By Leigh Ann Hubbard

Gerontech. Have you heard of it? It’s a thing now.

You’ve definitely seen gerontech products. We write about them; you get ads about them. There are awards and conferences about them. These days, it’s a tech extravaganza! It can be hard to keep up with what all is out there.

But the folks at Dele Health Tech (a Foresight partner) keep up. It’s their job. Their fall prevention and technology system uses what’s called data fusion, meaning it works with all sorts of other tech and merges the data seamlessly, to make predictions.

The team needs to be able to predict what technology will do next, so they can stay ahead of the curve.

What is coming up next in gerontech (which, by the way, is basically any technology product associated with aging)? We asked. Dele Health Tech delivered.

Top 4 Gerontech Trends to Look for in 2022

1. Integrated technologies will win the market.

Tech has a learning curve. That’s one thing that stops communities from buying new systems and gadgets. They’re wary of the time and trouble it will take to learn it.

But there’s a workaround. If new tech integrates with the systems communities are already using, that learning curve flattens.

Carine Zeier, CEO of Dele Health Tech, predicts, “Technology providers whose systems and devices have a well-coordinated use of digital devices and cloud computing will win big!”

2. There will be an increased focus on individualized care and concierge-style services.

Offering residents customized, engaging technology will be considered the new norm. “Residents and families are requiring more personalized approaches to care and engagement,” says Delaine Blazek, Dele Health Tech’s CCO. “High-attention caregiving and hospitality-styled environments will continue to be in demand. Smart technologies will offer differentiation.” Such technologies will include:

    • Online community-information platforms
    • Concierge-style engagement products
    • Nonintrusive safety protections

“Other technologies to support leisure activities, social connections, and cognitive stimulation will also support active lifestyles, for independent older adults,” Delaine says.

3. Increased occupancy will be directly tied to regaining consumer trust.

“With fierce competition and post-pandemic fears still looming, communities are still working to regain the trust of older adults and their families,” Delaine points out. But occupancy will rebound relatively quickly for communities that establish themselves as trailblazers in resident safety and public education. On the other hand, communities that don’t quickly adopt new technologies—despite consumer demand—will struggle more. 

4. Tech will play a vital role in the evolution of education and training.

“As operators work toward cultivating and retaining a quality workforce and rebuilding their reputation among consumers, we will see growth in education and training offerings within senior living,” says Dele Health Tech’s Vice President of Gerontology Dr. Lydia Manning., Ph.D.

Having more highly trained, expert staff members not only improves care and safety, but it demonstrates that care and safety are of utmost importance. “Specialized training and certifications will be tailored to meet the expectations of prospective residents and bridge gaps in care operations,” Lydia says. “Technology will play a vital role in the evolution of these opportunities and in their delivery and execution.”

To keep up with everything Dele Health Tech is doing—and predicting—you can follow them on LinkedIn. Or contact them here to learn more about their own gerontech, designed to not only detect falls but to prevent them in the first place.