Electronics giant, Panasonic, is providing tablets to senior living communities across North America to support senior health and encourage resident social interaction with friends and family.
Learn more about the tablet’s impact on senior care and communication in assisted living communities.
Panasonic Tablets Aid Seniors in Assisted Living
Senior Housing News announced how Panasonic is launching a “telehealth” service with tablets that will be used as a portal for healthcare service in assisted living communities.
Senior living residents can reportedly use Panasonic tablets and the portal service — which will run on Wi-Fi connectivity — to:
1. Manage daily activities with calendar appointments and reminders.
2. View photos and videos.
3. Participate in video chats and use messaging capabilities to connect with friends and family.
The article states that both family and senior living staff will have access to the health portal, “so that they may be able to schedule activities for various individuals or set up community programming around them,” inspiring more interaction.
Bob Dobbins, vice president of New Business Development at Panasonic, says this of the tablet and service:
“The goal is that by providing a high level of social engagement, [senior living providers] can keep residents more effectively engaged in their communities and support overall well-being.”
The Future of Telehealth and Senior Living
Panasonic’s tablet and telehealth launch is said by Dobbins to be “a step forward in paving the way for cost-effective care in place practices,” which could change the future of assisted living.
These telehealth services were recently used and shown to be successful in Panasonic’s collaboration with Jewish Home Lifecare in New York. The senior living service used the telehealth program to “transform patients’ TVs into interactive, remote healthcare management portals that monitored, queried and communicated with patients,” and it had significant results.
According to the article, the telehealth program produced “increased levels of medication management and reductions in hospital visits,” in the 37 residents enrolled in the program, including:
- 97% reported higher confidence in their medication management
- 40% reduction in emergency room visits and hospital readmissions
Dobbins adds that Panasonic believes “you need to integrate with other technologies and information tech systems, whether it’s in an assisted living or a skilled nursing environment” to be successful.
Finding Innovative Assisted Living
AssistedLiving.com has more than 200 Senior Living Advisors in North America who have knowledge of assisted living in their area, and can send you a list of innovative communities that use technology and will meet your family’s needs.
Contact us to get started, and make sure to let your Advisor know that you’re looking for innovative assisted living.
