SYDNEY, Australia, August 14, 2006 - The Hammond Care Group announced today that it is deploying a communications system with Internet Protocol (IP) telephony from Cisco Systems® to improve communications and services for its 1,200 residents and staff.
The Cisco® Unified Communications system will replace a deteriorating private branch exchange (PBX) telephone network as well as reduce operational costs and create a platform for the deployment of a range of applications. With this implementation, the industry is taking a key step toward adopting technology to provide better care for older people and people living with dementia.
The Hammond Care Group, an independent Christian aged services provider, is recognised as a leader in research, technology and development in Australia and overseas, particularly in dementia care. It runs eight residential care facilities in New South Wales at Woy Woy, Erina and the Hammondville campus, and runs many community care services from Newcastle, in the north, to Nowra, in the south. The administration office is located in Sydney's central business district.
In an organisation with the spread and scope of Hammond Care's services and facilities, faulty communications not only reduce productivity but can also compromise the safety of employees, volunteers and clients. When the central office's main phone system reached maximum capacity, the staff knew it was a good time to upgrade the entire network.
Chief technology consultant Bruce Coller said: "With the direction that aged care is heading and the goals Hammond Care is working towards, I knew establishing a superior IP platform would be the key to our ongoing growth. We needed a solution which could scale to meet our specific needs, and Cisco was able to offer that solution."
Hammond Care has initially deployed Cisco Unified Communications IP Phone 7961G and 7970G handsets, and Cisco Catalyst® 3560 switches. Bandwidth will be managed to support voice over IP, extending the capabilities of the organisation's legacy applications.
Hammond Care will benefit not only from the practicalities of a reliable phone system that can keep pace with its growth and geographic spread, but also from a framework enabling it to use technology to improve the quality of life for people who need assistance. Such advances include the use of radio frequency identification device (RFID) technology in a manner that preserves the independence and privacy of residents while assisting in ensuring their safety.
Sam Gerner, Cisco's director of commercial sales for Australia, said: "The future of aged care is the deployment of 'smart housing' technologies, which can assist in alerting caregivers when something unusual is happening in the living environment. Wireless access also allows nurses on the move to immediately review and collect data. Cisco is excited to be working with Hammond, a leader in the aged-care industry, to implement intelligent networking technologies to improve the service it offers its clients."
About Hammond Care
The Hammond Care Group, established in the 1930s, has earned a reputation as one of Australia's most innovative aged care organisations. It provides care and services for elderly people both in the community and in residential facilities, with a particular commitment to the financially disadvantaged. The Hammond Care Group is an independent Christian charity specialising in aged care and dementia services.