Leading Continuing Care Community Brightens Its Emergency Preparedness With Sentina LED Lighting

 At a continuing care retirement community like Westminster Canterbury Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, the staff take every measure and precaution to provide their residents with the utmost in care, quality and safety. After experiencing an extended power outage due to Hurricane Irene, the management team at Westminster Canterbury Richmond purchased 675 Sentina rechargeable LED lights to install in more than 600 residences throughout the community.

According to Bob Cox, Vice President Support Services at Westminster Canterbury Richmond, “After losing power for 30 hours during Hurricane Irene, we spoke with our residents and learned there was a need to expand our emergency lighting system from hallways and common areas into the bedrooms and private residences. We recognized that the cost to install additional generators and emergency power was excessive. So with input from our residents we explored the alternatives and discovered that with Sentina plug-in LED nightlights, that can also be used as flashlights, we can provide an effective, energy-efficient solution to improve the safety and quality of living for our residents for a fraction of the cost of installing generators.”

After researching the benefits of LED lighting and comparing the products available, they chose Datexx’s Sentina LED-92M four-way emergency lights with sensors that detect motion, darkness and power outages. The Sentina LED-92M simply plugs into a wall socket and performs for pennies per day. The light activates only when approached, when in darkness or in a power outage. At all other times the light remains off, with no need to turn off a switch or unplug the light. When taken out of the electrical outlet, the light operates as a rechargeable emergency flash light for up to eight hours, which means there are no batteries to worry about.

“We chose the Sentina LED-92M specifically because it has several functions and features that provide added safety for our residents,” Cox continued. “We wanted a light that could be bright when needed, but also serve as a muted nightlight, and then could be unplugged from the wall and used as a flashlight without the need to replace batteries. After all, what good is a flashlight if it sits in the closet for five years and has dead batteries when you need it most? Also, the motion and power outage sensors make these better than normal lamps in some ways, because our residents don’t need to flip a light switch to turn them on if they wake up in the middle of the night. And because they are LED lights, they cost very little to operate and will last basically forever, saving us a tremendous amount of money in the long run.”

According to Datexx President Mei Noguchi, “Sentina LED lighting products can help retirement and continuing care communities ensure the safety of their residents by providing bright lights that are simple to use and always there when they need them. The cost-effectiveness makes these lights the ideal solution for communities of any size on any budget, and they are a simple way to increase the quality of care.”

Through the ministry efforts of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and the Presbyterian Synod of the Mid-Atlantic, Westminster Canterbury Richmond opened its welcoming doors to residents in 1975, providing secure independent living combined with a continuum of care. It is now one of the largest non-profit single-site continuing care retirement communities in the United States. Located in Richmond Virginia, the community has more than 1.2 million feet of living space and is home to more than 900 residents.

Headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey, Datexx is a leading manufacturer and marketer of innovatively-designed, affordably priced products that help consumers manage their time and money. For more than 15 years, the company has proudly met the needs of smart consumers seeking smarter living solutions. To date, more than 20-million consumers have joined the Datexx family of satisfied customers.