Though the misconception that older adults just aren’t “tech-savvy” is still widely held, the truth is that today’s seniors are more in tune than ever with technological innovations. Every day, grandparents are using Skype and FaceTime to catch a glimpse of a new member of the family or to take part in a family celebration halfway around the world. In fact, Senior Providers and architects agree that the most successful senior living communities simply have to embrace new technologies to stay competitive in 2014 and beyond.
Staying competitive through design
Previously on this blog, we’ve discussed how aspects of design within a senior living community can contribute to the cognitive health and well-being of residents. Hallways with distinct characteristics like works of art, for example, may help orient individuals who experience occasional lapses in memory. Senior Housing News reports that these techniques are going to become much more advanced in the years to come, as Senior Providers will have the opportunity to offer a greater degree of customization and connectivity to attract potential residents and their families.
“I believe we will see a more purposeful investment in making these small, but important spaces work for marketing purposes and ‘for real’ as each wave of senior residents crosses the threshold more wired, and more ready to Skype, blog, Facebook and email with friends and loved ones off campus,” said D2 Architecture principal David Dillard in an interview with the news outlet. Dillard is one of many architects who foresees an emphasis on “digital-centric spaces” in the eldercare industry.
As the older adult population swells, it is clear that eldercare professionals must embrace all potential avenues, not just to attract new clients in an increasingly competitive field, but to meet the needs and maintain the well-being of care recipients on a greater scale. Mounting operations costs and a dwindling number of qualified eldercare professionals have placed all the more pressure on this industry. It is the convergence of these factors, in part, that has spurred such radical growth in the telecare sector, and it is why Senior Providers must start to view technology as an essential tool and not a complication or unnecessary add-on.
How can Independa help
Independa’s integrated telecare solutions, including our consumer-facing Angela interface, have been expressly designed to improve the quality of life for older adults by facilitating connectivity via video chat, Facebook, personalized check-ins, smart medication reminders, alerts that trigger intervention when necessary and health measures to support self-care. Independa integrates these together for one powerful and cost-effective care services offering that is the “new must-have” in remote care, replacing the dated monitoring point solutions of yesterday.
Our Caregiver Web App enables care providers to leverage their current resources to oversee more older adults without sacrificing quality of care. Independa can be introduced seamlessly to any senior living community through LG televisions, or can be incorporated in your senior living design from the very beginning stages. Contact us through our online form to learn more.
