Developers behind a new veterans home are hoping the facility serves as a design model for how to accommodate “the personal technology ecosystem.” 

As seniors are rapidly adopting technologies like smartphones and wearable devices, senior care and living providers need to be increasingly sure facilities have the infrastructure for these tools, such as sufficient wireless connectivity and charging outlets. 

That can also include knowing which software and interoperable systems to utilize as well, as one report noted.

Engineers with the firm IMEG Corp., who helped build the new 138-bedroom veterans home in Augusta, ME, said it is especially important for new senior living projects to implement these innovations during the planning phase.

While IMEG is undoubtedly using the Maine example to broadcast its own consulting abilities, it is important for senior living providers to make sure they are working with designers so they are not spending more money retrofitting new buildings for technology after the fact, or scrambling to catch up with the latest trends. 

The Maine Veterans home has a gym equipped with virtual reality capabilities and other rehab tech tools, the developers touted. 

Other senior living facilities have taken on the “smart gym” design model, such as Blakeford Senior Life’s Nashville campus, which has equipment and software to help with personalized elderly fitness regimens, McKnight’s recently reported.

However, while many senior living facilities boast impressive tools and devices, from cleaning robots to VR headsets, an important aspect of the current tech ecosystem to keep in mind is how many personal devices new senior living residents bring with them — and what they expect to be able to use, the IMEG developers note.

The senior living industry has been notoriously slow to adopt new technologies, many experts have pointed out. Only 30% of senior living organizations had upgraded their network systems over a five-year period, according to a report from 2022. Other accounts suggest that even when adopting new tech, many senior living providers end up abandoning tools.

Not all senior living providers have the resources available to design or implement these tools on their own; this is particularly true for rural communities.

Many healthcare leaders, and even President Biden, have raised this point and called for more investment in resources and technology for underserved senior living populations.

In senior care and living settings, a lot of fall prevention data and technology is controlled by caregivers or curated by software systems. 

However, at least one new intervention tries to empower seniors more directly with the ability to forestall a falling emergency. 

A new smartphone app helps seniors control their balance by monitoring a users’ body sway while they are standing still. The app, which also includes fall prevention exercises, is intended to help seniors adjust body coordination to prevent falls from occurring, the researchers said.

One out of four seniors in the US are likely to fall at some point each year, the researchers note. Even as new tech aims to reduce falls or subsequent fatalities, the number of self-reported fall incidents in healthcare facilities has risen in recent years, and was up 27% in 2022, according to McKnight’s Clinical Daily.

Data used to build the app was collected at the Motion Analysis Research Laboratory run by Binghamton University in New York. The researchers used a sophisticated motion analysis system, which involved motion-capture tech, to find the relationship(s) between gait speed and balance.

When researching use of the app itself, 94% of the senior study participants completed exercises and tests via the smartphone intervention, the study authors said.

“Participants self-reported enjoyment, difficulty and exercise effectiveness,” the study authors wrote. “Results of this study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of delivering balance intervention through a smartphone-based application.”

While it’s unclear from the study how such an app might complement other monitoring or therapy tools in senior living communities, the researchers did acknowledge that the smartphone intervention would not work for all seniors, such as those with more severe mobility impairments. 

Future studies could be aimed at reviewing how stroke or Parkinson’s patients use the app and its exercise regimen, the study authors said.

Older adults increasingly are adopting technology at rates on par with younger, tech-savvy cohorts. Now, unfortunately, they also may be adopting similar tech-related dependency issues. 

Excessive smartphone use is rising among all age groups, including older adults, according to new research from experts who are studying “problematic” screen addictions. 

Senior living and care operators, as well as families, should be careful to monitor residents’ screen time, as they are more susceptible to issues stemming from sedentary lifestyles or poor sleep quality, experts advised. The latter is a common concern about the effect of staring at LED-lighted screens right before bedtime. 

Approximately 12% of adults aged more than 65 years check their smartphone every 30 minutes, and 22% said that it is the first thing they look at upon waking, according to a published report. In addition, as many as 68% of adults aged 65 to 74 now own a smartphone, data show.

Although that information comes from a survey of older adults in Canada, US studies have delivered similar results, with a majority of older seniors — those aged more than 70 years — now using smartphones. 

Older adults now are spending an average of 300 hours a year on social media, and 25% spend more than one hour a day on platforms, the McKnight’s Tech Daily recently reported. 

Although social media or games may be mostly for entertainment or socialization, older adults and even caregivers are becoming increasingly reliant on apps designed to manage health issues, from medication alerts to telehealth check-ins. 

One further concerning aspect of those statistics is that most people, including older adults, significantly underreport their actual smartphone usage, experts noted. 

Some recommendations the researchers on problematic screen time suggested to curb smartphone use include muting notifications, lowering the display light and even keeping the phone in another room overnight, although that may be an unrealistic suggestion for senior living residents. 

Many older adults might be uncomfortable talking to caregivers, or even clinicians, about an overactive bladder. But they might be willing to discuss the issue with a digital counterpart, one new study showed. 

Study participants who used Cece, a “digital conversational agent” that focuses on bladder issues, were able to reduce their symptom severity and improve their emotional health, the results indicated. 

Symptoms of overactive bladder, or OAB, increase significantly as adults age, studies show: 40% of men and 30% of women aged more than 75 years have the condition. 

Although OAB itself is more of a nuisance than a life-threatening emergency, it can indirectly lead to more dangerous situations, as most falling emergencies in senior living communities occur when residents are either walking to, or trying to use, the bathroom.

Cece, developed by tech startup Renalis, contains several interactive learning modules about bladder issues, but it also helps with treatment options and therapies such as pelvic exercises. 

The study took place over eight weeks, and participants — all women, with a median age of 62 — used the tool an average of 10 minutes a day. Study authors noted that they were able to control for factors such as caffeine or fluid intake among the study cohort. 

Overall, many older adults want more information and assistance about bladder issues, as the McKnight’s Clinical Daily has reported previously, although that report also included the more serious condition of bladder cancer. 

Beyond just digital communication, new technology aimed at OAB includes an ankle device, the Revi System, designed to stimulate a users’ leg in a way that helps reduce symptoms. The Revi device received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration over the summer.

The findings on Cece were published late last year in the journal Urogynecology. 

I have spent most of my career focused on product development and design, most recently for Wellinks, a digital health company focused on cardiopulmonary conditions, which predominantly affect older adults. I know firsthand the dedication required to create solutions that are beneficial to all users. Engaging older adults isn’t impossible, but it isn’t a passive process. Companies must be willing to put in the time and energy.

Over the years, I have had valuable conversations with older adults and providers alike, constantly tweaking our approach and striving to find the perfect recipe for digital health tools that meaningfully engage older adult users outside of a brick-and-mortar physician’s office. For those interested in helping to make tech easier for older adults to adapt, in designing tech for older adults, or in taking a peek into the design process, here are four strategies I’ve found successful.

1. Demonstrate value up front.

For those who may not use technology regularly, it can be more difficult to see the big-picture effect of maintaining consistent engagement with digital solutions. Being asked constantly to input data without seeing any results can be frustrating, and it can make users question why they’re even engaging in the first place.

With this in mind, we should strive to create digital health tools that constantly demonstrate their value, making clear how each user action helps drive results and make a difference in the care journey. By helping users see both the short and long-term benefits — such as celebrating quick wins or establishing a baseline for daily readings — we can excite them about their results and empower them to continue adapting to new solutions.

2. Meet users where they are.

In many cases, people are fully excluded from digital health opportunities if they don’t have access to or feel comfortable using technologies such as smartphone apps. Rather than expecting older adults to learn completely new modes of technology, companies providing digital health services should be flexible with their offerings.

For example, if someone doesn’t own a smartphone or tablet, then there always should be options for them to engage with similar resources via email, text message or voice calls. Kicking off a user’s digital health journey with methods already familiar to them helps create a foundation of trust and comfort, making them open to being coached through incorporating new technologies down the road. If we commit to meeting users where they are, then we will open doors to quality care for a broader population.

3. Build technology as a window for personal connection.

It’s a common misconception that virtual care replaces human connections. Although it is true that digital health tools can offer alternatives to in-person physician visits, it’s best to think of those solutions as new windows for building human connections.

Fostering positive relationships with care providers helps users avoid the feeling of aimlessly inputting information into an app. Connecting with older residents and patients virtually builds trust and comfort in the process. Those relationships are the key to addressing the care gaps between in-person visits and improving continuity of care.

4. Prioritize accessibility.

When designing digital health solutions, it’s essential to make components user-friendly and accessible to encourage the consistent engagement necessary to be effective. Virtual care designers should prioritize things such as page scalability, screen reader compatibility, clear information hierarchies and a focus on making all elements as simple as possible. Keeping accessibility front and center in product development lets users know you are dedicated to their success.

Older adults managing chronic diseases have plenty to gain from accessing virtual care solutions, and the onus is on those of us offering those services to ensure that our tools work for those who need them most.

Excluding older adults from technologic advancements based solely on their age and perceived unwillingness to learn is an overused excuse. So what if virtual care tools didn’t exist when our seniors were born? For many, neither did computers or microwaves, but this reality hasn’t stopped our grandparents from learning to comment on our social media posts or heat up their coffee. Why should it keep them from receiving quality healthcare?

Research conducted during the pandemic identified a 300% increase in the overall use of telemedicine services among older adults, indicating both willingness and ability to adopt those tools.

The senior living industry must resist the misconception that technology always is a barrier for older people and instead normalize adapting offerings to maximize value for all users, regardless of their age or level of familiarity with tech. Doing so creates meaningful opportunities for those users to gain more confidence in their self-management abilities, establish a better understanding of when intervention may be necessary, and check in more frequently with medical professionals invested in their well-being.

Especially in senior living communities, where older adults are more likely to experience mobility challenges and require assistance attending in-person doctor visits, we have a heightened responsibility to provide more accessible healthcare options that meet residents where they are. With more than 60% of adults aged more than 65 years owning smartphones as of 2021, the foundation for reaching residents already is there. Building it up and integrating digital health solutions is a natural next step.

Virtual care is here to stay, so it is time we start working harder to make those solutions an option for everyone.

Ellen Su is chief product officer for Wellinks, a digital health company focused on cardiopulmonary conditions.

The opinions expressed in each McKnight’s Senior Living marketplace column are those of the author and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Senior Living.

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Older adults don’t need to have spent decades in show-business to benefit from a late-stage softshoe routine. 

One recent music and movement intervention program designed for seniors combines several different technologies, including augmented reality, to help them combat depression and anxiety from their condition, researchers say. 

Music, and music therapy, have been recognized as a way to help enrich life for senior living community residents.

So although the concept is not new, the idea behind the recent program, Music With Movement, is to make it easier for caregivers to learn, and teach, the intervention to the residents they serve, particularly residents in memory care, the researchers said.

The program can be run on a tablet or smartphone and combines several different concepts, including augmented reality and games, the Music With Movement developers explained.

The program not only improved the mental health of older adults who used it; it also strengthened the relationship between them and their caregivers, according to published research.

The program, designed by experts at Honk Kong Polytechnic University, won a Consumer Electronics Show 2024 Innovation Award, it was announced earlier this month.

“Music is a medium of communication when one’s verbal ability is diminished,” said Daphne Cheung, PhD, Music With Movement project leader. “Technology is not for replacing human interaction but facilitating the implementation of meaningful human-to-human interaction through activities.”

One of the more popular tools that involves multisensory sounds and games for memory care residents has been the ToverTafel, which runs via an overhead projector.

Beyond dementia, another recent music therapy program uses software to help stroke victims with their physical rehabilitation, the McKnight’s Tech Daily reported earlier this year.

As more and more older adults turn to their smartphones, laptops or other devices for holiday shopping, scammers are coming up with new tricks to ruin Christmas.

Online scams against older adults are expected to increase this month, including offers from fake look-alike “stores” or missed delivery notifications, the US Attorney’s Office has warned.

“December is the month of giving, but it’s also the time of year when cybercriminals try to take advantage of consumers, quickly turning a joyous season into a living nightmare,” US Attorney Dena J. King said in a statement.

Although the most likely targets for such scams are older adults living at home, long-term care facilities and communities also should be making sure their residents and their families understand the current risks around online fraud.

Fraud aimed at older adults, even online, is nothing new, and many older adults are becoming more savvy about being targeted.

But the combination of increased online shopping and new digital tools that use artificial intelligence has created new potential threats. 

One concern is that many people, including older adults, more often are using payment apps such as Venmo or Zelle; they can make it easier to send money to more vendors than ever but also provide less consumer protection if payment is sent to the wrong person, or a scammer, the AARP warns.

AARP’s Fraud Network is a free resource that anyone can access, and the organization sends out a “fraud knowledge” survey every year. This year, less than 30% of survey respondents were able to score a 7 out of 10 or better when quizzed about fraud issues, the AARP reported. 

Over the past few months, Congress and the Senate Special Subcommittee on Aging have warned that AI tools have engendered more sophisticated scams, such as creating fake images or conversations that can credibly mimic family members or government agents.

The Sunshine State has the second-largest older adult population by both size and proportion. So naturally, Miami is a logical fit for a state-of-the-art technology training hub aimed at elderly residents. 

The newly opened Senior Planet Center, part of an initiative by AARP’s Older Adults Technology Services, or OATS, is designed to help provide training and tech services to older adults. Observers say it also is indicative of how many cities and senior living and care communities are trying to create innovative hubs to cater to more tech-savvy populations.

Many senior living and care operators now are offering tech training, either in person or online, as part of the resident experience.

Older adults, as a demographic cohort, continue to show greater use of, and even reliance on, smartphones and apps designed to help them with their daily lives or communicate with loved ones.

Some communities, such as the CC Young Senior Living continuing care retirement community in Dallas, even are trying to market themselves around their tech services, including a full-blown TV studio for residents to use. 

OATS also recently launched an initiative to provide tech training courses to older adults who live in more rural areas of the American South, to help them use telehealth services. 

The Miami hub will provide free Wi-Fi and will have dozens of screens and computers for residents to use; multilingual classes will begin at the center in January, OATS executives announced last week. 

“We are thrilled to be launching a center in Wynwood, [Miami], where technology, innovation and diversity are celebrated,” OATS Executive Director Tom Kamber said in a statement. “The center will serve older adults from across the region, free-of-charge, regardless of income or demographic, and we will also be working closely with partner organizations to support local programming across the county and beyond.”

Digital health tools — either in the form of apps or other online healthcare services — won’t be useful for older adults unless they are designed to be easy to use and are available at any time of day, a new analysis shows.

The study adds to the growing body of research analyzing what possible barriers or limitations remain for seniors’ using tech tools, even as their use has proliferated since the pandemic. 

The study’s recommendations could benefit senior living and care providers looking to establish increased use of digital communications between residents, caregivers and clinicians.

Although the study includes both clinical consultations and more generic health information under the broad “telehealth” umbrella, the scoping study is aimed squarely at the latter: how older adults can use digital tools to improve their own health outcomes and lead a healthier lifestyle.

“Even though telehealth interventions for preventive and health promotion purposes have the potential to assist older adults in managing and improving their health, studies have shown that their adoption and actual use is low and inconsistent,” the study authors wrote.

The researchers recommend including older adults themselves in co-designing apps and other telehealth tools, to avoid learning after the fact that a tablet or app is too complicated or complex to use. 

The idea that older adults need specialized digital interfaces, either because of physical or cognitive challenges, is not a new concept. Many clinicians themselves have expressed concerns that some telehealth tools are difficult to use, to the point of being dangerous.

One more unique suggestion from the review, however, is for digital tools to include a more social element, such as peer-to-peer interaction on a platform and the ability for family members to interact with their loved ones.

The scoping review on telehealth used data from Australia; whereas the use of telehealth also is down in the United States from its peak during the pandemic, its use in long-term care settings remains high, and Congress is considering permanently extending telehealth options for Medicare beneficiaries.

As more devices aimed at stroke survivors hit the market, two new tech tools under development have been announced to help aid rehabilitation. 

Researchers soon will be testing an app for personalized stroke rehab, designed to help users move through 10 different exercises. In addition, a new wearable “robot” prototype has been created that can correct stroke patients’ foot and ankle movements.

The new tools, both of which were developed by separate research Universities in Hong Kong, are indicative of the growing concern around stroke and stroke-related mortality rates, possibly caused by the global growth of older populations.

More than 70% of strokes occur in older adults, and most stroke survivors end up needing rehab for mobility issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also estimates that 11% of older adults living in residential care facilities have had at least one stroke. 

The unnamed wearable robotics device is fitted around a user’s foot and ankle and assists with gait, balance and overall neuroplasticity, or restoring the brain’s circuitry for controlling those muscles

Research studies using the device showed that the exoskeleton was 40% more effective for stroke than other mechanical tools, and 90% of users corrected any foot inversion issues, developers noted in a statement. 

The AI-enabled stroke rehab app, SmartRehab, guides users through exercises and includes a telehealth portal to connect with physical therapists.

The SmartRehab app first will be tested in Hong Kong and seven other countries with funding from the World Stroke Organization. Only a quarter of stroke survivors in low- and middle-income countries have access to rehabilitation services, the SmartRehab’s app developers warn. 

Rural or underserved areas in the United States could face similar challenges, and those regions have been the focus of recent conversations, including at the federal level, about the future of healthcare and expanding access to services.

Meanwhile, the goal for the ankle-foot robot — or “exoneuromusculoskeleton” — is to have the device commercially available at some point next year, its developers said.

Other tools for stroke rehabilitation either in development or on the market include a wrist-worn health tracker monitor and a music therapy program, InTandem, that uses rhythm to help re-synchronize walking.