Innovation in the Housing Scene After Retirement

Robots or Drones? What’s New and Innovation in the Housing Scene After Retirement?

-Observation from attending the Leading Age Conference in Pasadena, CA in May 2018

Contributor: Susan Wang

Comfort and convenience rank high among the preferences of an aging population. That’s especially true when it comes to housing. According to an AARP research, 90% of the 50+ would like to stay at their own homes, or age in place, when they grow older. Above all, the aging population wants a sense of community.

Community can mean different things to people. Some would like to remain in a home where they have lived for 40 or 50 years. Others, would like to move into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) that offers independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing facility, and memory care to accommodate their needs as they age. Either way, the desire for continuity guides caregiving.

Today, families and caregivers are adopting new technology to create community connections and reduce the cost of caregiving. Smart phones, drones, robots, AI, Alexa, wearable devices, and sensors can monitor the physical and mental well-being of older adults.

Some CCRCs are reducing nursing costs by using robots to check on the well-being of their residents. A central nurses station serves as a hub for monitoring assessments delivered by the robots. Other technological advancements are on the way. Soon, bee-size drones and infrared technology may be used to check on the mobility and status of residents. A smart pill container will monitor the quantity and frequency of pill consumption. These possibilities incentivize further development of consumer products and applications.

The implications extend to public policy. Medicare will likely make tele-medicine a requirement to reduce the cost of doctor’s visit. Instead, patients with non-life-threatening symptoms would engage a nurse practitioner via wifi and describe their symptoms. The physical assessment would rely on a virtual image rather than immediacy.
Beneficiaries would include rural communities lacking proximity to healthcare and elderly individuals lacking mobility. Advocates see an opportunity to push for nationwide access to free wifi to ensure equal parity among all.

As aging specialists, our mission will become more and more integrated with technology as these trends continue. Every day, the questions we ask will guide our next steps. How can we aging specialists leverage expertise in technology to develop products that serve the needs of the aging population? How do we bridge the digital divide in the U.S? How do we leverage technology to reduce social isolation? How does technology compliment many cities’ Livable Community initiative which focuses on creating a “home for life” and community for all capabilities?

Consumer electronic products will keep expanding in the next few years, adding solutions for healthy and independent living for our members, and providing caregiving support for the 50+ consumers and their families. Look for digital progress tools and trackers as well as remote monitoring. Universal design will not only benefit the elderly, but also provide solutions for all ages.

Susan Wang attended the 2018 LeadingAge California Conference in Pasadena from May 7-9. California is one of 38 state associations affiliated with the national LeadingAge organization. For more information, follow this link.