For the longest time, owners/administrators of Senior Living Communities only had to worry about providing care, comfort, simple living arrangements and basic activities for their residents. With advances in modern technology, however, things are vastly changing. More residents come into these communities accustomed to living with technology. Grandkids are teaching the grandparents how to video chat, cell phones are used to communicate, computers are used to play the once simple board games, and TVs are now smart TVs. As baby boomers increasingly fill these communities, technology has become an expectation as opposed to an option, and, in return, increases satisfaction among the residents.
The issue is that in an era where technology is constantly advancing, senior living communities aren’t advancing with them. In an industry that continuously sees financial cuts, have high turnover, and cash flow is tight, the decision to invest in technology seems unrealistic and unaffordable. But, is it?
If technology can increase your Five-Star Quality Rating System wouldn’t it make sense to invest your money into the thing that keeps your community full, funded, and satisfaction high? If having the right technology can increase employee retention, appeal to the younger generation looking for jobs, and ultimately make your staff more efficient, wouldn’t that justify the expense? For 
private pay communities, your Five-Star Quality Rating System matters just as much as what makes your community better than the other community in the area. Even HUD funded communities can use technology to help not only with Five-Star Quality Rating System, but also with increasing your funding with the technology upgrades aside from renovations.
So now the real question needing answered is how and what technologies outside of your CRM/EMR/EHR systems are going to improve your community. Of those technologies which make the most sense for your community, and how to start planning a road map to get your community up to date in a cost-effective manner.
