While corporate real estate providers have implemented smart building strategies to reduce costs and achieve smart savings, a new industry is starting to explore how implementing such systems could benefit occupant, senior living communities. Senior living communities have a unique advantage in utilizing smart building strategies. With many communities using outdated systems, the ability to retrofit older buildings with new technology makes implementation much more accessible than many realize. Furthermore, the savings from implementation can directly benefit residents and employees, and you need to understand how this will forcibly grow the use of smart building solutions among senior care communities in the future.
Smart Buildings May Reduce Length of Admission for Seniors
Seniors may require treatment in residential care communities following major medical events, like a stroke or heart attack. Smart building technology can also track activities of daily living and improve recovery rates. Consequently, short-term admission may be reduced, allowing a facility to increase profitability.
Senior Living Communities May Become Extensions of Home-Health Services
Many think of nursing homes as traditional senior living communities, but smart building strategies can revolutionize how seniors receive care. In fact, smart building solutions may be leveraged to bring residential care services to seniors living in their own homes. In essence, senior living communities start to blend with home-health services to provide continuity of care and better treatment outcomes through cloud-based systems, which energy management systems utilize as well.
Fewer Complaints Mean Fewer Discharges
Senior living communities also improve the resident’s experiences. By reducing, if not eliminating, adverse resident experiences, senior living communities can maintain better census rates and reduce the number of transfers to other communities.
It Keeps Monthly Costs to Residents Down
Lower overhead costs among senior care communities naturally lead to lower monthly fees or divert price increases for seniors. This is comparable to lower costs among tenants leasing spaces from corporate real estate providers. Furthermore, smart technologies can be leveraged to eliminate the hassle of processing payments and automate billing processes concurrently while still driving energy-efficiency standards up.
Less Risk Reduces Rate of Transfer to Hospitals or Other Emergency Care Communities
Seniors have an unparalleled fall risk, meaning they are more likely to fall than other people, and this risk increases in unsafe conditions and when left alone. Ideally, seniors in care communities would never be left alone, but this is impractical. However, smart building solutions and healthcare automation can connect assistance to buttons, otherwise known as “call lights,” to security and safety systems. Therefore, fall risk is mitigated.
Less Overhead May Lead to More Capital for increasing Staff Members, Reducing Risk and Decreasing Costs
Decreased overhead costs also free capital for hiring more staff members, which further reduces risk in senior living communities. Additionally, a company can reinvest capital savings through continuing education among employees and ensuring long-term stability within the facility’s workforce.
Energy Efficiency Is Crucial to the Future Senior Living Communities
As seen in the Deloitte Energy Resources Study and reaffirmed by Forbes magazine, more of today’s seniors are actively looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, use energy resources efficiently and take advantage of green living accommodations. So, senior living communities must meet this demand by implementing smart building solutions, saving money across the budget along the way.
Learn more about how your organization can stay competitive with other senior living communities by contacting ENTOUCH today.