The Truth About AI in Senior Living

By Taranjeet Singh

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has invited positive transformations in various industries.

Now, this technology has been used to focus on senior living communities, aiming to enhance resident care and address challenges such as staffing shortages.

As per reports, AI in the aging and elderly care market was valued at approximately $39.3 billion in 2023. The same report states that it will reach $180.8 billion by 2031 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.2%. However, this integration also brings forth ethical considerations and potential risks that must be thoughtfully managed.

Opportunities Presented by AI in Senior Living

AI offers numerous opportunities to improve the quality of life for seniors and the efficiency of care delivery.​

1. Better Resident Care

AI-powered monitoring systems can analyze resident activity patterns and environmental factors to promote healthy aging. For instance, AI can predict and prevent falls by monitoring movement and detecting anomalies.

There are studies that highlight how AI has the potential to prevent urinary tract infections in older adults with dementia. ​AI applications like PainChek utilize facial recognition technology to assess pain levels in non-verbal residents. This leads to timely and appropriate pain management.

2. Low Workload

AI can automate administrative tasks such as scheduling, billing, and data entry. This leads to a reduction in staff workload and in errors. This automation allows caregivers to dedicate more time to direct patient care. For example, AI-driven tools can quickly generate reports, analyze resident data, and build documentation.

AI is emerging as a cost-saving technique in senior living with the help of ChatGPT. For instance, a 100-person senior living organization could save approximately $10,000 monthly if 10% of employees save one hour daily using AI tools.

3. Addressing Staffing Challenges

It is true that the senior living industry always remains in staffing shortages. Due to this, the quality of life for the elderly is hampered.

AI technologies can assist in recruitment by identifying candidates with the right attributes and predicting their potential success in caregiving roles. Charley Sankovich, Vice President of Information Technology at Mather, states that "AI is creating several significant opportunities for senior living, aimed at improving the quality of life, enhancing care, and optimizing operational efficiency."

4. Enhancing Resident Engagement

AI-driven engagement tools can create personalized experiences for residents. They can adjust to their needs, interests, and wellness goals. 

As Lifeloop Chief Technology Officer Dylan Conley said, “We need to move from a standard of the 3Bs: bingo, Bible, birthdays, to a highly-personalized experience where the unique needs and interests of hundreds of residents are reflected in their community life.”

For example, the use of AI solutions like SafelyYou has been linked to increased resident retention. A study involving 3,800 residents across 80 senior living communities found that residents using SafelyYou over 62% will remain in their communities after one year.

What Are the Roadblocks?

While there are benefits to using AI, it also has several risks and ethical challenges, which are the following:​

1. Data Privacy and Security

AI can only work when it is trained on a large amount of data. In this data, there is a mix of sensitive information, which makes data privacy and security the number one priority.

2. Reliability and Accuracy

AI systems should be error-free, as one mistake can lead to havoc in the healthcare ecosystem.

Charley Sankovich, Vice President of Information Technology at Mather, states that, "Don’t get overly dependent on AI. I’m concerned that people may stop thinking critically about issues that they turn over to AI."

3. Impact on Human Interaction

Excessive reliance on AI could reduce human interactions, which are vital for the emotional well-being of residents. 

Henry Collingham, an innovation fellow at Northumbria University, raises concerns about technology potentially replacing human care. He says that there's no substitute for personal interaction, especially with residents who have dementia. ​

4. Bias and Fairness

AI systems will answer in the way in which they are trained. In case they are filled with biased data, they will reply in that format. Hence, it becomes immensely important to regularly assess AI tools for biases and ensure they promote fairness in care delivery.

Samia Amamoo, Vice President of Risk Management at Mather, states that "AI is a tool where the data (assuming a public AI tool like Chat GPT), and that person’s biases and opinions are baked into that data. We have to watch for bias and fairness. There have been examples of unintended biases in hiring and in health care, as an example. In fact, there are companies now that can help you assess your AI data for bias, for a reasonable fee."