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<\/p>\nEighty percent of respondents to a Senior Housing News<\/em> survey in August reported increasing their tech spending this year to address the COVID-19 pandemic; 68% said their companies implemented telehealth since the beginning of the crisis. Looking ahead, 87% of survey participants expected their organizations to increase their technology budgets in 2021 for resident monitoring, contact tracing, telehealth, virtual activities for residents, virtual tours for prospects and other operations.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s just the beginning,\u201d Life Care Services says. New applications coming over the horizon \u201cwill make life easier, safer and more engaging for residents,\u201d including motion and voice controls that eliminate the need to press buttons or grab handles, virtual reality systems for more immersive community tours, wearable smart technology and even robotic pets for memory care residents.<\/p>\n Other areas that senior living operators are targeting for expanded investment include resident safety and emergency call systems, air purification and other infection control measures, wellness programs, and sales and marketing.<\/p>\n Access to technology will also become a larger factor in families\u2019 evaluation of senior living options going forward. \u201cIf you go into a community \u2026 and there\u2019s no Wi-Fi in the room, people will not put up with that,\u201d Orlov says.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of the providers that were skeptical about the value of internet connectivity now see why it needs to be available,\u201d adds Majd Alwan, senior vice president of technology and business strategy and executive director of the LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies.<\/p>\n