The Future of Access Controls in Senior Living (2025 Trends)

The Future of Access Controls in Senior Living (2025 Trends) 

In 2025 (and beyond), owners and general managers of senior living centers will experience a change in technology. 

These changes will be both good and bad. Regardless, access controls in senior living will become essential in keeping this environment safe and efficient. 

Below is a list of 2025’s top access control trends in assisted living, backed by real-world stats and insights.

1. Contactless & Mobile Entry Becomes Standard

As communities move away from traditional keys and keypads, contactless and mobile entry will be the new standard. 

In 2024 alone, 48% of organizations said that contactless access will be a top trend, and 44% of them prioritized mobile credentials (with 39% already using smartphone-based ID). 

This shift will change how staff and visitors enter senior living facilities. Instead of human-to-human transactions, it’ll move to smartphone apps or wearables. This will reduce the need for staff welcoming guests, etc., and boost efficiency. 

2. Biometrics and Multi-Factor Security

Safety is a huge priority in a senior living facility. Not only for the people, but also for their data. 

Globally, organizations have already started to welcome biometrics for physical access. The adaptation jumped from 35 percent to 48 percent in 2025 alone. 

The reason for this drive is due to the benefits that multi-factor biometric security can offer. It’s one of the few security measures that cannot be tampered with. 

For example, let’s say you have a file of private, sensitive customer information that only select people can see. You can set this up to require multiple security checks before someone can open it, like a password, fingerprint, and facial recognition. 

This won’t only be used for digital access either. You can require multi-verification biometrics to enter certain spaces in your facility. 

3. Cloud-Based Management & Remote Monitoring

Already, senior living operators are embracing cloud-based access control systems with open arms, as it helps them manage their business remotely. 

For those in the industry, such cloud-based management offers flexibility. You’ll be able to control access remotely in the case of changing staff schedules or emergency lockdowns without being physically on site. 

Remote monitoring will also become more apparent. This will tell owners and managers what’s happening in their senior living facilities, night or day, while not being there. For example, if someone wanders, if someone leaves early, who entered what area and when, etc. 

Having such remote controls gives operators more monitoring capabilities. This data and information can then be optimised to provide a better and safer service. 

4. Integration with Cameras and Smart Systems

Unified security platforms that combine access control with video surveillance, nurse call systems, and other IoT sensors will be the future. 

Simply, operators want a single dashboard to see, for example, that the door “x” was opened, and then CCTV footage of the corresponding hallway appears. 

This is a key challenge in the sector as well. 77% of senior living operators say that there’s a lack of interoperability between systems.

In 2025 and beyond, though, this challenge will be solved, ensuring better situation awareness, faster incident response time, and fewer gaps in monitoring. 

5. Reliable Wifi and IoT Everywhere

Every elderly community in the US will encounter more tech. It’ll naturally happen as the world progresses and more IoT goods become available to the industry. 

Behind every high-tech building, however, is a strong network. Connectivity will be the backbone of operations. This will make having a good wifi network installed highly important. 

6. Enhanced Safety for Memory Care (Wander Control)

For residents with cognitive impairments, there will be a stronger focus on access control upgrades. 

Nearly 10% of people in the US have Alzheimer’s or dementia. Out of these, 6 out of 10 of them will wonder at least once during the course of their illness. 

The safety risks this can present are huge. If they wander and there’s no access control to restrict entry, they could wander into unsafe areas or worse, get lost. 

Because of this, wearable devices (either on-patient or off-patient) will become more popular, as they’ll help alert staff of individuals potentially wandering.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to upgrade your community access control or network to meet these 2025 trends, contact professionals at Beacon today. We’ll be more than happy to make the necessary upgrades to make residents safer and your business more efficient.