b'INNOVATIONand ability of care workers to engage and use newimportant. Take full advantage of end-users willingness technology, leveraging the lived experiences of older to participate and offer their thoughts.adults to better inform a new solution, and the costs involved in the adoption and implementation of Always tie the assessment back to the original goals andnew innovations. objectives of the project. If done correctly, it will be easy to determine whether or not the new technology is a Moreover, pilot projects take a lot of time and resources:good fit for any organization, thus leading to an easier project managers must be committed to a new initiative,path of widespread adoption.training needs to be delivered (not to mention created), users need to have a shared goal, and of course, thereReturn on investment is a mandatory step tois an element of risk involved because if the project orunderstanding the saleability of any solution. Any technology fails all may feel lost. reputable organization will need to understand how technology is improving the lives of caregivers and older However, these risks and challenges must be faced head- adults, and how those solutions are helpingon if the long-term care sector wants to be prepared towith sustainability. manage the ongoing demographic changes. To succeed, the sector must rise above todays status quo, andIntegrating technology doesnt need to be intimidating, embrace the required process to explore, test, and adoptor started from the management suite. Many great ideas new technology.have come from frontline staff who see a problem that needs to be solved, and who work in an organization The future of an aging population is depending on it. that encourages them to bring ideas forward and look for solutions. Unleashing the capacity of frontline staff to think Adopting technologies outside the box, and making their user feedback a key part Here are some tips for exploring, testing, and of the process, is a great first step. LTCTadopting technologies and how to evaluate differenttech opportunities:David Stoller is the Managing Director at MySense Understand your organizations short-term and long- Canada and invites interested long-term care staffterm goals, then seek out technologies that accelerateto join the conversation: david.stoller@mysense.ai.the ability to achieve those objectives.Always remember who the technology is meant tosupport, and bring representatives from those cohorts into the conversation when considering new solutions; it makes no sense to introduce something that isnt relevant to the user.Establish clear evaluation metrics and a reporting 1-866-4WINMAR (494-6627)cadence before starting any validation test. The results from a pilot make up the basis for evaluation andwww.winmar.cacontribute towards any adoption criteria.Consider multiple solutions for any single problem,as not all technologies are created the same. When measured against a standard set of evaluation criteria, differences will become pronounced quickly.How to deploy and assess: Address:23814 Den eld RoadDen eld ON, N0M 1P0 Make the deployment a true partnership by allowing innovators and tech developers to support the pilot.Barker Blagrave & Associates is now Urbshott Faulds DieteticsContact:Remember, they have much to gain with a successful pilot so leverage their participation and expertise. Professional Corporation! Julie Urbshott Owned by Julie Urbshott and Sarah Faulds, Urbshott FauldsEmail: Julie@urbfaulds.ca Dietetics proudly embody BB&As mission and values of beingPhone: 226-927-7029skilled, honest, and supportive dietitian service providersEstablish clear milestones for each phase of theproject and ensure the reporting reflects each stageSarah FauldsWe specialize in clinical nutrition care, care team support, quality assurance systems and administrative and educational tool of the pilot. development on a contractual or temporary basis Email: Sarah@urbfaulds.ca Quality work at competitive rates includes direct dietitian servicesPhone: 519-550-3369 Cohort recruitment is critical to success. Not onlyto LTC Homes as well as our value-added supportsQuotes are available on request for any of our service packages Website:is it important to get the right people testing the technology, but receiving their feedback is also very Visit www.urbshottfaulds.com for more information www.urbshottfaulds.com952615_Urbshott.indd 1 www.oltca.com LONG TERM CARE 6/20/19 1:46 PM6/20/DAY 41TO19 1:46 PM'