Senior living digital ordering: Making it work for all

Digital ordering is no longer a novelty in senior living. Many communities now use resident dining apps, tablets and integrated point-of-sale systems. Similar technologies have become common across healthcare, higher education and multi-unit foodservice. The next challenge is ensuring those tools are accessible to every user.
As Baby Boomers enter senior living, expectations for convenient, technology-enabled dining continue to rise. Yet AARP research shows that while 91 percent of adults age 50-plus own a smartphone, 60 percent believe today's technology isn't designed with older adults in mind. That presents an opportunity for foodservice leaders to rethink the user experience.
Simple improvements can significantly increase adoption: larger text, high-contrast displays, intuitive navigation, multilingual options and voice-enabled ordering. Systems should also allow authorized family members or caregivers to place or modify meal orders when appropriate, while preserving phone and in-person ordering for residents who prefer a human interaction.
While technology shouldn't replace hospitality, it can help digital dining programs remove barriers, expand choice and make personalized service easier. But that only happens when user needs are built into the tools.