Advances in modern healthcare mean that people are living longer than ever—with that comes a need for high-quality senior living communities. Technology has dramatically simplified the process of collecting and storing resident data. Wearable technology and other smart devices also allow caregivers to provide faster and more responsive care.
Senior living technology is evolving to meet new challenges as many senior care communities look to the future. Here are some of these emerging trends. Many forms of technology are emerging, from helpful extras to complete essentials.
This State of Senior Living Technology 2022 report from Senior Housing News (SHN) shows a promising path of growth and change. Here are some of these emerging trends that will impact the senior care industry.
The Need for Future-Proof Solutions
Historically, senior living providers had been slow to implement new technology, but the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented circumstances. With in-person contact limited, communities needed to use new technology to keep communication open and ensure operations in communities ran smoothly.
Cloud technology became particularly important during this time period as senior living organizations needed remote access to their healthcare data. Now that many organizations are using cloud technology for the first time, they’re realizing just how much they can do with this data.
The pandemic was an unprecedented challenge for senior living organizations, many of whom are still tackling COVID-19 in their communities. However, this won’t be the last challenge that senior living organizations will face.
As technology grows at an exponential pace, senior living operators need solutions that can grow with them.
According to the SHN survey, only 16% of senior living organizations felt prepared to handle COVID-19. This is why it’s so important to implement scalable “future-proof” solutions now.
Scalable data storage technology allows you to make adjustments to your organization’s cloud setup. This flexibility ensures that you continue to stay compliant and that you always have the data management features you need, even as new challenges pop up.
Vendor Support is Key
Another key question posed in the SHN study focused on the biggest staffing-related impediments to technology implementation.
35% of respondents said that staff did not want to change the way they worked. New technologies can be daunting, especially when a team has years of experience working without them.
This is why vendor support is crucial when it comes to implementing new technologies.
Skypoint provides ongoing support throughout the adoption process to ensure that teams know how to use the technology they are working with in an efficient manner.
When senior living teams are comfortable with new technology, it helps residents feel more comfortable with technology as well. This creates a more open-minded experience for everyone, in addition to the incredible conveniences and capabilities that technology delivers to enhance care delivery.
Staff Management is a Priority
Many aspects of senior living technology focus on collecting, securing, and analyzing important pieces of resident data. However, staff management technology for senior care providers is just as crucial.
51% of respondents in the SHN survey said that they planned on increasing their funding for staff management technology in 2022.
During the pandemic, many senior care communities struggled to retain staff members—a problem that continues to persist now.
To keep staff on board, senior living communities need to make their work environments more efficient and less stressful. A more efficient workplace also enables care teams to provide better care for residents.
This will likely continue to be a focus in years to come as healthcare organizations continue to leverage new technology to manage and enable their teams.
Cost Prohibits Technology Adoption
One of the biggest factors stopping new technology adoption in healthcare is the cost. 24% of respondents in the SHN survey listed high costs as the biggest technology challenge facing their organization.
When used effectively, new healthcare technology often comes with long-term financial benefits. However, the high up-front price tag can be intimidating to many financial decision-makers. Skypoint Cloud can provide support in this area as well. We work directly with executive decision makers to illustrate the value of our healthcare data solutions for the entire team.
We also provide a flexible pay-per-use pricing model, so you don’t have to spend on excess capacities you don’t need.
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Strides forward in senior living technology and data management have helped caregivers stay afloat in these challenging times. Modern solutions need to be flexible and intuitive to facilitate high rates of technology adoption.
Skypoint Cloud is a fully compliant Modern Data Stack Platform that offers huge benefits for senior living communities. Detailed resident insights help your organization provide the best and most responsive care possible. This improves resident engagement while streamlining operations for your team internally.
Reach out to learn more about Skypoint Cloud for senior living providers and request a demo.
