Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living Hosts “Technology for the Business of Aging”
By Sue McMurray
Hearing “You’ll change the world if you work in senior living” from a panel of senior living technology experts may have hospitality students rethinking their career options.
Graduates who have strong business and technical skills and a working knowledge of human psychology will be in high demand in the senior living industry, according to the panelists, who were hosted by the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living during the Carson College’s annual Hospitality Week in 2023.
The panelists Kyle Rand, Erin Hayes, and Matt Reiners spoke about the rewards of their jobs and the abundance of career opportunities in the senior living realm as the number of people over 55 eventually exceeds those under age 18.
“The biggest opportunities in tech are found in the residential engagement space,” said Rand, cofounder and CEO of Rendever, a virtual reality platform designed to help seniors combat social isolation. “People are looking for a lifestyle, and there’s a big disbelief that tech and seniors don’t mix. In a study with the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities, we found virtual reality experiences significantly decrease depression and significantly increase social mental health.”
Hayes, the chief revenue officer for Enquire, a marketing automation platform and contact center for senior living and health care organizations, said the sales space is a great career entry point in senior living. She said data analytics and problem solving are among the top skills senior living employers will seek when hiring future employees.
“Whatever your specialty, there’s a niche for it in senior living,” said Reiners, cofounder and vice president of Eversound, a tech company that provides interactive programs and wireless group listening systems for seniors. He told a story about a couple in which the husband had dementia and had been moved to a care facility. During a visit, the couple each put on an Eversound headset and listened to their wedding song. The music woke something in the husband’s mind. Soon they were swaying to the music and singing to each other. The wife said it was the first time in years she felt like a wife instead of a caregiver.
“These moments of positive connection, engagement, and love—that’s what gets me going,” Reiners said. “If you are looking to do some good in the world and make a career out of it, senior living is a great opportunity to explore any aspect of the business side.”
“Technology for the Business of Aging” was moderated by Steve Moran, founder of Senior Living Foresight, a senior living media company.
Watch the Technology for the Business of Aging video to learn more.