Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing Receives National Award for Smart Home Technology Use
Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging recognizes innovative approaches to serving older adults in original and exciting ways
GLENDALE, Calif. (April 2, 2019) – Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing (FPCIW) has been selected by Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging as a recipient of the 2018 Promising Practices Award, which highlights organizations that are moving away from conventional practices by developing and implementing new and innovative approaches in aging well or long-term care and senior living communities. FPCIW was selected based on its plan and toolkit for bringing to life the potential of Amazon Alexa and other virtual personal assistants for maintaining older adults’ independence.
“The Promising Practices Award honors the Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing for their successful pilot program to test Amazon Alexa on Echo and Dot devices with residents at a Front Porch retirement community,” said Cate O’Brien, AVP, Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging. “We hope this award-winning project will serve as a catalyst for organizations around the country to spark innovative ideas for their programs.”
FPCIW’s “Voice First” and smart home technology program examined how voice assistance and home automation technology could help promote greater convenience, independence, and well-being for older adults. The project not only introduced voice and smart home innovation to residents but developed an engagement strategy that promoted a sustainable community adoption model. The FPCIW team packaged their program into an “Alexa in a Box” toolkit that customized the experience for users and incorporated staff and resident involvement procedures.
“The opportunities of voice-enabled technologies to empower individuals to live well and independently as they age are undeniable and compelling,” says Davis Park, executive director of the FPCIW. “Our program and its participants demonstrated not only the value and impact of voice innovations on aging, but its expansive potential in addressing the personalization and unique needs of older adults.
Support from the Consumer Technology Association Foundation has enabled FPCIW to further expand their initiative to additional communities through the Voice-assisted Smart Home and Independence (VISHN) project. FPCIW’s impact story and full pilot report on the Alexa project can be found on its website here.
A full complimentary report on the 2018 Promising Practices winners and honorable mentions and Innovation at Work 2018 is available for download at matherlifewaysinstituteonaging.com/promising. Nominations will open in June for the 2019 Promising Practices Awards, with a submission deadline in August.
