From Sign-Up Sheets to Smart Scheduling

From Sign-Up Sheets to Smart Scheduling

How Digital Program Registration Transforms Resident Engagement

Registration Isn't Just Logistics, It’s Insight

For years, event registration in senior living meant a pen-and-paper sign-up sheet taped outside the rec office, if it existed at all.

But as our expectations for personalized, responsive experiences have grown, so has the need for better systems to track and manage interest in programs. Residents and their families are used to online event registration, familiar with tools like Facebook and Eventbrite. They want the ability to register themselves, add programs to their calendars, and get reminders for events or notifications when a program is changed or cancelled.

Digitizing program registration is more than an operational convenience. It’s a window into resident interest, a tool for better communication with families, and a way to turn great programs into great data.

Why Registration Matters

When residents (or their loved ones) register for programs in advance, you gain insight that makes your teams more responsive and your communities more connected.

Here’s what becomes possible:

• Know what residents are interested in, not just what they show up for
  Pre-registration helps capture intent, which can flag missed attendance, uncover health changes, or spark check-ins.
• Manage capacity for high-demand events
  From holiday dinners to bus outings, you can set limits and avoid overbooking while still capturing overflow interest with waitlists.
• Track guest participation
  Know who’s bringing family or friends, so you can prepare name tags, adjust seating, or capture special moments.
• Collect helpful details
  Dietary restrictions, mobility needs, special requests, registrations become your early intel to create a seamless experience.
• Enable self-service
  With a community portal access, residents or their families can register themselves (or each other) for programs with just a few taps, in a way that’s as familiar as attending an event on Facebook
• Remind and notify
  Residents and their loved ones automatically emailed their registration confirmation. If they’re on a waitlist and added to the program, they find out automatically. You can send them calendar invitations and automatic email reminders. And if a program changes time, location, or is cancelled, you can inform everyone automatically.
• Enable monetization
  Make it easy for residents to book the party room and catering, or add loved ones to a paid program to attend, like an outing that requires tickets. Track costs, payments, and make it easy for both residents and staff.

Real Scenarios That Happen Every Day

• A daughter sees a gardening workshop on the calendar and signs her mom up. Her mom lives in Memory Care and may not be able to register herself.
• A musical performance by residents reaches capacity. Waitlisted guests are notified automatically, and the rec team uses that data to plan a second show next time.
• A couple registers themselves, and their loved one who lives in a skilled nursing community, for a holiday dinner. The system collects dietary preferences for everyone attending, making it easy for both rec and kitchen staff.
• A team member notices that Mr. Lee, who never misses chair yoga, didn’t register this week. It triggers a wellness check and catches a fall early.

These are the kinds of moments registration makes easier, and more thoughtful.

Types of Registration to Consider

Keeping registration easy to understand for both your team and residents is very important. We typically see registration set up in the following ways for different programs:

• Drop-In: No registration required, anyone can attend.
• Open Registration: Anyone can sign up, no set capacity limit
• Limited Capacity: Anyone can sign up but with limited capacity it’s first-come, first-served attendance.
• Approval Required: Staff can review before confirming participation by a resident or their loved one. This can come with or without capacity limits, like staff-led outings with mobility concerns.

Across the Continuum of Care

Program registration plays a role across all levels of care:

• In IL and AL, residents can register themselves, manage their calendars, and invite friends and family to special events.
• In MC or SNF, families can sign up on behalf of loved ones, helping staff know what their resident may enjoy or be expecting. They can also register themselves to attend special events.
• In staff training or wellness programs, you can register employees, track participation, and measure engagement.

And because everything is digital, you can:

• Automatically send confirmation emails, reminders, and calendar invites
• Collect notes from residents and their loved ones to communicate needs for that program
• Collect notes internally for staff coordination
• Compare actual attendance to registration data
• Track which facilitators or event types generate the most interest

Registration is more than a list of names. It’s about understanding who’s engaging, how, and why.

A More Responsive Community

In the end, online registration isn’t about replacing human touch: it’s enhancing your ability to deliver a personalized, meaningful experience to residents.

Registration allows your staff to spend less time chasing down lists and more time connecting with residents. It gives families a way to feel involved and helpful.

And it gives your teams the data they need to make every program more meaningful.

Thanks for reading,
Elizabeth Audette-Bourdeau
CEO, Welbi

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