FROM OUR BLOG
Technology with Heart: How Aroha Memory Care Uses Smart Innovation to Enhance Wellness and Connection
At Aroha Memory Care, we believe technology should never replace human touch, it should strengthen it. Our approach meshes advanced tools and compassionate care to create a safer, more connected and more engaging environment for people living with dementia.
Why Technology Matters in Memory Care
Dementia care requires deep empathy and rapid, complex decision-making. Every day, care partners are called upon to interpret behavioral reactions, anticipate unmet needs, and respond to changes in mood, mobility, or health in our Community Members. And while technology will never be a replacement for human connection, we believe it can serve as an able partner, one that supports insight, safety, and understanding.
Unfortunately, many memory care settings have lagged in adopting innovative tools. But when technology is used thoughtfully and ethically, it can lift the human experience, giving residents more independence and supplying care teams with the real-time information they need to make better decisions and drive better care outcomes.
The Aroha Philosophy: Smart, Seamless, and Supportive
At Aroha, we aren’t just adding technology so that we’re considered the most cutting edge, our framework demands that every tool and system we implement is:
- Smart – Designed to anticipate needs, streamline information, and guide proactive care. Giving us data we really need and that aligns with aiding us to drive better wellness outcomes.
- Seamless – Integrated quietly into the background, so technology supports rather than disrupts daily life. Also, we will only consider and select tools that fit easily into the workload of our clinical and care partner staff and don’t add unnecessary steps to their busy days.
- Supportive of our mission –At Aroha, we want the technology to serve the people, not the other way around.
Tools that Keep Our Community Safe and Connected
Aroha partners with some of the most innovative technology systems in the field of senior living and dementia care, each selected for its ability to protect, inform, and connect.
PalCare wander management system will be utilized throughout Aroha to help us prevent elopements and unsupervised wandering. PalCare uses a system of ID-enabled alert notifications (alerts staff which resident is where), discreet door and egress sensors, and alarms, and incident-related data tracking to help us prevent elopements and unsupervised exits.
SafelyYou Safety AI falls detection and SafelyYou Halo nurse call systems
This tool allows the Aroha care team and families to better understand a resident’s movement patterns and make meaningful changes to prevent future incidents preserving dignity while enhancing safety. Using secure, privacy-focused AI, the SafelyYou system helps identify the why behind falls, not just the when.
SafelyYou Halo is a smart nurse call and monitoring system that helps Aroha staff to ensure that every alert is received instantly and that response times remain swift. The platform also provides valuable insights into resident patterns, helping the care team anticipate needs, before they become problems.
Technology That Engages the Mind and Heart
At Aroha, technology isn’t just about safety, it’s also about providing connection, joy, and meaning.
ZinniaTV – Purposeful, Personalized Programming
Developed specifically for people living with dementia, ZinniaTV offers comforting, visually rich content that promotes relaxation, reminiscence, and engagement. Whether watching a familiar landscape or listening to gentle music, residents find moments of calm and curiosity through this interactive experience.
LifeLoop (formerly iN2L) – Connection Through Technology
Personalized, relevant content has been proven to be a powerful tool in memory care resident engagement. LifeLoop will help Aroha staff find purposeful ways to engage residents that support living a fulfilling life each day. Utilizing SMART board technology and an extensive library of strategically designed digital content that supports the core dimensions of wellness, this technology brings the fun to every day!
Joy for All Companion Pets – Emotional Companionship Meets Innovation
Joy for All’s robotic companion cats and dogs provide soothing comfort, responsive movement, and realistic interaction that help reduce anxiety and loneliness. These therapeutic companions offer moments of delight and nurturing for residents who benefit from sensory engagement and companionship.
The Perfect Partnership: AI and Person Centered Dementia Care
Artificial intelligence excels at pattern recognition, prediction, and learning from data, all skills that beautifully complement the human intuition and empathy at the heart of person centered dementia care. At Aroha, we view AI as a collaborator that enhances critical thinking, helps identify subtle changes, and gives our care partners the tools to make the best decisions in the moment. Technology can’t replicate compassion, but it can create more time for our associates to build person centered connections with our Community Members.
Technology with Heart: The Future of Dementia Care
At Aroha Memory Care, technology is not about automation, it’s about strengthening how we are able to meet the needs of our Community Members. Every system, every tool, every innovation we introduce serves a purpose: to deepen connection, ensure safety, and elevate the quality of life for our Community Members and their care partners alike. We believe this is the future of memory care; person-centered, evidence-based, and powered by good technology. Where compassion leads innovation.
Juliet Holt Klinger, a leading gerontologist with nearly 40 years in dementia care, has held executive roles with major organizations in the field. Renowned for creating innovative, person-centered programs, she focuses on integrating emerging technologies to better support older adults with neurocognitive challenges.
As Published in Kenwood Press
