The impending intersection of a growing older adult population and the ongoing inadequate number of caregivers employed to assist them makes it imperative that senior living and care operators continue to invest in technology over the coming years, according to a recent report.
“We have seen a rapid increase in the adoption of technology by Americans over the age of 65, and as prospects seek retirement communities, they’ll look for those that offer the latest technology, giving them comfort and peace of mind,” Ashutosh Saxena, co-founder and CEO of a smart home technology startup Caspar.AI, wrote in a Forbes article Monday. “Developers, owners and managers of communities need to be ready to answer the demand.”
The first step in addressing the forthcoming “service gap” among older adults, Saxena said, is to increase the development and construction of new long-term care communities, including those that combine multiple segments of care, such as continuing care retirement communities, also known as life plan communities. In addition, the industry must create more innovative technologies to extend the ability of the caregiver workforce to support increasing demand, including through artificial intelligence-enabled apartments, equipped with voice-command technology and remote fall detection systems, he said.
“These technologies can help attract and retain prospective residents, operate these communities efficiently and thus provide a return on investment crucial for bottom-line health,” Saxena said.
