Nursing Home/Assisted Care Facilities Radio?

[Youngblood]

Recently I was driving thru the north side of the town of Winchester, MA, with my car radio on a weak, but still listenable, WICN (90.5) out of Worcester. As I came to the intersection of Route 38 (aka Main St.) and Swanton Street, the WICN signal was overpowered by what seemed to be a station that was running a rebroadcast of an old 1940s radio show. (I can't recall which one it was...possible an episode of the Jack Benny Show). I was near a large condominium complex (Parkview Condos), known by area residents as "The Coliseum" because of it's unique design. My first thought was it was probably a very low power pirate based in one of the condos there, but I noticed that there was two nursing homes, one next to Parkview, and one across the street from it, on Swanton Street. As I drove closer to the nursing homes, the signal seemed somewhat stronger. At that time I recalled reading somewhere that broadcasting old radio shows to residents of nursing homes/assisted living communities thru low power transmitters is becoming popular. I believe there is at least one company who installs the systems and supplies programming (via satellite?) to facilities that want it. The idea of course, is to air programming that many residents in their 70s, 80s and above, remember from their younger days. Is anyone familiar with this concept?

 

[ThatManDan]

Could be someone has one of those "FM Transmitters" for running internet audio or satellite radio around a house.

Someone might have one set up to play OTR to the residents of the facilities.

 

[BoredOp]

Why bother...

...when we have a regional Nursing Home Radio Station... Sullivan/Lavelle on 1030? See Ya!

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I've heard that it's actually in the nursing home, and there are some others with similar setups playing nostalgia music and old-time radio shows. I guess they're "Part 15" (or supposed to be).

> Could be someone has one of those "FM Transmitters" for
> running internet audio or satellite radio around a house.
>
> Someone might have one set up to play OTR to the residents
> of the facilities.
>

 

[raccoonradio]

Awhile ago I noticed something similar in Beverly (as did someone else
on boston-radio-interest). Within a few blocks of the Blueberry Hill
assisted care/nursing facility, we were picking up a signal at 98.9.
Turned out to be "companion radio", with shows ranging from big band
music to folk to talk

http://www.companionradio.com/

"Residents find entertainment and diversion - regardless of their functional level - 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. They feel better about themselves and their surroundings. It relieves their boredom and offers residents diversion from the increasing challenges of aging."

It can be picked up for a couple b locks down Brimball Ave.
Is anyone familiar with this concept?
>
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[raccoonradio]

> Could be someone has one of those "FM Transmitters" for
> running internet audio or satellite radio around a house.
>
> Someone might have one set up to play OTR to the residents
> of the facilities.
>
Either that, or (see my post above) it's something like Companion Radio.
The FM Transmitters, which can be bought at most electronics stores,
are most popular for transmitting an Ipod over your car stereo. (Or
even cassette; my car has a CD player but not cass. so if I have something on
tape, I'll bring a Walkman and the transmitter along). Recently on
Rt 128 around Lynnfield, I noticed as I passed certain cars that people
were using them on frequencies like 87.9 and 88.5...I'd briefly hear music
which would abruptly fade out a moment later.

At work, since I couldn't really pick up 890/1400, I had a mini-boombox
set up near a wall, set to WBAL 1090 (faded in and out, but OK) and used
the mini-transmitter so I could hear baseball playoffs.
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[raccoonradio]

Re: Why bother...

> ...when we have a regional Nursing Home Radio Station...
> Sullivan/Lavelle on 1030? See Ya!
>
ha! Am reminded of when WRKO had a late night host on--Jeff Katz, I think--
and he had a promo where he said "or, you could listen to another station
where you could WIN A PEN!! by answering a question about Glenn Miller..."
(referred to Bob Raleigh who, as Leveille does now, would have Mel Simons
on to do trivia and they'd give away a "Bob Raleigh pen". So Katz was
basically saying "win a pen, WOW!" and maybe pointing out WBZ's
elder-intensive audience.<P ID="signature">______________

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[Banjomax]

> Could be someone has one of those "FM Transmitters" for
> running internet audio or satellite radio around a house.
>
> Someone might have one set up to play OTR to the residents
> of the facilities.
>
...or similar to how they deliver the audio at the few drive-in movie theaters that still exist (Part 15 FM). Usable range of perhaps a quarter mile at best in my experience (the 88.1 MHz signal from the Northfield Drive-in on the Northfield MA/Winchester NH line).

Peace.<P ID="signature">______________
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
-- Samuel Langhorne Clemens
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