A New Era in Senior Housing: Tech or Bust

As with just about everything else in modern life, senior housing is seeing significant changes — largely due to the impact of technology. Not so long ago, the senior living field was defined by its boundaries: in buildings, on campuses and for residents. Today, technology is opening up a whole new world for senior housing and its residents in a number of key areas.

Putting individuals first

The move to person-centered care models is rapidly deinstitutionalizing senior housing. Technology is enabling senior housing communities to meet the booming demand for catering to individual needs. Advanced scheduling tools allow managers to easily shift duties and workloads among staff members as needed. On-demand ordering systems and use of the Internet allow chefs to order fresh, interesting food items in small quantities rather than in bulk. Widely available computer-assisted design software allows architects to work with incoming residents on the spot to custom-design their homes.

Minimizing isolation

Technologies like IndependaTVe™ ensure that today’s seniors never feel alone. Loved ones can check in, keep track of how their senior relative is doing through video chat and messaging. With Angela, the user-friendly interface, keeping in touch with children and grandchildren is as easy for seniors as enjoying their favorite TV program in their own comfortable chair. IndependaTVe™ ensures that seniors never have to miss a family event or get-together again; using the mobile app, loved ones can easily set up a video chat, bringing Grandma or Grandpa right there to the wedding, sporting event or family reunion.

Overhauling interiors

Senior housing in the past meant uniformity. Countertops, flooring, cabinets and fixtures likely came with no choice and were preinstalled — whether the senior liked it or not. Today, the range of possibilities is as vast as the Internet, with the capability for custom-ordering and just-in-time delivery. Paint colors can be custom-blended on vendors’ sites, the perfect blinds can be chosen online or viewed in a showroom, and decor can easily be customized to meet every taste and budget. Has something changed? No problem! Plans are touched up on the computer in a well-adorned sales center.

Focusing on community spaces

Community spaces are at the heart of today’s senior housing communities. Easily adaptable great rooms are used as auditoriums, performance spaces, game rooms and more — complete with massive screens and state-of-the-art video and audio systems. Self-serve, high-end coffee machines adorn lounges, where residents can browse the Web on their iPads using the community’s high-speed WiFi. Business centers feature powerful desktop computers, color laser printers and more for the use of residents and their loved ones. Wellness centers feature the latest entertainment systems and fitness equipment that tracks a variety of health metrics.

Providing choice

The most significant difference in today’s senior housing versus that of a few years ago is choice. The Internet, high-end hardware and software, and comprehensive systems such as IndependaTVe™ are creating options where none existed before, and they’re building a new model for thinking about community construction and upgrades. Today’s approach is about customization, the power of the individual and harnessing technology that allows seniors to determine their own lifestyles and health outcomes.