5 Senior Living Amenities You Should Be Offering

Senior living technology solutions can improve outcomes for independent living community residents, staff, and operators. Automated senior living amenities empower residents, improving their physical and mental health while streamlining community operations, increasing monthly revenue, and improving staff workflow. Let's explore five senior living solutions that enhance care and review how Eldermark's comprehensive software delivers powerful results.

1. Smart Home Automation for Enhanced Comfort

Smart home automation enhances residents' comfort while increasing convenience. Voice assistants help lessen feelings of isolation and assist residents in connecting with their natural supports. Other types of automation technology helpful in independent living communities include:

• Smart light bulbs: Allows residents to control their lighting 
• Smart thermostats: Lets residents change the temperature of their room without having to get up
• Smart speakers: Plays music, podcasts, or audiobooks on command to keep residents stimulated, entertained, and relaxed
• Smart appliances: Countertop appliances, like coffee pots, can be activated by voice for residents' convenience
• Smart sensors: Monitors residents' activity and sleep, detects falls, tracks air quality, and quickly alerts caregivers to problems

Automation is particularly important for residents with injuries, arthritis, or other mobility limitations. Smart home automation technology allows them to retain their independence and exert control over their living space by easily adjusting their lighting and temperature, playing their own music, and more.

Residents aren't the only ones who benefit from smart home automation. Empowering long-term care residents with the ability to easily control their environment lessens the workload on staff, so they can spend more quality time with residents and avoid burnout. 

As a bonus, smart home technology can attract more residents and increase occupancy. With so many senior living options available, automation technology in senior living communities can be a profitable differentiator, especially when used with Eldermark's marketing automation software.

2. Virtual Fitness and Wellness Programs

Offering residents virtual fitness and wellness programs allows them to exercise in private at their convenience, increasing the likelihood that they'll participate in physical activity. Virtual fitness and wellness programs have myriad benefits for residents, including:

• Lowered risk of injury
• Increased independence
• Improved overall physical health 
• Decreased disease risk
• Improved mental health and greater feelings of well-being

Virtual fitness and wellness programs motivate residents by putting them in control of their fitness. Rather than being limited to the one type of in-person class offered in the fitness center, they can tailor their workouts to their preferences and physical abilities. 

Senior living technology solutions like virtual fitness and wellness programs provide a large return on investment. Fit and healthy residents require less medical intervention and medication management, improving the workflow for staff. Remote wellness programs increase fitness options without the need for extra coordinators or fitness instructors. 

3. Telehealth Services for Convenient Medical Care

Healthcare providers can use telehealth to treat a surprising number of health conditions, such as:

• High blood pressure 
• Elevated cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Cold and flu
• Skin conditions
• Arthritis
• Back pain
• COVID-19
• Depression and anxiety

As senior living technology trends see telehealth becoming increasingly more common in senior living communities, virtual care will continue to become more tailored toward specific populations. Remote memory care, geriatric mental health care, and physical and occupational therapy could soon become the norm. 

Offering telehealth technology for senior living communities lets residents get the care they need without leaving their homes. It's more comfortable, exposes them to fewer germs, and saves time and money. Staff will spend less time coordinating appointments and transportation, so they'll have more time to provide meaningful care. 

4. Digital Social Engagement Platforms

Of all the senior living technology software available, social engagement platforms offer the widest array of benefits. The right engagement software provides solutions to many senior living community challenges. It keeps families involved with care, improves programming, and provides insights into resident participation.

Family Engagement

Senior living engagement technology like Eldermark's engage software is critical for keeping residents connected with their loved ones. Families stay involved with residents' care and daily living through a portal that lets them see:

• Updates from caregivers
• Photos
• Community calendar of events
• Participation in social activities
• Dining menu

Families can also post pictures and videos to stay connected with their loved ones. And they can share resident life stories on the portal, helping to forge a better connection between residents and caregivers. 

Improved Programming

Using social engagement software, programming coordinators can easily share activity schedules with senior community residents to encourage participation. They can post programming calendars to the community website and even send them directly to residents' phones. 

Community members, in turn, can share their preferences and provide feedback on programming. This feedback helps communities determine the right mix of activities to increase attendance and improve residents' well-being and satisfaction.

Insights

Eldermark's engage tracks resident participation in independent living community activities. The software provides detailed insights and analytics so coordinators can streamline activities and adjust programming to meet residents' needs. Engagement software provides the tools required to meet programming standards. 

5. Personalized Entertainment With Streaming Services

Independent living residents often use in-room entertainment to unwind and refresh. Many retirement community members rely on entertainment to decrease feelings of isolation and to provide stimulation during the time between community activities. 

Streaming services with personalized content make residents' entertainment more fulfilling, helping them feel connected to the outside world. Personalized senior living amenities, like customizable entertainment services, empower residents by giving them more choices and increased control over their daily lives.

Provide Better, More Efficient Resident Care With Eldermark

Providing the best resident care requires a commitment to understanding and meeting the unique needs of each resident. Communities that mix and match senior living technology solutions fail to get the comprehensive oversight necessary to provide the best, most efficient care, and make the right business decisions. Eldermark's all-in-one, connected software is a better solution for senior living that empowers staff, increases community revenue, and improves every day workflows. Schedule a demo today to learn how Eldermark can improve outcomes in your organization.