In an era where aging populations are growing and healthcare costs continue to rise, senior living communities are stepping into a powerful new role, not just as places to live, but as proactive health environments that improve resident outcomes and reduce the burden on the healthcare system.

A recent article in McKnight’s Senior Living summarizes the findings of a long-term study by NORC at the University of Chicago, in partnership with the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC). The results are compelling: older adults living in senior housing have better long-term health outcomes, including fewer hospitalizations and reduced emergency department use, thanks to the preventive approach to care offered in these settings.

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(The full study “The Role of Senior Housing in Promoting Health and Reducing Health Care Costs” can be found on NORC’s website: NIC/NORC Senior Housing Research Portfolio)

Senior Living as a Hub for Preventive Care

The NORC/NIC research followed seniors from before they moved into independent and assisted living communities and tracked their outcomes over several years. One key insight: most improvements in health and cost containment happened after the first year of residency, as communities shifted focus from urgent care to ongoing wellness and stability.

This supports a powerful idea: senior living doesn’t just keep people safe,  it keeps them healthier longer. With better access to supportive services, medication management, regular screenings, and social engagement, residents are more likely to maintain independence, avoid falls and hospitalizations, and live with a higher quality of life.

Where OneStep Technology Comes In

While the study highlights what’s possible when senior living focuses on prevention, technologies like OneStep make that kind of proactive care easier to deliver, and even more effective.

OneStep is a smartphone-based digital care platform that enables communities to assess and monitor resident mobility in real life — no wearables, no lab tests, just a phone in the pocket and a walk down the hall.

Here’s how OneStep supports the goals of senior living communities as outlined in the NORC/NIC research:

1. Fall Risk, Assessed Before the Fall

Falls are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence in older adults. Yet traditional assessments are time-consuming, subjective, and infrequent. OneStep changes that with real-time gait and balance analysis that can detect subtle changes before a fall happens.

Senior living teams using OneStep report 25% fewer falls and stronger family engagement around mobility interventions — because when you can show risk in real numbers, residents and families are more likely to act.

2. Data-Driven, Personalized Care

The NORC/NIC study emphasizes the value of consistent, person-centered care - and OneStep enables that through continuous, clinical-grade mobility insights. Whether you’re onboarding a new resident or monitoring someone recovering from illness, OneStep gives staff the information they need to tailor care and adjust quickly.

It’s not just helpful — it’s defensible. Objective data supports care plans and can stand up to audits or justify referrals, aligning with the accountability demands of value-based care.

3. Easier Workflows, Greater Reach

OneStep’s smartphone-based model means assessments don’t have to be limited to physical therapists.. Staff,  including wellness coordinators, RNs, or even CNAs, can use OneStep to capture meaningful mobility data in seconds, freeing up clinicians for higher-value work and increasing the number of residents reached.

4. Lower Costs, Higher Impact

Just like the NORC/NIC study shows — better prevention leads to lower utilization of expensive care. OneStep contributes by reducing avoidable ER visits and unnecessary hospitalizations through early identification and intervention. And with up to 6x ROI from therapy referrals and 20% more billable units, it helps communities deliver better care and better business outcomes.

Every Step Tells a Story — and Now We Can See It

Senior living is proving itself to be a critical partner in population health — not just for the residents who live there, but for families, payers, and the healthcare system at large. But prevention only works when you can measure what matters.

That’s what OneStep does. By transforming everyday movement into actionable clinical insights, OneStep helps senior living communities live up to their promise: helping older adults live well — and longer.

Because when we can see decline early, we can act early. And when we act early, everyone benefits — especially the residents we’re here to serve.

Visit our Senior Living page for more information on how we support the senior living community.