Covid-19 and Senior Living’s growing use of tech

Seniors and technology – change is in the airwaves. In ways that could not have been anticipated six months ago, the technology marketplace (sellers and buyers) for older adults is accelerating in interest level and adoption. And that is likely an understatement. Following the reimbursement changes after in-person visits disappeared and numbers of visits exploded, firms with telehealth tech are finding a one-year-pipeline potentially compressed into one month. The odds are, not confirmed yet, that Wi-Fi deployment, donation of tablets and online video tools, will all be accelerating in the time of Covid-19, which will be confirmed in a future survey. Consider six intriguing examples – please send or comment with others if you have them:

Aegis Living’s new Youtube channel pilot, Aegis Live. "Three times a week, an in-house production team delivers programming directly to residents’ computers or mobile devices as a supplement to the provider’s Covid-19 normal activities schedule. And, the Covid-19 crisis is highlighting some advantages that small-home communities may enjoy, in being able to maintain a greater sense of normalcy in day-to-day activities." Learn more at: Senior Living News.

Holiday Retirement and MeMD. "Holiday Retirement, the largest independent senior living provider in the U.S., announced today that it has provided telehealth access and services to the residents of Holiday’s 261 senior living communities. Holiday’s residents have access to MeMD’s national network of healthcare providers for treatment of urgent-care situations and other conditions in the safety of their Holiday home". Learn more at Holiday Retirement.

Eastmont Senior Living Disinfection Skybot. "Eastmont Senior Living in Lincoln, Nebraska, recently rolled out two Skybots, robots that use UVC light to disinfect rooms - and help them in the fight against COVID-19. The light does not travel through glass. People, animals, plants, and TV screens are not safe with the UVC, but Door Movement Modules hanging on the door shut the system down if someone tries to go into the room. The equipment will not start if someone is in the room either. Plants can be removed and TVs can be covered with a sheet.” Learn more at SeniorDining.

Maplewood Senior Living and Temi Robot. "One of the most innovative senior living communities in the country, and client of software company Connected Living, is Connecticut-based, Maplewood Senior Living, who introduced Temi to the marketplace by purchasing 30 robots for their new high-end Inspīr Modern Living community center in Manhattan, along with one additional Temi for use in all their other properties, allowing for immediate interaction with anyone a resident wants to connect with virtually. Temi has been lifting spirits and connecting residents with family members and doctors." Learn more at Robotemi.com.

Thrive Senior Living. "Thrive is looking to use telehealth to limit the risk of exposing residents and staff to coronavirus and other contagions, and free up team members to spend more quality time with residents. Smith acknowledged that telehealth can be difficult to implement in communities during shelter-in-place edicts, but Thrive expects to expedite the process in its communities as soon as the orders are relaxed in its markets. The company has also created a plexiglass separator called Clear Connection." Learn more at Thrive.

Zorabots in nursing homes. "Approximately 60 robots are being used in Belgium. The government there has banned outside visitors from nursing homes in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the vulnerable community. The robots were created by Belgian robotics software firm Zorabots. The company says that the spread of the novel coronavirus meant they had an excess of stock they didn’t know what to do with. That’s when they decided the best way to use their resources was to use that stock to help older adult communities. All of the robots so far in circulation have been donated by Zorabots and they say more are on their way.” Learn more at MSN.