{"id":47400,"date":"2025-12-11T16:25:51","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T15:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/?p=47400"},"modified":"2026-01-22T13:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T12:48:10","slug":"replay-residences-of-tomorrow-ai-staff-support-and-digital-pathways-to-wellbeing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/replay-residences-of-tomorrow-ai-staff-support-and-digital-pathways-to-wellbeing\/","title":{"rendered":"[Replay] Residences of tomorrow: AI, staff support, and digital pathways to wellbeing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At the second day of the SilverEco International Festival 2025, an early-morning panel titled \u201cResidences of tomorrow: AI, staff support, and digital pathways to wellbeing\u201d brought together three voices working at the intersection of ageing, care, and technology. Moderated by Stela Shiroka, a Vienna-based researcher and project lead at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety, the discussion explored how senior living facilities and care homes are being reshaped by digitalisation\u2014and what it will take to ensure this transformation remains human-centred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"Panel<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stela<\/strong> Shiroka<\/strong> opened by framing a sector under pressure: severe staff shortages, rising workloads for caregivers, and increasing risks of isolation<\/a><\/strong> and cognitive decline among older adults. Against this backdrop, AI-powered assistance tools, smart sensors, and digital pathways for health monitoring appear as promising allies\u2014but also raise new challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balancing Autonomy and Technology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Representing the design and operational perspective was Carlo Cavandoli<\/strong>, partner at Italy\u2019s Specht Group<\/a><\/strong>, which develops and maintains senior residences in Italy and Germany. For Carlo Cavandoli, any technological deployment begins with a simple principle: \u201cguaranteeing autonomy for our guests.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stressed that successful implementation depends as much on staff training<\/strong> as on the devices themselves. \u201cIf you introduce a technology and the people who are going to use it don\u2019t know how to use it, it has a very short lifespan,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specht Group has recently partnered with Amazon to integrate personalised Alexa devices<\/a><\/strong> in its residences, equipped with motion and depth sensors<\/strong> capable of detecting falls, temperature changes, or unusual movements. Beyond safety, Carlo Cavandoli highlighted the potential for AI companions to support everyday independence, enabling residents<\/strong> to interact through simple voice commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But technology, he argued, must also strengthen community rather than isolate individuals. In shared activity rooms\u2014where games, sports, music and social gatherings take place\u2014digital tools are being used to encourage interaction and participation. Despite these advances, he acknowledged a persistent barrier: many current residents remain wary of unfamiliar interfaces. \u201cThey see this big thing and complicated menus\u2026 for them it\u2019s a shock,\u201d he said, though he expects future generations of seniors to arrive with higher digital confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Replay] Residences of tomorrow: AI, staff support, and digital pathways to wellbeing<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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