04/09/2026
Why did we choose skilled nursing facilities?
Because that’s where the need is greatest.
1.2 million Americans live in nursing homes. 94% of those facilities are short-staffed. The turnover rate is 50% annually. Nursing hours per resident have declined 7% in the past decade, while deficiency citations have risen 40%.
Our founder, Sathya Elumalai, started Aidar Health because of his mom — because he knows what it’s like to worry about someone you love in a healthcare system that wasn’t built for them.
Over the past two years, our team embedded in the VA Health System, visited more than five nursing homes, and worked with over a thousand patients. We validated that our FDA-cleared MouthLab device could be used remotely — without any in-person training. We proved that 90%+ of patients would use it every single day.
Every step was a challenge. We proved the impact anyway.
It takes a village — and these are the people who show up every single day. Nurses, aides, clinicians, and residents, standing together as one community.
Read the full story from our founder: https://medium.com//why-nursing-homes-deserve-better-f875984f32b2
Do you have a loved one in a nursing home? We’d love to hear your story in the comments.
LeadingAge National Council on Aging Alzheimer's Association National Institutes of Health (NIH) StartUp Health MatrixCare PointClickCare