Innovation and technology seem like the “it couple” of the day, highly dependent on one another. However, by definition, innovation is simply the idea of doing something new. We grossly limit ourselves and our organizations when we use the word innovation from a strict technology perspective. However, if we focus on positive disruptive change and get ourselves out of what’s comfortable, we will reap the benefits of long-term innovation.
Innovation is evident when we implement new processes and strategies in everyday business practices. Innovation can also be rooted in science and research. What have we learned from studies that keep us abreast of the most current and effective ways to achieve successful outcomes?
At its core, life enrichment is a basic human need and desire of our genetic makeup. We were created to be social, move, and use our extraordinary minds. Regardless of age, focusing on fulfilling these basic needs will lead to a better quality of life.
First, we must pause and examine the offerings to ensure we innovate for the resident experience and enrichment approach. Then look at innovative techniques, technology platforms, and partners who enable us to gather data, be more efficient, less manual, and reduce the administrative tasks dependent on human resources.
Top 3 Senior Living Programming Must-Haves
Physical Health – Movement that promotes strength, balance, fall reduction, independence, and prolonged mobility are non-negotiable. Without the necessary intervention of movement, our bodies weaken, and our endurance to achieve basic life activities vanishes. We cannot force people to move, but we must look at the number of opportunities and programs in our communities we offer that instill this basic concept and philosophy. The environment must also be designed in a way that allows people to do so safely and confidently and also meet a variety of individual needs and preferences.
Cognitive Health – Curiosity, novelty, lifelong pursuits, aspirations, goals, sharing of talents, diving into creativity that expands the mind and removes the mundane nature where each day looks similar and repetitive. We create processes for efficiency and scheduling, giving little thought to how that can rob people of novelty and self-directed activities.
Deep Social Connections – The heartbeat and only actual difference between aging in a senior living community or aging in place boils down to who you surround yourself with. We are discovering deep, intimate, meaningful connections with few better than surface-level acquaintances. One person overseeing senior living programming for numerous residents can only learn, store, recall, and make quick decisions about activities and programs without a repository of personalized data and preferences.
At TSOLife, we recognize the importance of these three fundamental aspects of senior living, and our technology continues to evolve with these goals in mind. When residents lack access to physical health, cognitive health, and deep social connections, their overall quality of life decreases. This leads to a less engaged community, higher staff and resident turnover, and shorter stays for new residents.
Innovating Your Life Enrichment Story
Effective Use of Dollars
The question should be different from how communities are appropriating funds, training, and resources not just to grow the footprint and visibility of Life Enrichment, but how do we know the interventions and overall strategy are both effective and successful.
While four walls surround community living, and most of all, interactions, activities, offerings, and life experiences are stationary, we must look at vendors and solutions that promote involvement beyond the walls. Only some people can venture out, which will always remain the same. Instead, we need to innovate how the surrounding and active world around us is brought into the community. Not on a monthly or weekly calendar offering, but rather daily as residents are motivated and interested in exploring beyond the community to remain relevant members of the external community and society.
Outsourcing Programs
Hired and appointed staff members possess natural and learned traits. Yet, we know one or even a few people need help to span the breadth and knowledge required to ensure 100+ individuals meet their specific desires and interests. Hence, we keep adding more activities to the calendar of offerings, yet we are still waiting for an uptick in participation. Group programs are only for some. Because we have staff skill sets that end up directing programming, we must possess enough self-awareness to recognize our deficits, outsourcing programs accordingly to ensure a well-rounded experience.
The Beauty of Data & Insights
Data does not have to be overwhelming or intimidating to the end user. Data is not to call out flaws. Data is meant to show us how to do things more efficiently and effectively. Data is our friend. It provides information that otherwise would take hours and days to compile to make informed decisions. Data is a shortcut. It shows us trends, exceptions, and historical patterns. Data is factual and doesn’t get stuck considering emotion or feelings. It is black and white. Yes or no. Cause and effect. If this did or did not happen, then this or that is probable and most likely to occur.
What does the use of data look like in your everyday?
We can sit and talk about Mr. Jones. How we think he is isolated or lonely. He is not engaging with his peers. He is not eating meals with friends. One staff member may have a different idea. We assume we know what Mr. Jones may be thinking or feeling. Still, when we capture data about Mr. Jones’s quality of life or leisure score, we can remove such notions and view his interests based on his or his family’s words and input. Data provides quick wins and reduces the amount of discussion that can be frustrating and cause disagreement in how to intervene best and support.
TSOLife Brings Innovation to Life Enrichment and Marketing Efforts
Capturing the Story of Your Senior Living Residents
Resident discovery is a dynamic, continuous, and ever-evolving process. People are not static, and we know there is more to an individual’s story than a drop-down list of standard, often stereotypical, lists of interests that are currently offered.
Partnering with a company that captures the resident story using their voice is powerful. More than that, this story via interview is automatically used to build their profile. There is little chance of error for the life enrichment team by relying on memory or handwritten notes to input into a system.
Making Business Decisions Based on Resident Insights
Traditionally, we rely on human capital to interpret and decide the next step. The decision-making process includes sorting through lists and determining what is missing in programming that would incite and motivate someone to participate. Once identified, we add a new calendar offering hoping they will recognize the change and show up. In theory, this is a good practice; however, it could be more efficient.
Data and insights are most successful when shared with and recommended to staff, not contained in a spreadsheet for teams to find after identifying a concern. The Artificial Intelligence ingrained in TSOLife equips teams to be proactive instead of reactionary, immediately notifying them of problems, adjustments in quality of life scores, and a decline in leisure pursuits. This data and suggestive opportunities are front and center in real-time.
Understanding Your Community Makeup
As we know, community makeup is a demographic layer that helps communities determine if a new resident will fit in and thrive as part of the current community makeup. TSOLife provides your team with a goldmine of data through the simple process of getting a resident’s story via voice-recorded interviews. Our Business intelligence compiles the data and insights that community management, Sales, and Marketing teams can confidently rely on to know who resides in the community.
At a simple dashboard view, in seconds, a team member can ascertain on any given day the community makeup, including gender, age, past profession and occupation, interests, leisure pursuits, etc.
Selling a community based on accurate information, whether services or other residents, is an ethical commitment we owe to current customers and future consumers. TSOLife is the platform that enables teams to fulfill this moral obligation.
Likewise, such information is the catalyst that creates a framework and process to ensure innovation. The idea of doing something new. How are engagement and marketing decisions made in your community and organization? Do you trust the data and insights pulled from your current reports? Remember, best-laid plans and execution depend upon knowing who resides in your community.
