The fourth annual iN2L + LifeLoop survey of senior living leaders explores the evolving role of technology within community life.
The need for innovative technology to augment highly personalised care is growing in the senior living industry as it continues its post-pandemic recovery.
This is one finding of a comprehensive, independently conducted survey of industry leaders by iN2L + LifeLoop, provider of the senior living industry’s most comprehensive engagement, staff efficiency, and community operations platform.
Senior Living 2023: The State of Engagement and Technology is the fourth installment in an investigative series by iN2L + LifeLoop into trends regarding the adoption, state, and impact of technology on resident, staff, and family well-being in senior living communities.
The report series is designed to track industry challenges and strategic priorities, the increasing adoption and use of technology, and the myriad ways that enterprise platforms can enrich the aging experience.
This latest report revels in a growing sense of optimism for the future of senior living, as the industry shifts from its post-pandemic recovery mode into a period of renewal.
Mirroring this optimistic sentiment, the report tracks for the first time a paradigm shift in senior living technology: its natural evolution from resident-centric engagement solutions to more holistic enterprise platforms that extend support across all areas of community life, from unlocking staffing efficiencies to streamlining family communications.
This year’s report explores a range of topics, including engagement as table stakes, technology as a community differentiator, and its ability to augment staff responsibilities and connect residents to loved ones outside the community walls.
Navin Gupta, CEO of iN2L + LifeLoop, commented: “Each year we take the industry’s pulse to determine the evolving role of technology within senior living.
“This year is unique in that we are seeing senior living leaders beginning to recognise technology as a powerful tool that can augment not only their resident engagement strategies but also generate efficiencies that support their workforce and act as a powerful connector to loved ones and families living outside the community walls. We are hearing loud and clear the call for a comprehensive solution and are working to adapt our services to support stakeholders across the entire aging experience.”
The most notable takeaways are as follows:
Engagement technology is considered an integral part of community life
Sixty nine per cent of respondents believe engagement technology helps them improve their communities’ overall quality of care.
Providing residents with highly personalised experiences is still a top goal
Eighty five per cent of respondents believe that an ability to augment personalised care and provide engaging experiences is one of the most important features any enterprise technology platform can provide.
The role of technology within senior living is evolving
Now that engagement technology is considered table stakes, leaders are turning to their technology partners to unlock additional use cases to support overall community life. Eighty four per cent of leaders with a comprehensive enterprise platform consider it either “very” or “extremely” important.
Ninety one per cent of respondents are still experiencing significant staffing challenges:
Leaders feel enabling family and resident communications (79 per cent) and helping staff coordinate personalised programming and activities (74 per cent) are the most important ways that technology can support both residents and their workforce.
The complete results are available here.