AI and other forms of technology are changing the home care industry in innumerable ways, and the rate of change is increasing daily. As the industry evolves, no one doubts AI’s transformative role in improving care delivery and outcomes.
However, the potential benefits of AI may be limited or unrealized if it's not deployed with careful consideration for proper implementation and robust security measures.
At the Home Care Innovation Forum, Romi Gubes, co-founder and CEO of Sensi.ai, and Kristen Duell, EVP of Experience and Innovation at FirstLight Home Care, shared valuable insights on the challenges and opportunities of implementing AI in home care.
“The tech tools that we have to morph our operations is exponential,” Duell said. “But to create that pathway to change, you also have to have a narrow focus on what is important to you. When it comes to AI and technology, you have to ask yourself, ‘What makes sense for my business?’ Doing that and implementing changes in a manageable way can give you an advantage over your competitors.”
She added that great ideas matter very little if you don’t have hard data behind them to prove their value or if the road to implementing them is too rocky for folks to follow.
Case in point: When Sensi.ai started its journey in 2019, it developed a kit for its clients, which included various hardware and other tools designed to implement its AI-driven solutions, which offer insights on early signs of diseases, cognitive decline, fall risks, and more.
“We sat around and waited for something to happen and guess what? The kits remained in the office, and nothing happened. We picked up the phone a few weeks later and talked to our clients and they had forgotten what they’d bought.”
Gubes said there was a much-needed lesson for Sensi.ai in that experience, one that both vendors and operators can learn from, too. Just having a technology solution isn’t enough. You need to constantly communicate with your clients, ask them what’s working and what isn’t, and adapt to ensure they’re being successful with the technology solutions you provide.
“Implementation is the most important part of creating success with agencies today,” Gubes said.
Now, Sensi.ai “handholds” with new clients for 30-60 days, traveling to their markets, assisting them in installing their solutions and training workers to ensure a solid foundation for success.
“The implementation can be challenging for some people who are not used to technology in their day-to-day,” Gubes said. “It’s not natural to everyone.”
The result of this much more intentional strategy showed “a huge uptick in the success of the implementation of our technology,” she said.
Sensi.ai found success by focusing on communicating the value of its system rather than the technology itself, and by presenting it as a standard part of care rather than an add-on, Gubes said.
She said a central message is clear: embracing AI and other technologies isn't just about staying competitive — it's about revolutionizing care delivery to better serve an aging population. However, success hinges on thoughtful implementation, a culture of client communication, and a focus on measurable outcomes.
Making matters complicated is the reliance on older adults to utilize the technology provided to them, which is often easier said than done. After all, even the best technology tools are worthless if they’re not used correctly or explained clearly.
For example, tools that monitor a person’s cough or how often they’re speaking can, if not explained properly, be seen by an older adult as a surveillance device intruding on their privacy, Gubes said. Additionally, many seniors are reticent to ask their family members for help.
“The way you position the technology for older adults is the most important thing,” Gubes said. “Even the term ‘AI’ can be intimidating to older adults, especially when it’s in their own homes. You need to explain the value of the system as opposed to diving into the technology itself.”
This intentionality needs to start from the moment a client receives care for the first time, so the adoption of technology is as frictionless as possible, Gubes said.
Another lesson Sensi.ai has learned over the years is that everything that requires the intervention of an older adult as it relates to technology – whether it’s a button they need to push, a screen to swipe, a wearable they need to have on, or a device to speak into – needs to be explained in detail.
“If you don’t do this, it just won’t work,” Gubes said.
As the breadth of technology solutions grows, so does the potential for security breaches, Duell said. This is especially concerning for operators, who hold a wide variety of sensitive data, from medical records to personalized care plans.
“One of my biggest concerns when we implement new technology is what are we doing to ensure that we’re implementing safety,” Duell said. “You can get really excited about the new things out there, but very quickly get yourself into a liability situation. We’ve seen providers go out of business because of this.”
Duell said another key issue related to security is the trust variable. In an industry where reputation is everything, even one security breach can tarnish a provider’s reputation for years. A robust cybersecurity infrastructure that protects sensitive information while ensuring that your operations fully comply with HIPAA regulations is essential.
“It’s not just about protecting your data. If you are being fully intentional about this (security) work, then it’s something you need to market,” Duell said. “It can be a selling point for your business. You may think that consumers are unaware of security issues, but you’d be mistaken.
“We all knew that the Silver Tsunami was coming; we just didn’t know how fast it would come, and we’d have an AI surfboard for them to ride on. You have to figure out what the security implications could be for you as a result of that AI surfboard and be proactive.”