Case Study: How Reflections on the Bay in the Hervey Bay, achieved 95% Weekly Engagement with the Pluss Communities App
Location: Hervey Bay, QLD
Residents: 80 growing to 200. Average age 79.
Type: Retirement Village – mix of apartments and broadacre homes
Manager: Jenny Marrello
Introduction
Reflections on the Bay is a retirement village owned and operated by Ozcare, on the Fraser Coast, just minutes from the beach, shops, and hospital. Village Manager Jenny Marrello wanted a better way to keep residents informed, connected, and involved — while reducing admin time and printing costs.
The solution? Introducing the Pluss Communities resident engagement app. Here’s how Jenny overcame objections, empowered residents to lead the rollout, and built a thriving digital community.
The Challenge
Jenny’s goals were clear:
● Improve communication with residents.
● Reduce reliance on paper newsletters, calendars, and forms.
● Free up time for more face-to-face engagement.
But there were hurdles:
● The app required adding costs to the monthly service charge.
● Some residents preferred paper and resisted digital change.
● Others felt they were “too old for technology.”
The Approach
1. Empowering Resident Champions
Jenny identified six enthusiastic residents — all in their 80s — to lead the campaign.
● Three created and delivered presentations to their peers.
● One learned PowerPoint for the first time just for this project.
● Champions ran six small-group sessions over 2–3 months.
“Don’t overthink it. Some will push back, but once they see the benefits, most will come around.” – Jenny Marrello
2. Addressing Objections Head-On
● Cost: Compared the price difference between printing and the app — small extra cost, big value.
● Sustainability: Linked the change to the village’s waste reduction goals.
● Paper comfort: Offered limited printed copies for those who insisted, while teaching them to download PDFs from the app.
3. Making Engagement Easy and Fun
From day one, Jenny avoided making the app “all admin.” Content included:
● Local supermarket specials.
● Jokes, recipes, and inspirational stories.
● Polls on community activities.
Weekly and monthly training sessions ensured even tech-reluctant residents could use the app.
The Results
Outstanding Engagement
● 95% weekly resident engagement.
● 14,443 event page views in 90 days (80 residents).
● 75 maintenance requests completed in 90 days, all tracked in-app.
Operational Wins
● Reduced printing and paper costs.
● Fewer interruptions and fewer “grapevine” misunderstandings.
● Instant, consistent updates to all residents at once.
Stronger Community Connection
● Residents check in on others who miss events.
● Staff can spot and follow up with residents who stop logging in.
● Activities have grown in frequency due to higher participation.
Favourite Features
Jenny says these tools are now essential:
● Event bookings – No more messy paper sign-up sheets.
● Maintenance requests – Transparent, trackable, and nothing gets lost.
● Polls and surveys – Real-time feedback for faster decisions.
● News posts – A mix of village updates, community news, and fun extras.
Key Takeaways for Other Retirement Villages
Resident advocates are powerful. Peer influence drives adoption faster than top-down messaging.
Blend practical and social content. Keeps residents coming back daily.
Start simple. Focus on the core features residents will use most.
“It’s worth the short-term effort for the long-term gain in community connection.” – Jenny Marrello, Village Manager
About Pluss Communities
Pluss Communities helps retirement villages and aged care providers improve resident engagement, simplify communication, and streamline operations with an easy-to-use digital platform.
📩 Request a Demo to see how we can help your community thrive.
