RetirementHomes.com - management

New Media for Older Adults - Bridging the Gap

aadmin — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 07:54:12 +0000

With access to social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, people around the world can connect and interact with their family members, friends, and communities (both near and far) within a virtual space.

This digital forum of communication and entertainment promotes the extension of personal networks and helps maintain strong relationships within them by increasing our perceived proximity to the people we care about.

There are many benefits for older adults living in retirement communities to use social media on a regular basis:

Decrease feelings of isolation
Provide users with the abilities to share narratives about themselves
Post pictures and videos from their daily lives
Read updates from other users
Participate in free video calls with loved ones
Play games with others

Social media websites keep us more connected with the people and communities around us than ever before.

To utilize these social media tools fully, it’s important for seniors to understand what they are, how they work, and just how easy they are to use with a little practice and support. The following descriptions are meant to help communicate the key elements of Facebook and Twitter to new users and to highlight the value of each tool.

Facebook is the largest online social network, with over 1.1 billion registered users from all over the planet. The purpose of Facebook is to allow people to connect with others that they know, once knew, or have met. At a minimum, the people you add to your Facebook network are your acquaintances, but most will be family and friends. An acquaintance, for example, could be an old classmate you lost touch with or maybe a coworker from a past career.

On Facebook, they refer to all the people in your network as a “friend”. You choose who your “friends” are and you can deny accepting someone as a “friend” if you want to. Your Facebook “friends” can view your personal profile, which is a collection of information about you. You decide what information you share in your profile.

Typically, people share their birthday, a few photos, and maybe a couple of personal interests, such as your favorite book or hobby. Whenever you share something on Facebook, for instance a picture or a comment, your “friends” can see it. Essentially, your “friends” have access to all of the things you share on Facebook, and you have access to all of the things that they share.

Another fun feature of Facebook is the multitude of free games you can play, both alone and with your “friends”. It’s amazing to think that we can play a match of Scrabble with someone online, even if we are at different ends of the country :)

Twitter, unlike Facebook, is a social networking tool that enables users to connect with people and organizations they do not know personally, like an author, celebrity, or a brand (like Coke or Microsoft). Friends and family can also be in your Twitter network, but knowing everyone personally is not necessary.

Twitter calls the people in your network “followers”. All of your “followers” can see everything you decide to share on Twitter. The idea here is that you share small comments that describe what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, or maybe an opinion you have; all said in 140 characters.

Each user, including the brands/organizations, put Twitter updates online regularly for all “followers” to see, which means there is a lot of information floating around. As a result of its vast user base and instantaneous connectivity to everyone using the tool, Twitter has become one of today’s leading news/media sources.

As news happens, updates are put on Twitter in real time, spreading the information like wild fire. It almost makes newspapers, which report stories the day after they happen, seem obsolete.

Having access to basic computer technologies and the Internet makes the virtual world of social media available to everyone who knows how to use it. For this reason, it’s essential that retirement communities provide free use of computer devices that are current and well maintained.

More importantly, seniors need guidance and support when moving into this digital realm, to help point them in the right direction, build confidence and establish comfort with technology. With these elements, retirement communities and the people who reside in them will be part of the normal, digital world that continues to unfold.

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Senior Living Professionals

Bad Mood Foods

aadmin — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 08:04:19 +0000

It’s quite easy for busy healthcare professionals (especially those working overnight shifts) to grab something quick and convenient, and not so healthy. However, some of these quick bites can not only make you a little cranky, they can leave you feeling downright depressed.

Here’s a look at some bad mood foods and the simple swaps you can make to lift your spirits and your health.

Your morning bagel (or any other white grain). Carbohydrates fuel the production of serotonin, your brain's main feel-good neurotransmitter, which activates receptors that help control your mood and appetite. Of course, not all carbs are created equal. Unhealthy white grains like bagels, white pasta and white bread can cause a quick spike and then dip in blood sugar. The result? You’ll feel lethargic and cranky 30 to 45 minutes after loading up on refined carbs.

Feel-good swap. Replace refined grains with whole-grains like whole-grain cereal, rice and oatmeal. Whole grains are digested more slowly than refined grains, which will help keep your blood sugar—and mood—stable.

Your daily soda(s). Soda consumption has decreased over the past decade, but Americans still love their bubbly drinks—it’s estimated that the average American drinks around 44 gallons of soda a year! Sodas are not only filled with empty calories, but they are loaded with sugar. Some research has found that the ingredients in soda can confuse the appetite-regulating hormones in the digestive tract. After the initial sugar rush of guzzling a soda, your mood may plummet and your appetite may skyrocket.

Feel-good swap: If carbonation is what you crave, try seltzer water with a slice of lemon or splash of 100% fruit juice.

Your French fry or fried food habit. No doubt about it, fried foods taste good. Ok, they usally taste great. But with a frightening amount of bad fats, high sodium and refined carbs, fried foods can wreak havoc on your mind and body. You can probably recall the feeling you get after inhaling a fast food value meal—bloated, tired and almost sick.

Feel-good swap: Fat isn’t your enemy—the key is eating the right type of fat. Healthy fats that contain omega-3s are known to support brain-cell function and positive moods. Walnuts and fish, especially salmon and sardines, are prime sources. Low-fat milk that's fortified with DHA is also a good choice for healthy fats.

“Junk food drags you down.”
—Miranda Lambert

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Senior Living Professionals

Inside The Mind of the World's Toughest Buyer

aadmin — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 08:54:15 +0000

If we can crack the code of what’s going on in the mind of the hardest person to sell to on the planet, we can sell to anyone!

This weekend, we (my husband, my daughter and I) went car shopping. Our initial strategy was to buy a new vehicle for my husband to drive until my son was ready to go off to medical school – when he would take the new car. So we were “shopping” on behalf of a family member who wasn’t there. And all three of us are different types of buyers with different buying objectives and styles. (Sound familiar?)

You'll see some familiar parallels to your prospects, their feelings and their objections (spoken and unspoken).

Here's my story:

We are a very practical family. But we have our quirks. My husband is very analytical and researches extensively before he makes a decision. I’m the toughest buyer you’ve met. I know what I like and what I don’t like. My daughter would have bought every single car we looked at. She was excited and showed it (I think she worked for the dealerships!)

We buy dependable, quality cars and drive them forever. So our purchases are long term and we don’t make them lightly. We visited 3 dealerships and looked at countless vehicles. The first dealership is the one we expected to buy from, but left disappointed. At the second dealership we were window shopping out of our price range and we told the salesman we weren’t serious buyers. The third dealership was a spontaneous visit and turned out to be the best experience.

At two of the dealerships, the salesman made comments about how tough I was to sell to. Salesman #1 took my daughter aside and said, “Your mom is tough! Is she a lawyer? What would it take to get her to buy?” My daughter retorted, “Give her what she wants!” (Good advice!)

I confess: I am the hardest person on the planet to sell to. If you can sell to me, you can sell to anyone.

Here’s how to sell to the toughest buyer on the planet.

Don’t blow smoke up their skirt. We pick up on that right away and then our defenses go up even more. At dealership #1, they made feeble attempts to personally connect. We knew what we wanted to see, but they insisted on following their “steps”. They weren’t genuine or natural and didn’t match our tone. They’d have been better off skipping the attempts and just giving us what we wanted (show us the product). Be genuine and be flexible.
Don’t “fabricate” a discount. Dealership #1 had sticker pricing (with discount) posted on the vehicle and when it was time to negotiate “their best price”, they put on a production: kept us waiting for 10 minutes while they brought out the “manager” who showed us a website, printed out a quote with “best price”, only to end up a half hour later at the very same price on the vehicle sticker. We were insulted. Just tell people the truth.
Show them options based on their feedback. We went into dealership #1 with a particular vehicle in mind. But after the test drive (tour) we were clearly lackluster and communicated that there was no “wow” factor. The salesman offered nothing (and lost the sale). At dealership #3, when we were looking at a different vehicle and complained that we were looking for a bit of “wow” factor, the salesman said, “Oh, if you’re looking for “wow” factor, you should see this…” and he steered us to a different vehicle that we hadn’t yet considered. Coincidently, that is the vehicle that we eventually decided on. Yes, it’s an upgrade in price also.
Handle their unspoken, but clear, objections. I mentioned my husband is a heavy researcher. He knew everything about every vehicle we planned to consider. And he researched (on the spot) all the ones we hadn’t planned on.

Dealership #1 salesman actually contradicted the research my husband presented. He practically argued with him…which cost him credibility. By contrast, when presented with online ratings, Dealership #3 salesman offered additional sites showing the vehicle’s high ratings. He added to my husband’s knowledge and fed his need for information in a positive way.

Interesting conclusions:

Because of dealership #3’s salesmanship, we are likely going to spend more than our anticipated budget. He gently guided us, responded to our concerns and “upgraded” us naturally.

Within an hour of leaving dealership #1, we got a call from a different sales manager who thanked us for coming in. It was a nice touch, but she didn’t offer anything new (plus we had already left). While at dealership #3, the manager stopped by to introduce himself, and told us about a few perks of buying from their dealership (free car washes, oil changes and tire rotations for 2 years). He also made personal connections with us (kids go to same school). The difference is, they gave us what we wanted first (show us the product) and then we were open to connecting personally.

You can definitely sell to the toughest buyer on the planet. And when you do, it’s likely to be a good size sale and they will be very loyal to you.

Sell to them the way they want to be sold – sometimes that’s information first, sometimes that’s a very clear value proposition, sometimes that’s letting them lead the sales process…and sometimes, its all 3! Be friendly – but genuine. Be helpful and flex with their comments to show them options they haven’t considered. At the end of the day, people buy PEOPLE.

Happy Selling!

Mona Hilton is the CEO of Occupancy Advantage.

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Senior Living Professionals

From FOLLOW UP Failure to FABULOUS

aadmin — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:55:35 +0000

Are you sick and tired of giving away more than 3/4 of your prospects to your competition because of follow up failure? Keep reading…because you’re about to go from FOLLOW UP Failure to Follow up FABULOUS!

In the housing industry (senior or residential), a lead costs an average of $500 on average. And after going through all the trouble of generating these expensive, valuable, precious leads, it would be a shame to not get your money’s worth from those inquiries…but that’s exactly what’s happening.

It’s shocking, but 80% of all inquiries or leads never receive ANY type of follow up!

If that’s not enough, in a survey, 65% of managers cited “Follow up” as their #1 Business Failure!

No surprise, but the largest and fastest growing source of new leads is the Internet. 87% of our inquiries will research you online first – on your website, search engines and all the various social media and review sites like Angie’s list and Google Plus. Of the people who go to your website, 45% of them will purchase from you or a competition within 12 months….and 75% of those people will buy from the first person they speak to.

In fact, when a web leads contact you, if you contact them back within 5 minutes of them reaching out to you, you are 100TIMES more likely to reach them, engage them and sell to them than if you wait just 30 minutes!

I’ve always said the most damaging statistic is the one you don’t know. And the truth is, I’ll bet no one reading this knows for certainty how many prospects they are GIVING away. But we can only take a guess at the cost of NOT following up by estimating lost revenue.

Maybe you’re thinking, Mona, I hear you, but I know our people ARE doing follow up. My answer to you would be AWESOME…that’s great. Let’s look at what follow up is being done.

Ask people why they don’t do follow up or stop doing follow up, and you’ll hear some very legitimate reasons:

Afraid to appear too pushy
Forgetting to follow up
No time
Don’t know what to say
Don’t have system
Don’t know what to do with some of the prospects you get

I recently googled “sales follow up” and got 969,000 hits. Everyone recognizes that follow up is a problem and is necessary for success, but no one tells you HOW to do it. So I will take a stab at it.

CLICK HERE to read Mona’s 6 specific FOLLOW UP tips.

And don’t forget your past/current clients and referral sources! If you provide a service that people need repeatedly – like home health or services – don’t neglect to follow up with your past clients. They represent future business.

The tips I gave you in the link are practical and make common sense. But honestly, we know that they are easier to talk about than they are to do. So is there a secret to great, effective, consistent, bullet-proof follow up? And if so, what is it?

The secret is to plan out your follow up paths and goals and messages in advance and then automate them. You can do that on paper or spreadsheets or you can use the set it and forget it follow up TaskoMatics built into Advantage.

Each TaskoMatic is strategic and intentionally designed for a different type of lead and has a specific goal. Maybe it’s for a web lead and the goal is to get them on the phone for discovery. A TaskoMatic allows you to prebuild follow up sequences of activities, calls, emails, notes, and other actions that move your prospects towards the goal. These actions can be strategically assigned to different people to do different things and use intentionally relevant messages.

I love it when technology serves as your assistant, don’t you?! By automating your systems, you can focus on the high value activities (relationships that generate revenue) and let your technology “take care” of your automated tasks.

So although FOLLOW UP is our number 1 failure, I’ve got good news for you!

Follow up failure may be expensive, is definitely unnecessary but the good news is, it’s fixable! You can go from Follow Up Failure to Follow Up FABULOUS. And your follow up will have FABULOUS results on your revenue!

Here’s to FABULOUS Follow Up!

Mona Hilton is the CEO of Occupancy Advantage

Watch the video with Mona Hilton and RetirementHomes.com, How to Forever Fix the #1 Failure in Your Sales Teams: FOLLOW UP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODisqnC7Ufc

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Senior Living Professionals

The 11th Annual Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit

aadmin — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 08:15:51 +0000

The 11th Annual Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit assembles entrepreneurs and leaders in the field of aging and the venture community. It convenes on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA.

Boomer Venture Summit Speakers will include:

Mary Furlong - President and CEO of Mary Furlong & Associates
Jody Holtaman - Senior Vice President, Thought Leadership at AARP
Laurie Orlov - founder of Boomer Health Tech Watch
Jeff Zimman - co-founder and Chairman of Posit Science
Barbara O’Connor - CMO of Move.com
Jeff Makowka - Senior Strategic Advisor in AARP’s Thought Leadership group

- and other top-notch industry speakers.

The Summit will offer special exhibits, a Boomer Business Plan Competition, and networking opportunities. The Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit is presented by Mary Furlong & Associates.

The Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit

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Upcoming Events

Staying ahead of the Wii Learning Curve

aadmin — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 11:58:27 +0000

Video games allow people to venture into a world fueled by the imagination. A virtual reality can be a lot of fun whether you’re a child, middle aged professional or older adult! Play a video game and you can be almost anything — a race car driver, a web slinging super hero, a soccer star or a tennis mogul. The possibilities are limitless. In today’s digital society, video games are one of the most popular forms of escapism, which we all need from time to time :)

Nintendo Wii - The New Normal in Assisted Living

It’s universal for assisted living centers and retirement communities to host video game events in their weekly activities calendars. The game console of choice is Nintendo Wii due to the social flavor of the gaming experience. The controls are simple and easy for new players to enjoy on their first try in an enticing assortment of games, including golf, bowling, boxing, and fishing.

Wii was the first mainstream video game console to use motion sensors primarily to control the gameplay. With motion sensory, Wii players control the games with physical movements. While holding a wireless controller, players’ motions are tracked by an infrared sensor, setting off actions in real time within the video game.

The Intuitive, Natural Feel of Wii

The learning curve is short to play video games on Wii, because the physical motions to control the games are designed to be intuitive and natural. When a couple of old time sluggers in Wii's homerun derby swing the wireless controller, the virtual player on the screen swings in unison. Players can stand close or far away because the accuracy of the motion sensory is remarkable as is the range of the wireless controller. The console is inclusive and accessible for seniors to get familiar with the basic motions of Wii games within minutes.

There are two important points to consider when setting up a Nintendo Wii event:

Have extra batteries on-hand for the wireless controllers to ensure no one is left out if power runs out.
Place the infrared sensor that detects the motion of the wireless controller at an adequate height. For players who are sitting, the sensor may need to be positioned lower so the motion is detected properly.

Wii encourages everyone to participate in physical activities that form relationships and a sense of community. Residents can play against each other or as teammates head-to-head on the Internet against other retirement communities to promote good old fashion, healthy competition! Just remember what Tom Hanks said in A League of Their Own, “There’s no crying in baseball!” :)

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The Caring Two-Handed Shake

aadmin — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:45:53 +0000

Have you noticed how many older people use a two-handed handshake when they are greeting another person? They hold the position for a few seconds. There is usually a smile on their face. They seem to be really enjoying it. Often, they say a few words after they mention the name of the person they greet. Sometimes, they don’t seem to want to let go.

It is important for you to understand why they do it, and understand its subtleties.

Renowned anthropologist Ashley Montagu may have the answer for us. He has written a seminal book on the importance of touching. In fact, his widely-used statement says that “touching is the mother of all senses.”

To help us understand interaction among human, he explains that our interpersonal communications are divided between the “distance senses” and the “proximate senses.” The distance senses are sight and hearing. The proximate senses are taste, smell and touch. But, far and away, touch is the most significant.

How do you and your associates respond to the two-handed shake when it occurs? Are you at ease with it? Do you reciprocate and take a few seconds to enjoy the other person’s thoughtfulness? Do you understand how important it is to them?

The lesson for your retirement community is that the sense of touch for your older residents is significant. In particular, the double handshake is a warm, friendly and powerful way to connect with older adults. It shows affection and appreciation as well as the intensity of feeling toward the receiver. In one sense, it’s like a mini-hug.

There are many reasons why older persons use it. Among them, it is a visible sign that they care about the person they’re meeting. It shows their deep feelings for the receiver. For those reasons, your associates should use it as much as they can.

In my training sessions, I find it helpful to take some time to show younger people its value. Here are a few suggestions for your staff, especially younger ones, when using the double handshake:

Use your right hand for the shake and your left hand to cover their hand. Hold it for a few seconds.
Look the person in the eyes when he or she extends a hand to you.
Repeat their name being careful to use their formal title – Mr. or Mrs.
Add a reassuring smile as you are shaking hands.
Use a firm non-squeeze handshake. Gauge your squeeze by the amount of pressure you receive from them. Always avoid a “gorilla grip” handshake. More than half of people over age 65 have some form of arthritis and you don’t want to hurt them.

The two-handed shake is sometimes called it the “politician’s handshake” because for years they have used it around election time to send off warm and friendly feeling messages that they care about the other person so they can get more votes. They understand the two-handed handshake creates rapport. That’s why they use it!

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Senior Living Professionals

The Enemy of Productivity

aadmin — Wed, 21 May 2014 09:11:13 +0000

Once upon a time, in an office not so far away, worked a bunch of people who bragged pridefully about their abilities to multi-task – even comparing themselves to one another constantly trying to “out multitask” each other. Hour after hour of multi-tasking slipped past and so did the productivity.

When the fairy godmother finally showed up on the scene and broke the spell, the people woke from their trance and realized that their multi-tasking had spawned monsters called Disruptions that fought the hero, Productivity.

“I’m working on three different things, which means I’m working on nothing.” exclaimed
Francisco Garcia.

“Multitasking is the enemy of focus” said the fairy godmother, “and focus is the father of productivity.”

This may be just a fairy tale but science now shows that the brain can multi-task for small rapidfire situations, but projects and longer tasks benefit exponentially from focused time. The bad news for me is that I can be my biggest distraction!

Have you ever gotten to the end of a day and asked yourself (maybe aloud), “What do I have to show for today?!” How demoralizing! Let’s defeat the disruption enemy!

Here are 7 tips to help you defeat the disruption enemy:

1. Take 5!
Take 5-10 minutes at the beginning of the day to plan and write down your plan based on the following 6 tips. When I take that time, my day is always more productive. Even when I get sidetracked, it gives me a plan to refer back to and get myself back on track. Whatever doesn’t get done today will be a starting point for tomorrow’s plan.

2. Plan your Schedule.
Use your calendar to block out not only appointments but also chunks of time to knock out projects. During those chunks of time, refer to #5 and #6 below.

3. Layout and prioritize your Tasks.
What are your top 3-5 goals for today? Put them on your To Do list. Depending on the type of task (send thank you card, make follow up calls, etc.), your goal list may be longer. Crossing them off the list when you complete them gives your brain an endorphin reward!

4. Set incremental Benchmarks and Rewards.
Speaking of rewards, why not? For example, when I’m done writing this article, I will reward myself by getting a cup of coffee. That also helps me avoid another disruption of stopping to get my coffee during this chunk of time. And it motivates me to keep focused!

5. Hit “Off”.
Yes…you heard me right. Take advantage of the “X” in the right corner of email, Instant Messenger, Facebook (OUCH), and other electronic distractions. It’s too tempting to check them “just in case”, when you’re trying to focus. There’s a high likelihood that the world will NOT come to an end if you don’t answer that email in the next 5 minutes.

6. Discipline your thoughts.
I find that the very moment I try to focus on a project, is the very moment that my mind thinks of 100 things that have to be done RIGHT now. My solution is a lined pad of paper. As things come to mind, I jot them down and go right back to my project.

7. Employ an Assistant.
If you have an Assistant (human or virtual) that can make you more organized and productive, by all means take advantage of it/them! We use the Advantage system to be our assistant, lay out our tasks, reminders and even queue up our follow up emails and letters for us to personalize, approve and send out. There is no humanly way I could ever keep up with all the contacts, prospects, clients and partners that I do without Advantage (that’s my shameless plug).

BONUS: Be merciful to yourself.
The best laid plans are sure to be interrupted. If a client, prospect, co-worker, may-day or other disruptions interrupt your plan, you don’t need to fire yourself. After all, disruptions by people are part of our job! Manage them as best you can and pick up where you left off tomorrow.

Remember that the goal is improvement – not perfection! Success is a game of 1%. You’ve heard the 1% Productivity Rule: If you increase your productivity one percent per day, you will double your productivity in 70 days. (You may recognize this as same formula used for compounded interested.)

You’ve heard these tips to defeat disruptions presented in different ways before, but I’d like to offer you a challenge.

I’d like to challenge you to commit to following these rules (religiously, but to the best of your ability) for a full 30 days. Start today, tomorrow or on the first of the month. I’m doing it along with you. Let me know how you’re doing. Email me at mona@genesisgt.com.

Imagine the accomplishment, the pride and the endorphin rush! Keep it up and based on the 1% Productivity Rule, you’ll double your productivity in just 70 short days!

Let’s take this challenge together and we’ll confidently end our fairy tale with “and they all lived happily ever after.”

Mona Hilton is the CEO of Occupancy Advantage

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Senior Living Professionals

Solid Strategies for Sound Slumber

aadmin — Fri, 16 May 2014 13:39:23 +0000

Healthcare professionals—especially those working overnight or graveyard shifts face several sleeping obstacles. Long hours, frequently changing work schedules, and stress are just a few challenges those in the healthcare profession face when it comes to sleep. So, if you’re setting aside seven to nine hours a night to sleep—congratulations! You’re doing one of the best things you can to give your entire body what it needs to restore and remain healthy. But even if you’re getting your seven to nine, are you truly getting the deep sleep your body needs? Believe it or not, there may be some simple (yet fixable) factors that may be causing you to miss out on the restorative sleep you need. Here are some elements and strategies to consider:

There’s too much light on. Light is one of the biggest external factors that can affect sleep. Exposure to light in the late evening tends to delay the phase of our internal clock and lead us to prefer later sleep times.Try: Keeping your bedroom as dark as possible and avoid TV and electronics close to bedtime.
You don’t have a regular bedtime. Getting in sync with your body’s natural sleep and wake cycle (your circadian rhythm) is paramount for achieving good sleep. Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day will help you feel much more refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times (i.e., going to bed very late and sleeping in one day, and then going to bed early and waking up early the next). Try: Staying consistent, even on the weekends. If you want to change your bedtime or if your shift changes, start with small increments, such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day—this will help your body adjust.
You’re worried when you go to sleep. Stress, worry, and anger from your day can make it very difficult to sleep well. Try: Setting aside “worry time” before you go to bed. Write down the thoughts and feelings that are bugging you, and then make a promise to only revisit them until the next day.
You snore. Chronic snoring can affect the quantity and quality of your sleep. Try: Exercising every day, and losing a little bit of weight if you’re overweight—even a little weight loss can reduce fatty tissue in the back of the throat and decrease or even stop snoring.

“Some people talk in their sleep. Lecturers talk while other people sleep.”
—Albert Camus

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Senior Living Professionals

Connecting Residents through Digital Technology

aadmin — Wed, 07 May 2014 08:13:26 +0000

Computer technologies and the Internet are commonplace everywhere. Touch screen gadgets and WiFi connections are popping up all over the place, including retirement lifestyle communities across North America.

Some retirement residences use technology based systems to keep residents informed about what’s going on in their community; from recreation and event calendars, to daily menus and special announcements, even a snapshot of the weekly weather report. For these lucky residents, the most up-to-date information is always at their fingertips, available online anytime. No need to wait for the latest copy of a printed monthly calendar anymore! Like paperless billing, this type of regular communication is going digital, along with today’s seniors :)

Currently, hardware designers and software developers are building accessible technologies for an aging population. Doro, as an example, designs devices for older adults in particular, including a simple, full function cell phone and a new laptop, EasyPC, being released later this fall.

Connecting Residents through Digital Technology

Technology based systems meant for use in retirement residences, for instance the Brookdale Connected Living program, are specifically geared towards the needs and interests of older adults too, as they are the intended users, not staff or visiting family members. Although some guidance using the system is required to get started, anyone can learn the basics in no time.

The software interface is stripped down to be simple and easy to navigate. This helps accommodate the large percentage of inexperienced technology users residing in retirement communities. Things like sending/receiving email, conducting research online, viewing shared photographs, listening to music, and video conferencing are presented to users with easy to follow instructions and no distractions, keeping the process simple and not intimidating for a novice.

James Bond and After-Dinner Tiramisu

A new and interesting feature of this type of technology based system is how family members around the world can also access the community based calendars and information being shared with residents. This keeps the children and grandchildren of today’s seniors “in-the-loop” about what’s happening each day or throughout the week. It creates opportunities for conversation… “I noticed James Bond was playing in your theater last night. Did you go with your neighbor?” or “How did you like the Tiramisu after dinner tonight?”

Families often feel closer and more connected when they are in tune with the smaller details of day-to-day life. By sharing this sort of insight into daily life online, family members can help those in long distance relationships feel more comfortable with their living arrangements and feel more involved with their family.

Whether it’s checking the menu for lunchtime tomorrow, reviewing the agenda for next week’s shopping trip, or keeping families informed about their loved ones, technology’s role in retirement living has only just started to shape the terrain. There will certainly be more to come, and soon!

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