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I also hope you check out the updates to a CAST technology tool, learn about a pilot to increase connectivity in affordable housing, take a survey on interoperability if you are with a skilled nursing facility, consider the importance of robust infrastructure to support connectivity, and much more. Read on!

Register Today for 11 Tech Sessions at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting + EXPO

To learn about the latest technology solutions and strategies, register now for the LeadingAge Annual Meeting + EXPO, to be held Oct. 16-19, 2022, in Denver. The Aging Services Technologies track includes 11 invaluable sessions.

Explore technologies that support life enrichment programming and engagement, rehabilitation and therapy, and staffing solutions. Discover the latest in voice interactive technology, robotic applications, and technology in affordable housing. Find best practices to develop effective business and IT strategies and partner with your technology company.

For more information, see the Aging Services Technologies Track highlights in this month’s Tech Time, plus the full schedule of events and education program.

CAST Updates Shared Care Planning and Coordination Online Tool

LeadingAge CAST has updated its Shared Care Planning and Coordination Online Tool, which will help you learn about these technologies and choose the best solution for your organization. The latest version includes updated product information for 10 products in the online selection tool and product matrix.

The tool now includes one new vendor. Evoke Health provides a self-serve approach to communication for long-term care. Clients can share resident information with families in real‑time through secure electronic health records (EHR) integration.

Pilot Program to Increase Connectivity in Affordable Housing

As LeadingAge and CAST work to increase internet access in affordable housing, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created the “Your Home, Your Internet” pilot program. The pilot will raise awareness of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides up to $30 off monthly internet service to qualifying households, including households receiving rental assistance, making their internet service effectively free, and a one-time $100 discount toward a connected device.

The pilot will test the best methods for helping HUD-assisted residents learn about and enroll in the program. Learn more at “FCC Creates ‘Your Home, Your Internet’ Pilot Program for Households Receiving Federal Housing Assistance.”

Skilled Nursing Facilities: Please Participate in Interoperability Survey

If you are a skilled nursing facility, please take a survey to assess your organization’s capabilities related to interoperability. IQVIA is conducting this survey on behalf of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Interoperability may improve transitioning care between acute-care and post-acute care facilities. Your responses will help develop future federal policies.

You do not have to have an EHR to take the survey. Please allow 10 minutes to share how your organization:

• Uses (or doesn’t use) electronic health records.
• Exchanges clinical information electronically with hospice and other organizations.

IQVIA is only looking to speak to one respondent from each facility. Please either

• Call 917-542-5651 directly between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to speak to an IQVIA team member or to leave a message OR
• Register online, and one of IQVIA’s team members will contact you directly at a time that is convenient for you. You will see 917-542-5651 on your caller ID.

The Importance of Robust Infrastructure

Be sure to check out my recommendations in “Robust Infrastructure Essential for Tech Success” in this month’s Tech Time. The article includes highlights from a HealthTech article, where I shared the importance of robust connectivity and network infrastructure. Both support an organization’s market competitiveness by enabling residents to use a wide array of devices, which leads to reduced social isolation.

I also shared the importance of a fiber backbone to meet bandwidth demands, which are increasing by 50 percent year over year, and mentioned federal grant funding for broadband infrastructure.

More Tech Time Learnings

Find more important learnings in this month’s Tech Time articles. Be sure to check out “Audio-Only Telehealth Can Lead to Disparities” to learn about equitable telehealth solutions and how LeadingAge resources and advocacy can help. “Virtual Reality Aids Dementia Care” shows how this groundbreaking training gives caregivers empathy for patients’ experiences.

In “How Robots Are Aiding Senior Living,” discover robotic solutions that ease workforce shortages and identify residents’ health risks early. “Prizes Offered for New Alexa Skills” presents an Amazon contest for developers to create Alexa skills for older adults. “Member News” shares your colleagues’ accomplishments.

Contact Me

As always, if you can help, have any suggestions, or if I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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As you may remember, LeadingAge and the LTPAC Health IT Collaborative hosted the Summit, held online June 7-8, 2022, which focused squarely on the Role of Technology in Connecting and Strengthening the Workforce. Last month, I shared with you media coverage and highlights, including a summary of the Technology Keynote.

Let’s review highlights of the three other Summit keynotes.

“Fixing the Workforce Issues Faced by Healthcare and Services Eco-System”

Steven Landers, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of VNA Health Group, spoke of the immense human toll that COVID-19 has taken on healthcare workers. He also focused on the shortages of Registered Nurses, geriatricians, and other doctors, as well as the falling caregiver ratio that will limit families’ ability to care for older relatives.

To build capacity, he suggested expanding educational enrollment, especially in nursing programs; enacting immigration reforms that enable more people to work in nursing; and pursuing innovations such as virtual care.

“Empowering Clinicians with Health IT: ONC’s Education Programs”

Thomas Keane, MD, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), presented the policies, grants, and workforce development programs that advance electronic health records (EHRs).

He also discussed several vehicles that can help improve health IT education: Extending the IMPACT Act to provide incentives to improve interoperability, extending Health Care Control Networks to the LTPAC community, tapping Public Health IT Workforce Grants, reconstituting Regional Extension Centers, extending the meaningful use program to promote interoperability, and tapping Quality Improvement Organizations.

“CMMI’s Strategic Direction: New Models and the Role for Technology-Empowered Workforce”

Brad Diephuis, M.D., MBA, senior advisor at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), presented CMMI’s five strategic pillars, following a strategic refresh. They include driving accountable care, advancing health equity, supporting innovation and tech development, addressing affordability from a beneficiary’s perspective, and partnering to achieve system transformation.

I left the summit feeling inspired and hopeful. If you have missed the Summit, you may still see the program and purchase on-demand access to content.

How LeadingAge and CAST Are Addressing Workforce Solutions

The Summit itself is meant as only one first step to identify both short-term technology-based solutions that providers are using today to address workforce issues, as well as longer-term strategies to mitigate the workforce issues. Such strategies include ones that would leverage technology, technology-enabled care models, and technology-empowered workforce, similar to those identified by the Summit keynote speakers and summarized above.

1)    Workforce Policy Priorities

I can tell you I was thrilled to see the alignment between the strategies proposed by the Summit keynote speakers and panelists and the LeadingAge 2022 Workforce Policy Priorities, especially the following:

Address the pandemic’s human toll.

• Establish programs and initiatives that address COVID-19 frontline staff fatigue and mental health challenges​​​​​.
• Ensure aging services organizations have urgently needed COVID-19 protections for care workers across the continuum.

Build workforce capacity through better pay, immigration opportunities, and training.

• Ensure that aging services providers can hire and retain a sufficient number of high-performing staff at all levels.
• Provide additional pandemic “premium pay” for essential workers, which includes direct care workers who play a critical role in aging services.
• Increase pay for direct care workers to earn at least a living wage (a wage that matches state/local living expenses and conditions). Professionalize the workforce with competency-based training requirements, increased training requirements, and offer career pathways to advancement opportunities.
• Enable older adult services organizations to hire foreign-born workers through a range of programs, including some focused on older adults and LTSS workers.
• Increase grant funding for training and hiring aging services workers at all levels.
• Expand funding to train geriatric nurses and physicians.

In fact, just last week, LeadingAge launched its Aging Services Workforce Now Campaign to advocate for the need for urgent comprehensive solutions to the unprecedented workforce challenges facing our sector. We need your participation, voice, and support to help solve these problems, which we know may take time, but nevertheless need action now!

In the meantime, LeadingAge CAST is actively addressing the challenges that keynote speakers outlined, through educational opportunities, advocacy initiatives, and resources.

2)      Thursday, July 21 Webinar on Telehealth in Different Care Settings

An immediate solution is a webinar on Thursday, July 21, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET called “Telehealth in Practice: Driving Efficiencies & Improving Outcomes.” This LeadingAge Learning Hub webinar focuses on the application of telehealth in different care settings.

3)     Technology and Telehealth Policy Priorities

LeadingAge 2022 Technology and Telehealth Policy Priorities for advancing technology and telehealth include the following:

Continue pandemic flexibilities.

• Advocate for permanent changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payer telehealth policy based on lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic.

Address payment.

• Create an equitable payment policy for the post-pandemic era that balances providers’ costs with patient protections.
• Reimbursement for home health telehealth visits.
• Advocate for allowing home health nurses to bill for services.

Build workforce capacity for technology and telehealth.

• Establish health IT education and training for staff in LTPAC providers, similar to the Regional Extension Centers (RECs) that supported small physician practices.
• Fund technical assistance resource centers to provide technical assistance for LTPAC providers, similar to the RECs that supported small physician practices.

Promote Meaningful Use.

• Advocate for funding and payment incentives, including incentives tied to quality, to assist aging services providers in accessing EHR technology that is interoperable with that of their physician and hospital partners and peers, and encourage the bi-directional exchange of information.

 Allow all nursing homes to use telehealth models to improve care.

4)      LeadingAge CAST Resources

LeadingAge CAST also provides nine Technology Selection Tools, which help aging services organizations learn about various kinds of technology and choose the best solutions for their unique needs. Each tool includes a white paper, selection matrix, online selection tool, and provider case studies.

I’d like to call three to your attention, as relevant to this discussion. The Telehealth and RPM Selection Tool and EHR Selection Tool can help you evaluate these technologies. In addition, the latest version of the Functional Assessment and Activity Monitoring Technology Selection Tool has just been released, with updated information for 15 products. It also adds one new vendor, Point Motion, which leverages the power of music and movement to engage and monitor populations with neurological conditions.

Contact Me

I hope you find these Summit learnings helpful and that you will be able to join future LeadingAge CAST events. If you missed the Summit, you can still register and watch the sessions recordings on-demand, with the exception of the ONC keynote by Dr. Thomas Keane. I also hope that you join the Aging Services Workforce Now Campaign and take action.

As always, if you have news to share with CAST or if I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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That’s why I chose technology, including automation and robots, as workforce aids as the key theme at the Collaborative Care Tech Summit 2022, which LeadingAge CAST held online June 7-8, 2022. This year, the premier conference on technology for leaders in long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) and their partners focused on “connecting and strengthening the workforce” through technology.

I’d like to thank McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Long-Term Care for covering the summit and to share some of their takeaways.

Tech for Workers and Older Adults

Technology is important to workers, and good technology solutions can create an organization where employees want to come to work, according to Amazon Senior Business Development Manager for Senior Living Ginna Baik. “‘Good technology fulfills needs and wants,’ senior living tech expert says” quoted her comments, including that staff members “want more money and to do less work, and they want the whole experience automated.” Baik presented a keynote, The Future of Aging Services: Workforce, Relations, and Technology.

Broadband access is important in providing technology to older adults, said Baik. Broadband access is a LeadingAge CAST Technology and Telehealth Policy Priority. LeadingAge CAST has also produced Broadband in Affordable Housing resources.

Baik also shared that robots are the future of senior living, and that voice technology is one of the biggest trends in long-term care because it “equalizes tech fluency in communities to get immediate adoption where connection can happen.”

Technology that Saves Staff Time

In “Provider staff time ‘dramatically reduced’ by taking resident vitals with key tech,” McKnight’s Long-Term Care featured Christian Living Communities. This organization halved the time that caregivers spent measuring vital signs after integrating new machinery into its electronic health records system through LeadingAge Gold Partner with CAST Focus PointClickCare, which permits medical device integration. New vital sign machines and scales automatically upload correct patient information, said the article.

Jayne Keller, chief operating officer of Christian Living Communities, is quoted as saying the savings are in “reducing the burden on our team members’ documentation and all of the time [spent] to do some of these mechanical things when really what they want to do is care for people.” Keller spoke on the panel Efficiencies Gained from Using Health IT Correctly!

The Role of Robots and Automation

When it comes to introducing robots, think strategically about the strengths of robots and of staff members, suggested panelists for The Case for Physical Robotic Applications: LTPAC Use Cases & ROI.

“Think about the tasks you spend time on that are not adding value and how to wipe those out,” said Justin Smith, innovation and technology manager of Direct Supply, a LeadingAge Bronze Partner with CAST Focus. Smith was quoted in “Robotics, automation can help solve staffing, efficiency challenges: panelists” in McKnight’s Senior Living.

Army Distaff Foundation Vice President of Development and Strategic Operations James Michels, whose company owns and operates life plan community LeadingAge Provider Member Knollwood, noted the importance of involving caregivers and residents in developing social assistive robotic devices. Michels also discussed how exoskeleton rehabilitative therapy, or a “bionic suit,” helped a resident regain mobility and happiness after a stroke.

The panel featured CAST Patron Cypress Living, which employed Servi robots as food runners in its dining rooms to enable employees to spend more time with residents. The article quoted Vice President of Innovation Joe Velderman, a CAST Commissioner, saying the robots reduced the tasks of front house culinary services employees by 330 hours per week. The community reinvested the savings into increased wages.

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News also covered the panel discussion Driving Efficiencies and Savings through Data Analytics & Soft Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in Healthcare.

A custom app, integrated with human resources software, automated approval processes, changes, employment terminations, schedule changes, and other tasks previously performed on paper, and it streamlined hiring, according to Travis Gleinig, chief information officer of United Methodist Communities, a LeadingAge Provider Member.

CAST Patron HumanGood Vice President of Information Technology Services / Advanced Data Analytics Tim Jones pointed to the importance of data in increasing efficiency. “We’re focused on a digital transformation — smart operations using data analytics.” Jones was also quoted as saying that RPA can take on tedious tasks and let employees focus on residents and relationship-building rather than on spreadsheets and number-crunching.

Contact Me

I hope you find these summit learnings helpful and that you will be able to join future LeadingAge CAST events. If you missed the summit, you can still register and watch the sessions recordings on-demand, with the exception of the ONC’s Keynote by Dr. Thomas Keane. As always, if you have news to share with CAST or if I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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Today, we know that the digital divide is one of the most important inequity gaps to address, because our society is growing more reliant on digital technology and the internet for receiving everything from information to entertainment to healthcare, education, and essential supportive services, as the pandemic has clearly demonstrated to us.

At LeadingAge CAST, we encourage all members to join the movement to bring broadband internet access to all older adults. We believe that older adults have a right to accessible, affordable, and adequate broadband internet services, and that our members can be part of the solution.

How LeadingAge Members Tapped Tech to Meet Pandemic Challenges

Early in the pandemic, we all have witnessed the devastating impact the pandemic and all the restrictions on visitation and social distancing have had on the health and quality of life of older adults, who were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 virus. Older adults have had to isolate themselves and stay at home, wherever home may be. They have had to limit social interactions, even  necessary visits with their caregivers and healthcare providers.

If there was a silver lining to this terrible pandemic, it was how quickly LeadingAge members recognized the value of technology, in general, and broadband connectivity in particular. I’m proud to say that our members creatively found innovative ways to deliver services virtually to older adults in a variety of care settings, including affordable housing. I have heard from many providers who used internet-enabled devices to engage residents in activities and socializing and to facilitate access to telehealth and virtual visits with healthcare professionals.

Over the last few months, we reported on bright examples of affordable housing providers springing into action to connect with older residents, and deliver services where possible. They deployed iPads, personal computers, and low-cost tablets, Chromebooks, and Voice Controlled Devices (VcDs) connected to the internet, in some cases using shared Wi-Fi and even cellular hotspots where needed!

Lack of Connectivity Deepens Inequities

Nevertheless, the pandemic starkly exposed the consequences of digital inequity of older adults, especially among underserved populations, and highlighted barriers to vaccine registration, digital social connectedness, and technology-enabled healthcare services. LeadingAge affordable housing providers witnessed firsthand the decline of health and well-being among the residents of their communities due to the lack of technology devices and broadband.

Indeed, little or no connectivity has deepened health and economic inequities for older adults with low income, who are disproportionately people of color. According to a recent report by AARP’s Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), 22 million American seniors (42%) lack wireline broadband access at home. This situation obviously includes many residents of affordable housing, who are nearly twice as likely to lack high-speed internet connections as the general population. In fact, in a recent national survey of service coordinators in federally assisted housing, just over 20% of respondents said that few or no residents have reliable internet access, and only 8% said residents have reliable internet access.

I firmly believe that this pandemic pushed connectivity further down Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and that it should be available to all regardless of living settings and ability to pay for it. I would even add that it is also imperative that the older adults we serve have a right to accessible, affordable, and adequate broadband internet service that allows them to access healthcare services virtually and to stay in touch with family members via video conferencing.

Why CAST Developed Broadband in Affordable Housing Resource

That is why LeadingAge CAST decided to develop the Broadband in Affordable Housing resources to help our housing members, especially those in affordable housing, to better understand the connectivity options available. These resources help them prepare their building infrastructure and encourage them to bring property-wide affordable broadband connectivity to their residents.

The White Paper we released last month provides an overview of the different connectivity modalities, factors that can impact decisions around choosing a modality and network design, including the building’s location, type, construction materials, etc. It also explains existing programs, as well as partnership opportunities, providers should explore and potentially tap to bring broadband to their community, wire their buildings, and pay for sustainable internet services.

The Interactive Guide allows busy executives and leaders to quickly skim the white paper, while the accompanying Provider Case Studies bring real-life examples from peers who were successful in connecting their residents to the internet affordably. You can learn more about these resources in this CAST Tech Time article.

New Federal Investments Yield Broadband Opportunities

I am particularly excited about the historic investments in broadband connectivity that the recent Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have authorized. The new broadband investment through the Broadband Equity, Access, & Development (BEAD) Program specifically calls out older adults, low-income, and multifamily residential housing communities as beneficiaries. The law directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to consult with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on distributing the funds.

I firmly believe that this investment will create a multitude of unprecedented opportunities for affordable housing providers and other LeadingAge provider members providers to get the funding and help they need to bring affordable and adequate broadband connectivity to their residents.

How You Can Help Bring Broadband to All

To reduce the digital gap and provide more equitable access, services, and support to all residents, regardless of income and ability to pay for broadband service, I encourage you to do the following:

• Check the new LeadingAge CAST resources,
• Attend the two relevant sessions at the LeadingAge Leadership Summit in DC later this month to learn more,
• Help us with our advocacy efforts on these issues, and
• Put these resources into action.

I wholeheartedly believe that doing so will help us attain LeadingAge’s laudable strategic goals. Together, we will eradicate ageism and promote equity and inclusion among the older adults that we serve, especially low-income populations, racial minorities, and other underserved populations.

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CAST Releases Broadband in Affordable White Paper

I am pleased to announce the latest LeadingAge CAST white paper, Broadband in Affordable Housing. One of LeadingAge’s 2021 Technology and Telehealth Policy Priorities is to ensure equitable internet connectivity for all aging services providers and older adults, including in affordable housing where Wi-Fi access should be federally funded.

The white paper advances this goal by helping organizations understand how to bring affordable broadband connectivity to their residents and how to fund it. LeadingAge CAST will release related case studies and an Interactive Guide in March 2022.

Advancing Tech Solutions Featured at LeadingAge Leadership Summit

Register today for the 2022 LeadingAge Leadership Summit March 28-30, 2022, in Washington, DC, and don’t miss the six technology sessions. The Advancing Technology Solutions track features invaluable sessions on policy, advocacy, best practices, broadband connectivity in affordable housing, infection control, and data. Check out the technology sessions.

A must-attend gathering for a range of leaders in aging services, the Summit will give you access to robust opportunities to gain insight, explore ideas, collaborate with your peers, and influence the nation’s decision makers. Register today!

Protecting Residents from Cybertheft

Did you know that cybercrime is a risk to residents as well as to senior living organizations? Residents also need to watch out for cybercrime. Cyber scams are a top threat to older adults’ retirement savings. Read on for resources that protect your residents and your organization.

New Direction for Data in 2022

If you are ready to look at data in new ways, check out excerpts from a thought-provoking guest column by Lynne Katzmann, founder and CEO of Juniper Communities and a member of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) Senior Living Hall of Fame. She points to “a new trifecta” of data related to healthcare, lifestyle, and genomics or DNA.

The Future of Robots and Older Adults

The role of robots in senior living is advancing. Learn how researchers are designing robots for use in healthcare and senior living.

Robots to Watch

While we’re speaking of robots, see three brand-new robots that can assist with tasks needed in senior living.

CAST Members Make News

Please join me in celebrating CAST members in the news for recent acquisitions and thought leadership on workforce solutions.

Contact Me

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