At televëda, we work with senior communities to provide online and live stream classes, so we understand the current pressure on activity directors to maintain programming despite social distancing policies and shutdowns.
Good news: using live streaming technology is one of the fastest ways to get a huge range of content to your senior center residents!
But, we understand that implementing live streaming technology on your own can be a little daunting. This is why we’re giving you the easiest way to broadcast content of your choice to all your senior center residents, right to the safety of their rooms!
If you have a cable provider, and your residents have TV’s, then you’re more than halfway there.
How to Live Stream to Your Senior Residents’ Rooms
- First things first: contact your maintenance director. Have your maintenance director show you where your cable boxes are kept that broadcast channels to your residents’ rooms.
- Ask your maintenance director which of these channels is not in use. This means you’ll be able to connect this cable channel to your own device, such as a spare laptop.
- Then, locate the auxiliary output device connected to that channel. You can find them by following the colored cables from your cable box to that device. Once you locate it, unplug the input and output wires (they’ll usually be two different colors) from the auxiliary output device, so that they’re only connected to the cable box.
- Plug the ends of the two removed wires into an analog to digital converter, which you can purchase for around $20 on Amazon, or other tech hardware stores, such as BestBuy. This will allow you to connect your cable channel to your laptop.
- Connect the converter box in the appropriate opening on the side of the laptop you’re using. Voila! Whatever is on your computer screen will now be streamed to your residents!
What Should I Live Stream for My Senior Community Residents?
Set up, complete. Now, not sure what to live stream? Check out the various options for finding online content, or take a look at these guidelines for setting up your own virtual class for your senior community residents, and stream your class through your connected laptop.
At televëda, we offer curated content with expert instructors, from a live stream tour of the Texas State Aquarium, to seated dance lessons from Team USA’s very own Zachary Kelley. Check out all of our recent classes through this link.
Once your content is good to go, tell your residents to turn their TV to whichever channel your device is connected to, and you’re ready. That means, if the cable box you’re using was originally set up for channel 45, now your laptop screen has become channel 45! You did it!
Questions? Ran into some technical issues? Contact us toll free at 833-299-1449, or at [email protected] for help!