Brookdale Senior Living has named Stanley Healthcare and RF Technologies as preferred partners in its “Rewiring Aging” effort to enrich all areas of seniors’ lives through the use of technology.

Initial areas of focus include faster notification of emergency situations and streamlining workflows to more efficiently respond to individual resident needs. “As we move forward, we plan to pilot a variety of technologies that can be refined and put into place to benefit our residents,” said Andrew Smith, director of strategy and innovation for Brookdale.

One potential area of innovation pertains to remote monitoring of residents’ clinical indicators and behaviors, which could lead to early detection and treatment of such conditions as urinary tract infections. “Identifying potential clinical conditions sooner and treating them rapidly may prevent residents from going to the hospital,” Smith said. “This could mean a tremendous improvement in their quality of life.”

Potential residents and their families may not yet realize how much the evolution of safety technology already is changing senior living, he said. An example is the shift from wired emergency call systems to the wireless systems already in place at many Brookdale communities. “Residents using the new small and lightweight pendants know that wherever they are in their community, whether in their apartment or in a common area or hallway, they can use the device to summon help and they will be quickly located,” Smith said. “This is a big step forward from the traditional wired system, where a resident calls for help by pulling on a cord in a wall. We expect to see other improvements in safety and security as we move forward with this initiative.”

Marty Guay, president of Stanley Healthcare, said: “We applaud Brookdale for examining the current benefit and potential impact of senior living technology across the organization on a truly national scale. We believe what Brookdale is doing will be an important model for the industry.”

Glenn Jonas, founder and CEO of RF Technologies, said: “The practices developed will benefit Brookdale’s residents and could make a difference for seniors everywhere, by showing how creative use of the newest technologies can enhance independence while promoting safety.”