2022 Technology Trends for the Future of Senior Living

Trends in Tech for Senior Living for 2022 and Beyond

With an aging population and staffing shortages, robotics is an up-and-coming solution. Technology can be used to fill gaps in staffing, like moving food between your kitchen and dining room. Food running can be done automatically using a robotic carrier. Staff in the kitchen can put food on the device and staff within the dining room can take it from the device and serve it to the residents. These futuristic technologies and robotics, a different caliber of dining staff, cut costs and dramatically reduce the burden on staff. 

Digital ordering, through kiosks, tablet or mobile devices, can also help with staff efficiency in the dining room. 

“In Senior Living communities where these robots are being used for the first time, we are seeing residents and older adults really enjoy being a part of the pilot. There have been a lot of text messages being sent to Grandkids about the ‘cool new robot cruising around’. There is still a person there to complete the final mile delivery, and there is a coolness factor about being around it – all while reducing costs.”  – Justin Smith, Manager of Innovation & Technology

There are many futuristic solutions currently being implemented like technology to automate creating healthy meals like salads and grain bowls. This type of solution allows residents to have more autonomy and could be seen in a bistro area or café. The system consists of a refrigerated cabinet stocked with fresh produce and proteins that makes an on-demand, custom salad. 

Technology for the future and productivity tools in dining are heavily robotic. While these systems cannot replace everything that happens in a kitchen, they can complete simple tasks to fill in staffing gaps. Robotic systems are being used in the fast food industry for tasks like flipping burgers. These systems and others like it, for building salads or making pancakes, are being tested, and our experts predict they will soon be available for the healthcare industry as well. 

2021 Technology Learnings

This last year we have seen the right foundational healthcare technology help improve operations and maximize quality in resident care. Our experts have curated a list of some of our favorite technology systems used in Senior Living design that we saw meet the following needs in 2021:

• Top Learning to Increase Staff Efficiency

As the most simplified EMR connectivity solution in Senior Living, DS smart® technology saves time by allowing caregivers to instantly capture, protect and share data to EMR-connected equipment, such as wireless vital signs monitors and scales – making it the top solution in tech that improves efficiency. 

• Top Learning to Improve Safety for Residents and Staff

Communities have opened back up with a heightened need for understanding and managing visitors to their facility in addition to people’s movements within their facility. Electronic visitor management and thermal temperature screening solutions have quickly become must-have technology to assist with the flow of visitors and guests.

Download the eBook for More 

For more technology trends, download the free ebook. Inside, our Senior Living Technology experts walk through the top trends in the senior housing market for technology in 2022. 

Our Senior Living Experts