Enhancing Personalization and Social Engagement with AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is proving to be a powerful asset for senior care communities, yet its adoption isn’t always met with open arms. Many staff and residents remain cautious, often viewing AI as impersonal or even isolating. To ease these concerns and unlock AI’s full potential, it’s essential to focus on how the technology can enhance personalization and foster social connection. When implemented thoughtfully, AI can enrich community life and become a welcomed part of care and daily engagement.

How AI Can Enhance Engagement and Add a Personalized Touch

Deepak Shukla, CEO of Pearl Lemon AI

Although some may perceive artificial intelligence as impersonal, it can actually foster stronger social engagement among residents. AI-driven companionship devices, like robot care assistants and chat systems equipped with AI, can have highly positive effects on residents and can be personalized to each resident’s needs. “They help alleviate solitude by providing conversational interactions, reminders, and interactive training routines that are specifically tailored to an individual resident,” says Deepak Shukla, CEO of Pearl Lemon AI.

For example, robotic pets can provide residents with companionship and engagement, interacting with them much in the same way a real pet would. AI-powered pets can provide meaningful companionship for residents, often sparking strong emotional bonds. They offer a practical alternative to real animals—requiring no feeding or walking—while still delivering comfort, interaction, and a sense of connection.

While AI can’t replace human interaction, it can serve as a powerful, highly personalized tool that supports both caregivers and residents. “AI’s ability to analyze residents’ activity, individual preferences, and even past memories allows it to generate realistic and empathetic experiences, content, and social interaction recommendations,” says Tatsiana Kirimava, CEO and co-founder at Orangesoft. This level of personalization can help residents feel more comfortable with AI companions and other tools by creating a sense of familiarity and trust.

Lawrence Chernin, founder of Dabble Health and Momento Quest

Lawrence Chernin, founder of Dabble Health and Momento Quest, gained firsthand insight into the challenges of senior care while supporting his aging parents in assisted living. The experience prompted him to create Momento, an AI-powered platform that turns personal photos into engaging, interactive experiences. “AI can actually bring warmth and personalization to senior care,” he says. For example, with Momento, seniors can interact with familiar photos while AI provides gentle prompts and memory cues. The platform encourages storytelling, reduces loneliness, and allows families to stay engaged and connected with their loved ones, even from a distance.

In the example of Momento, the AI technology can personalize the content, including music, stories, and reminders, effectively tailoring the experiences to each individual. “For caregivers, it provides valuable insights into engagement levels and cognitive patterns, offering a new way to support memory care,” says Chernin.

The Value of AI for Memory Care

AI can offer particular value for memory care residents. Shukla explains that AI can provide personalized activities based on a resident’s preference, can track mobility levels to optimize wellness programs, and can provide adaptive meal planning based on a resident’s dietary needs and medical status. “Further, AI-based monitoring systems can analyze behavioral trends and detect early warning signs of cognitive impairment, allowing for anticipatory care,” he says.

Tatsiana Kirimava, CEO and co-founder at Orangesoft

Kirimava notes that AI companions, like conversational interfaces and AI-powered robots, can be especially beneficial in senior care settings. They can leverage data on a resident’s behavior, inclinations, and experiences, and can create tailored cues for individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia. “AI companions can also support cognitive function in seniors through cognitive stimulation activities like memory games and through sensory stimulation such as adjusting sensory environments, including sound, light, and even scent, to reduce anxiety in residents with memory impairments,” she explains.

Enhancing AI Personalization

While there are many ways to personalize AI for each resident, Kirimava also recommends that senior care communities consider whether data is available for AI training. “AI thrives on data, and the more data it has to feed on, the more empathic and tailored experiences it can deliver,” she says.

She recommends that communities start with simple and straightforward applications, like personalized music playlists for residents, personalized activity recommendations, or chatbots for basic information and support. “These applications are relatively easy and cost-effective to implement as they require minimal data input,” she says. “Plus, they can clearly demonstrate the value of AI for personalization.”

Strategies for Introducing AI

Since residents and staff may already have misgivings about AI, Chernin encourages senior care communities to make AI feel human when introducing it. “AI should be a tool that enhances real relationships, not replaces them,” he says. “When residents see how it can surface meaningful memories or help bridge the gap between them and their loved ones, skepticism fades.”

Senior living communities will need to prioritize education and openness in using AI. Consider ways to demonstrate how AI augments human interaction, rather than reducing it. “Developing interactive sessions whereby the residents and families see AI for themselves can alleviate concerns and enforce its worth,” says Shukla.

Additionally, security becomes even more important when implementing AI. Kirimava encourages communities to double down on their data security and compliance before using AI technology.

While using AI can provide residents with a personalized and engaging experience, there may be hurdles to overcome before residents fully embrace the technology. As AI becomes more integrated into senior care, perceptions are likely to evolve—shifting from viewing it as impersonal and alienating to recognizing it as a valuable, engaging tool.

Paige Cerulli

Paige Cerulli is a contributing writer to i Advance Senior Care.