Why senior living operators should be excited about ChatGPT

Last month, I thought ChatGPT was just a tech reference on some AI product that was going to revolutionize the way we search online.??I had no idea how ChatGPT would help our industry and could really change the way we operate. This is what I have learned so far and why ?? ???? ???? ?????????????? ?????? ?????? ????????????????!

ChatGPT is a language machine built on Artificial Intelligence (AI) that utilizes data and statistics to provide content on a particular subject. It spits out words and phrases in an organized way.??The language database or engine knows how to use the words and phrases but may not actually know what they mean. It’s not that intelligent – ??????.??The technology requires human oversight to ensure the content is correct and over time, the engine will get better and better at learning.?

I utilized the public version of ChatGPT to try and better understand how it works and what benefit it could provide to me as an operator. I asked the engine to tell me what to do when a senior living resident is locked out of their apartment. The response given was step by step instructions on what to do.

To my ?????????????????? it was quite accurate.??The response was a bit wordy, but the steps were on point. I ran multiple common scenarios through ChatGPT and was impressed by the content given. The caveat is that not all the data provided has been vetted, so there is still subject matter expertise needed. Just like I can search for a multitude of data on a disease online and get millions of opinions and data points, you need to verify the source. I found ChatGPT the best at providing samples of written content, sample letters for a particular need, and it was great for writing an article on a particular subject.?

I see the ?????????????? of using ChatGPT or a similar product in a corporate setting.??Now for this to happen, the company would need to have its data set loaded into ChatGPT.??And security measures would have to be in place.??In this scenario, if I am searching on my company’s intranet, I could receive ChatGPT results that have been vetted by a subject matter expert at my organization.??The response would be quick and because the data was vetted, they would be accurate. Think about having operational manuals that can be updated as needed loaded into ChatGPT and accessed by a company’s associates. This would be an unmanned helpdesk that is available ????/??.??This would be different from a typical search engine because the technology feels like there is a human on the other side answering my specific question and giving me a quick response.?

As a senior living operator who ?????????? efficiency and always looking for improving the effectiveness of communication from the support center to the field, ChatGPT opened a new world of possibilities for my day-to-day operations. Here are a few examples on how I would use ChatGPT in a senior living setting:

Scenario ①: A new maintenance technician who has not memorized all day-to-day best practices for their community can do a search and with the help of ChatGPT can get answers on the item or policy they need help with. Going online is faster than thumbing through a manual and the technician can ask specific questions in the chat, perhaps on a specific paint color, specific process for removing and replacing a piece of equipment, or even on how to sign up for new associate benefits. Using their phone or other company provided hardware, the technician can even use voice capabilities to do the search.?

Scenario ②: The company’s associate handbook could be loaded into the platform so when an associate uses ChatGPT to look up data, like company paid holidays or what is the process for reporting an associate injury, the answers would be quickly provided. ChatGPT would provide search results on the associate’s specific questions. And I can envision a company adding additional contact information or resources at the end of every search result, just in case the associate needs further support. Over time, an organization would also be able to view the search results or what associates were searching for in order to target trainings or newsletter content for the good of the organization at-large.?

Scenario ③: A community activity director or ambassador would be able to search ChatGPT for help in creating an exercise program or content based on the participants in class. The director can ask ChatGPT to provide ideas for outdoor exercises or activities for 8 participants, 2 with limited mobility, and with no special equipment required. Yes, we can be that specific in asking ChatGPT for suggestions.?

One of the largest opportunities we have in senior living is creating consistency in the services we deliver, while maintaining the individual flair or essence of a community. ChatGPT has the possibility of bringing together best practices, consolidating them into one data platform, and creating content that is easily accessible. Execution and great people are, and will always be the driving factor to great service, but ChatGPT provides a solution on how that data is delivered and disseminated.??

I can see the future of robots and AI expanding in our senior living settings. It’s already happening on a smaller scale. I have heard pros and cons on AI technology in care settings. It’s not an all or nothing proposition. The care and human factor will never go away, but it can be improved and made more efficient using AI. I am excited for our industry and our aging population.??We need to harness technology and best practices to tackle the future shortages we will continue to have in staffing.??Training, best practices, and automation where we can utilize it, will be key to our future success.?

Now to the money part. ChatGPT does have a cost, although right now there is a free version that I have been enjoying.??I am running lots of scenarios and searches to better understand the AI data.??On ChatGPT’s parent company website (OpenAI), you can learn about their services and pricing. Basically, you purchase credits that are used towards the number of searches or data delivered. Not to be left behind, Google is said to introduce their own version called Bard.??When a behemoth like Google is rushing to deliver a rival product, we must pay attention. ?? ???????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????????????? ?????????? ?????????????? ???? ?? ????.