Bolton Clarke trialled its Buddy app at Moreton Shores Retirement Village. After the trial, Bolton Clarke decided to roll Buddy out to more of its communities in 2024.
Before the app
Moreton Shores put paper notices in residents' mailboxes to share village news. Some residents avoided email and computers.
Bolton Clarke wanted an app those residents would use. It also had to sit alongside Bolton Clarke's other services. Its communities have between 100 and 200 people.
What's in the Buddy app
- A calendar of village events that residents open with one tap.
- Notifications when staff post community updates.
- Social gatherings that residents organise themselves.
- Maintenance requests that residents log from their phone.
- Stories and photos that residents share with each other.
“We noticed that residents were really happy to be able to get all of their news and events in one spot. Being able to be kept up to date with what’s going on in the village was really important to them. They liked getting on it and teaching each other how to use it as well, (which) was really cool.”
What changed at Moreton Shores
Residents who had avoided email now upload photos to the app. They see events in the app and go to them. Residents who can't get out as much still follow what's happening in the village.
“Some of the residents who thought they were technically challenged have actually been doing really well with the app. They’re uploading photos, they are seeing events and attending, whereas before they would be scared to use their email or computer.”
For the village team, the app gets news to residents faster than mailbox notices did.
“I think it’s great as a constant reminder of what’s going on in the village. It’s getting the message out a lot quicker than our old school pen and paper notice to the mailboxes.”
Related pages
Book a 30 minute demo
See the app Moreton Shores residents use, and how a trial village leads to a wider rollout.
