Independa Blog
Life, Connected!®
Delivering peace of mind for your entire family through connections and valuable services, made easy, made meaningful. Care, even when you can’t be there.
A Life, Connected® … is a healthy life.
Aging in a Disaster-Sticken Nepal
By: Richard D. Della Penna, MD Chief Medical Officer at Independa, Inc. I am currently in Nepal, an economically poor but culturally-rich country still badly wounded by last April’s devastating 7.8 earthquake. Six months later, hundreds of thousands of displaced...
How can smart environments and machine learning help seniors remain independent?
By 2050, the number of Americans over the age of 85 is expected to triple, and demand for long-term care may well outstrip supply. To meet the looming need for senior health care, researchers are working to develop innovative technology solutions that can help...
Seniors are reaching new heights with higher education and lifelong learning
Many seniors are heading back to school to finish their college degrees, to get new ones or simply to engage in the joy of learning. Today, online learning has opened up a whole new world of education for many seniors. Continuing your education is a great way to...
Overcoming the “2030 threat” to senior living
The U.S. government projects that by 2030, there will be 35 million more jobs of all types than there will be people available to fill them. The labor shortage is expected to hit long-term care especially hard, with care workers like nurses and nursing assistants in...
Social engagement promotes seniors’ physical, emotional health
Social engagement is vital for seniors’ health, research has shown. A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that people over age 65 can add years to their lives by participating in enjoyable social activities — including shopping, gardening and playing...
Economic recovery: The perfect time to invest in senior living technology
A recent investment bank report notes that senior housing real estate is experiencing historically favorable investment rates, low cap rates and high valuations. With the senior living industry in growth mode, many communities are investing in technology that provides...
Seniors can defy the stereotypes associated with aging
What does aging mean to you? For many seniors, modern aging is all about defying the old stereotypes and providing new methods for vibrant living. Today’s seniors are keeping their minds, bodies and spirits young in a number of ways. Continuing to learn Lifelong...
Preventive care boosts senior living occupancy
Nearly a quarter of visits to the emergency room in 2010 were by individuals over the age of 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Hospital trips can be highly stressful for older adults, and they increase the odds of exposure to infectious diseases and...
Technology, variety, beauty help senior living communities change with the times
Today’s senior living communities have evolved in a number of ways, with many bearing more similarities to country clubs than to retirement homes of the past. The concept of comprehensive, all-encompassing services and amenities has taken root in the industry, and...
3 upgrades for optimizing memory care in senior living
Memory care stands as the most expensive of all types of private-pay senior living. The high cost, along with an uptick in development, has led to a decreasing occupancy rate. What upgrades can communities make to assist with marketing their memory care services?...
Helping your senior parents with their finances
Managing finances can become increasingly difficult as individuals age. One study suggests that nearly 30 percent of older Americans may need assistance with their financial affairs, according to Nolo. Seniors may need help for a variety of reasons, including:...
How to Choose a Senior Living Community
Choosing a senior living community is one of the most important decisions most people make. Your future quality of life depends on selecting wisely, and the options can be overwhelming. With many types of senior living communities available, it pays to take your time...
How to Choose a Senior Caregiver
For seniors who choose to age in their homes, seeking the assistance of a caregiver becomes a necessity at some point. For various reasons, some seniors prefer the services of an individual private caregiver rather than a home care agency. Private-duty caregivers are...
How to Choose a Home Care Agency
As seniors age, everyday tasks can become more challenging. For those who choose to remain in their homes, assistance from a home care agency can help with continuing to accomplish vital daily tasks. While most home care agencies can assist with food preparation,...
Tech Designed for Seniors Can Extend Living At Home
A recent study found that approximately two-thirds of people age 65 and older need assistance from either a mobility device or another person to go about their daily activities. For adult children providing support to their aging parents, a technology solution like...
How will the “Internet of Things” give seniors more aging options?
With the rise of the so-called “Internet of Things,” seniors will have more options for aging where they wish. From enhancing safety to monitoring health and communicating with caregivers and loved ones, this connected network of physical objects will benefit seniors...
The future of the senior care industry – Part #5
While the senior care industry may currently be in its infancy, it will be forced to grow and adapt quickly to meet the skyrocketing demand soon to come from the Baby Boomers. Already, the industry is providing a means for seniors to receive complex care at home...
Solutions for better senior care – Part #4
One of the biggest problems facing the senior care industry is attracting and retaining qualified medical professionals to care for patients in their homes. And one of the biggest problems for those medical professionals, in turn, is coping with the vast array of...
Challenges for Care Providers in the Senior Care Industry – Part #3
While the senior population is expected to increase by over 80 percent within the next 25 years, more entrepreneurs and established companies are entering the senior care industry. Many nurses, certified nursing assistants and other caregivers are attracted to the...
Why some seniors choose to age in place – Part #2
As Americans age, many choose to move to senior living communities. The extensive services and amenities offered by communities designed for senior living encourage residents to live vibrant, active and healthy lives. Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, some...
Senior Care: Providing Options for Aging in Place – Part #1
The Baby Boomers are known for their strong sense of independence. Eighty is the new sixty but it’s likely that most will need to rely on others as they age. More than 10,000 people turn 65 every day in the US, and they are living longer, healthier lives. By the year...
Can tech innovation change the way seniors age?
Scientist and entrepreneur Richard Caro recently stated in an interview that future technology innovation will change the way people grow older. For instance, tech may one day even delay physical decline, he speculated. But already, technology is changing — or soon...
Closing the tech gap at your senior living community
Baby boomers coming into your senior living community are likely to be on top of the latest technology. In fact, research indicates that boomers make up the fastest-growing group of smartphone owners, and they constitute a third of all Internet users. For your older...
Helping your parents take charge of aging and avoid isolation
As individuals age, most hope to retain the ability to make their own choices. Experts say that is possible — with the right planning. A new pilot program from the National Council on Aging is teaching people to master aging, with a significant focus on gaining the...
The benefits of social media for your senior living community — without the downsides
It’s widely understood that social media offers both advantages and disadvantages. On the negative side, privacy concerns, computer viruses, spam and other issues make some seniors timid about venturing onto public social media sites. Fortunately, your senior living...
3 important steps seniors can take to decrease cognitive decline
A new study finds that eating specific foods may slow the rate of cognitive decline among seniors, even when the individual is not at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Over the years, studies have identified a number of additional behaviors that may help seniors...
Lifestyle options play vital role in modern senior living
Most senior living communities offer services and amenities. But when a prospective resident sits down with one of your marketing counselors, do they get the full picture of your community’s lifestyle options? Today’s seniors are looking for experiences that will...
Enhancing the relationship between grandparents and your children
Do you treasure memories of the time you spent with your grandparents as a kid? Maybe you called them excitedly to share straight-A report cards, or maybe you even spent summers with them. If you were lucky enough to have your grandparents with you as an adult, they...
Where can technology take your senior living community?
Technology has made significant inroads in senior communities in recent years. And as technological capabilities continue to progress, senior living communities are discovering opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and residents’ quality of life. Where...
As seniors age, many consider in-home downsizing
For a variety of reasons, it’s not always practical to move. At the same time, individuals approaching and beyond retirement age realize that some of the features that once made their homes so attractive could become impediments as their physical abilities change....
