Wireless Solutions Shaping the Future of Senior Housing Communities WHITE PAPER
TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… TRENDS IMPACTING SENIOR HOUSING ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF WIFI IN SENIOR HOUSING ……………………………………………………………………………………………… BEST PRACTICES FOR DEPLOYING WIFI ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ABOUT NETGEAR …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ABOUT THE AUTH
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The world’s population of senior citizens is growing at a rapid pace. According to a United Nations report, there were 570 million people 65 years or older worldwide in 2013 and more than 56,000 individuals will turn age 65 or older each day until 2025. By 2050, 1 in four Chinese and 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 years or older.1 This seismic demographic shift presents a huge opportunity for senior housing owners and operators as longevity continues to increase.
Today’s older adults are looking for independent and assisted living options more than any generation before them. According to David Schless, President of the American Seniors Housing Association, up to 8% or 6 million of the baby boom generation (born between 1946 and 1964) in the U.S. will ultimately opt for senior housing. Even in China, where 20% of the 1.
Figure 2: Smartphone Adoption Ages 55+ 73% South Korea Singapore 65% Spain 52% 40% UK 37% Finland Netherlands 35% Germany 35% France 35% 31% US 21% Belgium Japan 15% Source: Deloitte Adoption of tablets and e-readers adoption among seniors is increasing faster than smartphones, most likely due to their larger form factors and easy to use touch screens.
BEST PRACTICES FOR DEPLOYING WIFI Deploying WiFi in senior housing communities is fast becoming an imperative given the rising demand among residents for constant connectivity and a growing dependence on mobile devices and web-based solutions designed to improve the quality and operational efficiency of senior living care.
Residents of senior housing facilities expect to have the same high-speed wireless services they enjoyed in their own homes for personal and visitor use. However, ease of installation/configuration and total cost of ownership are critical considerations for senior housing communities that are looking to meet resident needs for connectivity and leverage WiFi-enabled solutions to improve resident care while reducing operating expenses.
ABOUT DEBRA CHIN Debra joined Palmer Research in 2006 as Senior Vice President. Her background includes over 15 years of experience in executive level marketing and research positions for leading consumer packaged goods and high tech companies. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BSE in Economics from the Wharton School of Business.
