Assisted Living

Assisted Living facilities require special considerations when implementing technology, at Metro AV we have experience with the following:

  • – Media Room and “Movie Night” type display systems
  • – Easy to use intuitive controllers for AV systems
  • – TV Distribution systems
  • – Digital Signage

Clients include:

  • – Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads
  • – Goodwin House Alexandria
  • – Heatherwood Retirement Homes
  • – Falcon’s Landing

Systems Spotlight:

Assisted Listening Systems

For many Assisted Living Institutions there is an ever growing need for assisted listening systems. These systems benefit the hard of hearing by allowing them to hear the audio presentations either through a specialized receiver with headphones or their own hearing aids if equipped with what is called a “T-coil”. There are essentially three types of these systems – they are Induction Loop, FM transmission and Infrared Transmission.

Induction Loop: The induction Loop system consists of a simple wire that is run around the perimeter of the room and is attached to an amplifier connected to the audio source. The wire can be concealed either under the carpet or along the baseboards of the room. Users can then receive the audio transmission by means of magnetic induction through their own hearing aids if equipped with a “T-coil”.

Advantages:

  • – Transmits directly to hearing aids equipped with T-coils, no receiver required.
  • – Unobtrusive with T-coil hearing aids.
  • – Fewer receivers required than with FM and IR systems.

Disadvantages:

  • – Can not loop adjacent rooms due to spill-over effect.
  • – Room size restrictions.
  • – Loops may be difficult or impossible to install at some facilities.

FM Transmission: This particular system consists of using an FM transmitter to broadcast the audio to small individual receivers that the users can listen to. This is often the next best option if an induction loop system cannot be installed.

Advantages:

  • – Highly portable.
  • – Easy to install.
  • – Transmission range up to 1,000 ft.

Disadvantages:

  • – Receivers required for everyone.
  • – Both acoustic output and teleloop options must be available at public facilities.
  • – For multi-applications, receivers must operate on different channels.

Infrared Light Transmission: This system works very much like the FM transmission system but uses Infrared light instead of radio waves. In order to broadcast the Infrared light however, the system must use special panel transmitters. Since thepanels are line of sight only to the receivers, the transmitters are usually mounted in the room on the walls or in the ceiling.

Advantages:

  • – Multiple applications can run simultaneous without interfering with one another.
  • – Insures confidentiality (can not be tapped outside the room).
  • – Personal systems easy to install.
  • – No size limitation as emitter panels may be daisy-chained.

Disadvantages:

  • – Receivers required for everyone.
  • – Not practical for outdoor applications (sunlight interference).
  • – Some installation required for large area systems.