116. A Smarter Way to Approach AI with Amber & Matt

Amber and Matt are back with a big update for 2026. In this episode of Raising Tech, they unpack what’s really happening with AI in senior living and why so many communities are still struggling to apply it in a meaningful way.

The conversation covers the realities operators are facing today: fragmented systems, untrusted data, shadow AI usage, and pressure from boards and leadership to “do something with AI” without a clear plan. Matt and Amber dive into why AI isn’t a magic fix on its own, how poor data and disconnected software limit its impact, and what needs to change for AI to actually work in senior living environments.

They also announce Parasol Alliance’s newest service: the AI Readiness Assessment and Roadmap. Modeled after Parasol’s proven technology assessments and strategic roadmaps, this new offering helps organizations understand where they are today, where AI can realistically fit, and how to move forward with confidence.

Resources & Next Steps:
Interested in learning more about the AI Readiness Assessment or adding it to your existing technology assessment?

• Email Matt: matthew.reiners@parasolalliance.com
• Or connect on LinkedIn (he promises he’ll respond)

Limited spots are available, with special options for current Parasol clients and early adopters.

Find us online:
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Transcript

Amber, excited to chat with you today about some exciting news. I think that's coming out from Parasol Alliance here, but. How are you? What's new? How is 2026 off for you thus far? 

We have not done a Raising tech podcast episode together for too long, so I am mostly just excited to be back here recording with you, talking about some new and exciting things coming, um, in 2026.

2026 I think has been a little weird, but I've heard that from everybody, so I don't know. I think we just have to see how it plays out. 

Yeah, I would second that. I'm coming out of a, an entire family, including a four month old having COVID in my house. So happy that that's hopefully behind us. But yeah, 2026.

Um, but yeah, excited to be here with you recording this. It has been some time. Um, I'm wondering, 'cause I know we wanted to make an announcement here about our new AI assessment, but I'm wondering, AI still continues to be the biggest buzzword out there. What are you seeing from senior living communities when it comes to AI today?

We're continuing to see the same things and same trends that we've talked about in the past. However, I believe we are starting to see some implementations, which is exciting to start seeing how it can actually work for people. You know, and I think we're still though at the same place that you and I have talked about, what Steve Mika and I have talked about is we're still in a, in an area where a lot of people are shouting the loudest about ai.

They're getting the most attention from that, but there's still a lack of understanding about the practical application for this. What about you? What are you seeing? 

Yeah, I think there's this push that I'm seeing, whether it's from board members or the CEO being like, we gotta embrace ai. 'cause they just continue to see it front and center in all the news and all that stuff.

But a lot of people just aren't sure. Where to do it and what we're finding, I think there's things being rolled out at the corporate level, um, not well, and a lot of people are still doing what I like to call shadow ai, so they might be using their own personal chat, GPT and kind of working through that to success and kind of using it that way.

I think there is this more, I think there's more people implementing it, but I, I don't find people are implementing it Well, and I think to your point of people shouting the loudest, I think every technology company out there in their marketing of some sort is including, uh, all the buzzwords you can imagine when it comes to AI to kind of hopefully suffocate and also excite people as they're looking at their, uh, solution for whatever they might be doing.

Yeah, and I will say that when 2025 started last year, I did not expect by the end of 2025. Be, uh, somewhat of an AI in senior living expert, but that, you know, I started off the year not really knowing much and we learned a lot along the way. Developed a lot of tools and guidebooks and things like that for our clients.

Um, but it is something that is very nebulous, very complicated. And the other thing I am starting to realize is that we have a big issue in senior living that you and I have talked about before, we talked about it I think on our last podcast We together, is that there are a lot of gaps in senior living software that vendors are not coming together to fill.

So there's a lot of just specialized software, best in breed software that still doesn't communicate. And we were really hoping AI could be a solution to bridge that gap. And I think what we're seeing. It's not really the magical solution we were hoping for yet. There's still source of truth issues.

There's still, uh, lack of training. There's still lack of trust because people see a number in AI and they see a number in their system and they don't match. And so I still think we have, we have a ways to go with that. 

I think to your point, right, like AI is only as good as the data you're putting into it.

And if you're not trusting those data sources and what's going into that? I mean, it's, it's destined to fail. And to your point, we continue to hear stories of numbers not lining up or certain things in certain softwares, or they're setting up their EHR to be their source of truth, but then things are getting updated outside of that and it's not pushing back into it.

So it's like. How do we continue to create this cohesive ecosystem of technology that AI can kind of be that base layer to make sure that it all works. Um, but you know, it's all of these technology systems are being built in silos and you know, I think some are trying to play nice in the sandbox, but a lot too are just trying to maximize their wallet share, um, build their own subpar systems and try to keep people within their own ecosystem.

So I think, you know, obviously things will have to change and we'll continue to see some of these bridges being built with that. 

So what do we do about that? So Parasol is here with, uh, with a brand new solution. As always, we are here to help guide our clients, help guide the industry to navigate this, and we don't sell any of these solutions.

We don't sell ai. Um, our, our vision is really to help the industry help clients navigate this and do it in a very practical way, just like our technology assessments and roadmaps. Like, how do I get my hands around? How do I get a grip on what does it really mean? What does, uh, what does a network really mean?

What does systems really mean? What does business system success look like? And so we have, uh, decided to do the same thing with ai. So do you wanna talk a little bit about our new service offering that's coming out, Matt? 

Yeah, I feel like I gotta like do a drum roll as I'm talking about it. But yes, similar to our technology assessment and strategic plan where we come in and basically get a snapshot of everything taking place today from infrastructure to business systems and putting together that three year roadmap to help people be intentional of their technology usage.

We're doing pretty much doing copy and paste with the AI side, but taking our own spin on it. Um, making sure that we're taking people through the AI assessment process, that they're embracing the right ai, um, and doing a few things when it comes to that and really trying to address where they are today, where they want to get to, and the steps that they can take to be successful to do that.

Um, and I'm wondering if, you know, as we've been thinking about this, and I've been doing it with people already, Amber, um, shout out to some of those first clients that are doing it. Any thoughts on. You know, any surprises or anything you're excited about when it comes to that AI assessment? 

Well, I think there's a couple things.

So our assessment's gonna include interviewing each of the departments and we've developed an internal, uh, list of questions that we can interview the different departments at so that we can assess where are they at, what's their interest level, what's their readiness level. And you know, it's not like you can come in and start asking the clinical team about how do you wanna use ai?

'cause they don't know, right? So we have to build the questions around structuring it to get that information in a way that makes sense. Um, so I think that that's, that's a key component. And then. The other thing is we are building a internal library of what all the current vendors out there are doing with ai.

So we're reaching out to all of the major business systems in the industry so that we can have the information to go to our clients and say, oh, you used UKG, did you know they have x, Y, Z AI module? You have to upgrade to get it. And that's just an example. I don't actually know what UKG is doing, but um, you know, we're planning to build out those resources internally so we can help guide clients in that direction as well.

I think I'm really excited about, you know, in addition to, uh, senior living operators using AI the right way is also that library that you mentioned, right? I think there's a lot of fluff being put out there, and we can almost use our parasol to help kind of, uh, shield some of that bright light that might be coming in and making sure that people feel good about what they're doing, making sure that things are set up right, and then helping them and keeping a pulse to the ground too.

I think, you know, too many times. Execs and other team members are going to these conferences, walking down the aisles, or having these speed meetings hearing about the latest and greatest, but what's a lot of people are being future sold of what's coming down the roadmap. Um, and what, so we're gonna be that Sherpa and really help take them through what's accessible today and making sure that they're set up for success not only in the long run, but in the short term, and that they're successful in that.

Um, and I know one of the other things we're doing is part of that library is just kind of like the different, uh, personas within senior living, right? Like, how are people thinking about ai? How is your head of housekeeping using it and being successful? How's your ED using it? Sales and marketing activities, I think there's just a big gap within the industry right now of that knowledge base.

So we're helping to build that out as well. 

Yeah. And then I think, um, there's also the whole governance component to it. So, you know, that's built in and included in our assessment as well is what policies do you need? And we have simple policies. Do you have an AI steering committee? How are you governing this, both from a organizational, procedural and policy perspective?

So I know that is the concerns that people have with ai. And so it's critical to make sure that that goes hand in hand with your. Uh, your execution, selection of systems. 

Yeah. I think it's so important. Right? And you know, I think too many times we go to these conferences, we see talks about ai and then everyone's like, AI's gonna change everything.

Well, we can help be those people to make sure that it does change everything and it changes everything in an intentional and right way. So, any final thoughts here, Amber, for our listeners, 

do you wanna share some additional details about the assessment, when it's gonna be ready, how much it's gonna cost, any of that?

People can reach out to learn more about that. We're, we're rocking and rolling it though. Um, there's definitely advantages if you're a current parasol client, um, to take advantage of that. Um, there are discounts available to some of the other first groups that aren't parasol clients that wanna move forward with that.

So we do have limited spots available. So if you are listening to this and want to take advantage of that, you know, feel free to get in contact with me. My gift and my curse is I'm probably the easiest person to find and get in touch with in this industry. Um, and you can definitely email me at Matthew with two T's, always two T's dot reiners, R-E-I-N-E-R s@parasolalliance.com or find me on LinkedIn.

I am addicted to it more or less, so, yeah. Any other thoughts you wanna share? I don't wanna give away all the goodies here, but Yeah. 

Uh, well I think I just wanna mention too that it is also gonna be an optional add-on to our technology assessment that we already offer. So it could be an add on to that, it could be a standalone, um.

And yeah, we're just excited to roll out another value add for the industry and to really help people, uh, be guided through this process because it's a whole new world. 

It's a whole new world quoting Aladdin. I love it. Um, but yeah, to your point too, and I would say we are booking up, you know, our technology assessments and strategic plans, you know, we do have a, a laundry list of people that want to get through that.

So if you are interested in something in this and making it a priority this year, reach out sooner than later. Um, so we can get you on the schedule and making sure that we're doing right by you. So we're always looking for new communities to, to, uh, invite over to the Alliance to make sure that you're intentional with your tech and allow you to do care better.

Um, and, you know, get rid of some of those technology headaches you're, uh, having  📍  📍 along the way.