Older adults are more active than ever, and they want to stay that way. Increasingly, they are embracing technology that helps keep them safe. However, they want to ‘KISS’ it – Keep It Simple, Stupid.
As Eric Markow, founder and CEO of Dual Path Connected Solutions, said, “We need to be able to leverage technology to enable people to continue to live an active lifestyle or have some sort of lifestyle fulfillment.” He added, “We need to create structures that enhance resident safety and security without it being invasive.”
It also is important to meet residents where they are and not overwhelm them with information or technology. One key is to realize that people have different preferences about how to communicate and receive information. For instance, Markow noted that many don’t check texts constantly and, as a result, these may pile up and go unread. He said, “We get pummeled with information every day. This can result in information overload, especially for older adults who didn’t grow up with technology.” Just because you send a text or email doesn’t that your older loved one is going to read it and respond to it promptly. It is important, Markow said, to put messages and information in their environment without them having to do anything. Devices such as picture frames connected to the Wi-Fi that enable instant sharing of photos and video are a perfect example of this. They want technology to be easy to use and not require a lot of time or complicated steps.
Another key, Markow said, is “boiling down information to what each resident wants instead of bombarding them with all kinds of things they may not use or want. Communities already have information about residents, including via their own technology that does things such as tracking resident participation in activities or dining habits and choices. “We can use what we know about people to match them with activities or groups that are engaging to them,” he suggested.
When technology works in senior living communities, it cannot only keep residents safe. Because they feel safe, they have the confidence to get out and about. “We know that one of the silent killers in senior living is isolation and withdrawal from society in general,” Markow said. Personalized technology that connects residents with the activities and hobbies they love – including real-time alerts and information – can allow them to easily be part of the community. For example, they can get calendars, reminders, updates via their TVs or wearable devices such as smart watches.