Senior Care Innovations Shaping Tomorrow: Exploring Three Cutting-edge Technologies Showcased at LeadingAge 2022
In the ever-evolving world of healthcare, senior care organizations are embracing technology to address staff shortages and improve workflow efficiencies. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are at the forefront of this transformation, automating routine tasks, providing companionship, and enhancing resident care.
One of the key areas where robots are making a significant impact is in companion and safety-monitoring. GuardBot’s HARV, for instance, uses AI and 5G to autonomously support seniors, offering fall detection, safety monitoring, and social connection. This supplemental care helps mitigate the effects of staff shortages, reducing the need for constant human supervision.
Hospitality robots, such as robot waiters, are also being increasingly deployed in senior living facilities. These robots, like the Servi food runner robots used by Front Porch Retirement Homes, help reduce workload on human staff and control overtime costs, allowing facilities to run smoothly with fewer staff during busy shifts.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and AI tools are easing the burden on healthcare workers by handling repetitive administrative and scheduling tasks. Large healthcare systems have demonstrated lower staff burnout and improved nurse satisfaction by using AI for scheduling, workflow automation, and real-time alerts about patient status. This also applies to long-term senior care settings.
Intelligent workflow automation is another area where robots are making a difference. By reducing errors and speeding up routine processes like data entry, form processing, and system integration, these technologies help optimize healthcare delivery in senior care, enabling staff to focus more on direct patient care rather than administrative burdens.
Proper planning ensures that robots support rather than replace the human touch critical in eldercare. When AI-enabled robots are thoughtfully integrated, they enhance care quality while addressing staffing challenges.
Organizational leaders play a crucial role in this transformation. Identifying internal champions who will embrace the technology and prioritizing specific business use cases for AI implementation is essential. NuAIg, in partnership with United Methodist Communities, uses RPA to simplify HR processes and reduce inaccuracies and the need to redo work.
Culinary services have also seen a shift with the introduction of robotics. Cypress Living introduced robotics in 2021, streamlining operations and ensuring maximum efficiencies. Shawn Fontaine, general manager of dining services at Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line, implemented Matradee robots in three of its six communities to help with food service, saving the organization upward of $72,000 per year in labor costs.
The potential of robotics extends beyond physical tasks and administrative workflows. Majd Alwan, senior vice president of technology and business strategy at LeadingAge, believes the most promising applications for robotics are in service and rehabilitation. RiverSpring Living, for example, implemented the ZeroG Gait and Balance System from Aretech to help with patient rehabilitation, allowing one therapist to perform physical therapy instead of two.
Alexa, Amazon’s voice-interactive service, is another tool being used in senior care. It allows seniors to control temperatures, microwave times, handle work orders, check mail status, and answer commonly asked questions, giving them more control over their lives and helping them maintain their dignity and self-sufficiency.
In summary, senior care organizations are leveraging robotics for both physical tasks and administrative workflows, reducing staff workload, lowering burnout, improving operational efficiency, and ultimately enhancing resident care and satisfaction. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications in the field of senior care.
[1] GuardBot: https://guardbot.ai/ [2] NuAIg: https://nuaig.com/ [3] Front Porch Retirement Homes: https://www.frontporch.net/ [4] Matradee: https://matradee.ai/ [5] Cypress Living: https://www.cypressliving.org/ [6] Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line: https://www.wesleyenhancedliving.org/mainline/ [7] Aretech: https://aretech.com/ [8] LeadingAge: https://www.leadingage.org/
- The integration of AI-enabled robots, such as GuardBot's HARV, is not only supplementing senior care but also helping to mitigate staff shortages by offering fall detection, safety monitoring, and social connection.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness technology, robotics like the ZeroG Gait and Balance System from Aretech are making significant strides, allowing one therapist to perform physical therapy instead of two, a testament to the potential of this technology in the science sector.
