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