The Future Is Here

The Future Is Here…

Position yourself to be the leader in technologies that will change the face of senior living.

1. Are you still selling horses, or are you a Henry Ford? Technology is no longer only for “geeks.” It is present in every aspect of our lives.

2. Learn what six technologies will change the face of senior living: sensors and wearable technology, OLED lighting, crowdsourcing and gamification, robots, data mining and artificial intelligence, and 3-D printing.

3. Neuroplasticity and the trainable brain.

We are currently caught in a place in time where the apple cart is not only being turned upside down, it is being reimagined. The Internet has created a network of brains not unlike our own that can learn from each other in real time and share breakthroughs that a previous isolated society could never imagine. This change is global and unstoppable. Now we not only have group learning and thinking but we also have the energy and computing power to do this not just within a government or university but worldwide. Imagine Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Einstein, Tesla, Benjamin Franklin, Edison, Galileo, Newton, Beethoven, Socrates, etc. all being alive today and able to chat in real time to create and solve the world’s problems. Add to this Moore’s Law of exponential computing power and you start to get a glimpse of what I’m talking about. Now let’s go a little further and recognize that pedigree and education are thrown out the window and anyone of any age can participate, not just the chosen few. The simplest point I am trying to make is that technology will change the future face of senior living in the next five years and no one can stop it.

Most of us are completely unaware of advances in technology even though we actively engage in its daily use. Take the automobile for instance; it now embodies 14 of the technologies that I will discuss in this book. For most of us a car is a tool to get us to where we want to go, and provides us with the ability to earn an income, get food and medicine, visit loved ones and have the freedom to explore. However, the car has become so much more than just a transportation tool. Depending on the model and make you buy, a car is now complete with WiFi, sensors, computer systems, memory devices; it is integrated with your personal technology devices like your smart phone; and it has GPS and medical testing (for alcohol). It can entertain, self-park, stop you from rear-ending someone, control your speed, help you navigate, keep your bottom warm or cool, sense if you’re falling asleep, and do numerous other things. But with all this technology, it still cannot keep you from getting in a fight with your wife over directions or how you drive.

While we may think the Google car is a far-out idea, in reality it’s really very, very close to hitting the masses. Now that self driving cars are legal in both Las Vegas and California, the genie has been let out of the bottle and will be very difficult to put back. The arguments of safety, freedom and reduced burden on our infrastructure are well documented; now it’s a matter of social acceptance and reduction in cost.

Looking back, air travel had the same issues. It was not until the 1950s that air travel was commonplace. In 1937, over a million people took flights, even though travel by train was still the most popular form of travel. After WWII, military planes were used for commercial travel and we have never looked back due to being able to go farther, faster and in more comfort than traveling by train or car. What’s missing? And why would Americans even consider riding in a self-driving car? Air and train travel limit your freedom. Traveling by air is now fraught with travel delays and feeling like a convict in a police lineup every time you have to go through airport security. Unfortunately, trains have not kept up in speed or comfort in the U.S. It actually makes perfect sense that Americans would accept self-driving cars for the benefits of freedom, safety (as we have seen with texting) and the ability to relax, work or play, all while getting to your destination.

In practical terms, consumers (your potential senior-living residents) will adopt technology before you (senior-living providers), because studies show that 90 percent of seniors have no desire to enter into senior living and technology exists today (even at Lowe’s Home Improvement Store) to allow them to stay at home longer.

Technologies that will make this possible (some of which are available now) are medical self-testing and monitoring, 3-D printing of dentures and hearing aids, mobility devices, and communication and safety tools that allow seniors to stay connected with loved ones to ensure they are managing well. Neuroplasticity and brain games, data mining and artificial intelligence will help get the correct diagnosis and treatment faster, which will increase positive outcomes. If you’re unsure if Mom has developed dementia or has a urinary tract infection, you can now buy a UTI test kit for $12.99 at the local drug store without a prescription instead of taking a day off work and paying a $25 co-pay, waiting a day for results and then having to do a follow-up exam. If she does have a UTI, then the medicine is $5.99 and you can ensure that it’s OK to take with her other meds by talking to the pharmacist. You’re able to save time, money and frustration!

Now imagine this with sensor technology that lets you know Mom is taking her medications correctly and has eaten today. Skyping with her on the tablet lets you connect to her more than if she were in assisted living, and seeing her face and her seeing yours and the grandkids is priceless. Mom may even get her hair done and put on makeup because she knows you will see her. Not only can she stay in her home, but she can stay connected. One of the greatest fears of going into senior living is losing the connection with family and friends. It’s an effort to visit, and more difficult to communicate just on the phone than it is seeing each other through Skype or Facetime. The costs of a security and sensor package, along with the tablet, WiFi, bidet toilet seat, wearable technology (pendant or watch), and a weekly housekeeper is minimal compared to senior living. If 90 percent of your potential residents don’t want to move and now they can get similar services for much less than you provide, which do you think they will choose?

We have seen this all before with disruptive technologies. Where I grew up, in Canton, Ohio, they had a record store chain called Camelot Music – you may remember it. When digital music came out, it killed the need to go out and buy a cassette tape or album. People thought that everyone would want to hold the music and have that pride of ownership, but in reality the joy of the music itself and being able to get it faster, carry your entire collection in the palm of your hand, share it and buy only what you wanted trumped the “pride of ownership.” Let’s develop this idea further. Now with the Internet everyone’s an author, musician, artist or celebrity. The rules of who can be what and where and how services are provided have been stripped away, and all that will be left is what works best for those who are paying. The key is who can bridge the gap and provide solutions that offer value to seniors through technology that will be better than what they can find on their own. Are you up for the challenge? If you are, then you will be ahead of the pack! So let’s get started…