success of this project has paved the way for future upgrades that will support the aged care provider’s growing independence as an organization dedicated to providing the best care for aging Australians.