DCS Case History: Strategic Communications during a time of Challenge and Change

 

During the summer and fall of 2020, Denny Civic Solutions (DCS) worked closely with staff and leadership of a senior care facility in Pennsylvania facing change during challenging times.  Focused on keeping seniors safe, independent, and connected to their community, the organization employs 500 and provides a broad continuum of senior care for more than 4,000 people each year.  

Facing long-standing financial challenges as a result of the continued shortfall in Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes, trends toward in-home care, and the global pandemic, the organization needed to announce a tentative decision to close the nursing home segment of its continuum of care.  

The announcement presented layers of challenge, as the nursing home was seen as a long-standing beacon of stability in the community.  As announced, the closure impacted long-term care residents who had lived in the home for years, and came during a time made even more challenging by the impacts of COVID-19.  In addition, nearly 100 employees had jobs impacted, either through loss or change. 

Denny Civic Solutions worked closely with the staff and leadership team to create and execute:

  • A strategic plan that focused on messaging for distinct audiences   

  • Media training for leadership & spokespersons

  • Media briefings with key reporters

  • Core communication tools and real-time social media monitoring  

  • Project management across a broad team than included both senior management and board members

Our results?

The organization executed a detailed communications strategy to announce the plan to close the nursing home. Collectively, the announcement achieved the following goals: 

  • Balanced, factual news coverage 

  • Messaging focused on empathy, support, and full transparency

  • Consistent internal communications reaching patients, families, and employees

  • A focus on the strengths of the brand moving forward, as the organization continues its mission to care for seniors for decades to come 

 
 
DCS Team