Technology that sparks joy, memories, and fun for seniors

In 2017, patients and residents at Allied Services Skilled Nursing Center in Scranton were first introduced to a piece of technology designed just for seniors. The technology was purchased with funds raised through the annual charity campaign, WNEP’s Ryan’s Run.

It’s Never Too Late, or iN2L for short, looks just like a child’s first tablet – rugged, brightly colored, and with easy-to-read fonts. It was developed with the idea that it’s never too late for a fulfilling life – one with joy, purpose, and meaningful social interactions.

“Regardless of a person’s ability, we strive to make it possible for them to connect with the world and the people around them” states Jack York, iN2L Co-Founder. “iN2L brings people together, connecting seniors with what interests and fulfills them and enabling them to share conversations, experiences, learning, and fun with each other, their caregivers, and family members.”

iN2L tablets incorporate interactive games, musical features, and communication tools that can help users maintain social connections and enjoy purposeful engagements. For example, residents can video chat with family. They can use personalized profiles to view photos, listen to music, or watch videos placed in their profiles by family members. Today, iN2L can be found at more than 3,700 assisted and independent living communities, nursing homes, and memory care settings around the United States and Canada.

iN2L can also be used to enhance therapy sessions, something which the clinical care team at the Skilled Nursing Center has made the most of with patients and residents. Although some residents are fearful of using technology, some have seen great success. The therapy team has incorporated the technology into sessions with residents and patients with cognitive, memory, and speech issues.

“One of my residents, B.H., was quite fearful in the beginning” comments Kaitlyn Raven, Speech Therapist at Allied Services Skilled Nursing & Rehab Center in Scranton.

“She was worried that she wouldn’t be able to navigate a tech device, but it soon became her favorite part of therapy. The pictured icons and labels allowed her to quickly adapt to the new technology.”

“Her favorite memory task is heraldry. She specifically loves that the cognitive activities feel more like a game, an act of fun that is more interesting than a typical session.”

The device has a solutions feature that allows the user to check their results and make corrections over time. Kaitlyn found that using the device improved B.H.’s ability to recall daily events, improved her orientation skills to navigate around the Skilled Nursing Center, and improved her memory skills during family visits.

“Overall, the use of iN2L in her sessions has given this resident a sense of joy and allowed her to feel more comfortable with technology,” says Kaitlyn.

About It’s Never Too Late: iN2L is a person-centered content-driven device that allows for customization based on individual needs. Implementation of iN2L in speech therapy sessions enhances the overall experience by targeting goals while simultaneously engaging the user in topics and activities of interest to the resident. Exercises focused on promoting memory, attention, language, and executive and visual-spatial brain functions become more exciting to the patient when paired with games, music, and puzzles. A large selection of activities creates sessions that are fun, informative, and personally relevant. iN2L promotes quality of life providing opportunities to make choices and engage in topics personalized to the individual. Learn more here.

​