Blogs

You know and I know that all older adults do not love and relate to their computers. And their computers are not loveable. I will spare you a rant this time and not count the ways.

At least with directory sites -- you basically know where you stand -- somewhere in them is a business model for listing long-term care housing and service directory entries, referring and being compensated for leads about those entries, and advertising. Not so with caregiving portals. Here, if there is a business motive, it's about advertising and a cut of the commerce, if any, on the site.

Recently Caring.com (targeting family caregivers) acquired Gilbert Guide (a senior care directory, also aimed at family caregivers) -- combined firm gets more critical mass and content than either had separately. What happens now and is it significant? I talked with Caring.com's CEO Andy Cohen and Gilbert Guide's CEO Jill Gilbert to try to figure it out.

I tend not to write about gadgets -- but the TV remote has bugged me for a while -- since the analog-digital switch, my mother-in-law struggles to use the remote control of her new digital TV.  Sometimes she gets it by reading printed directions. Sometimes she just yanks the cord out of the wall to turn it off. Somehow, I don't think she is the only one who used to have an older-style dial TV that you walked up to and switched on. From an e-mail I received recently: "When we gave the new TV to my husband's mother, she said, "what's with all the buttons? Up, down, off, on.

It's only early October -- many trade shows and events ahead. Prior to attending any of the fall and winter product launching events, I wanted to let you know of some companies I've heard from in recent months -- and invite those in the aging technology, caregiver website/directory business, and telehealth arena to send me your press releases (now posted on the site). And if you know of someone I should know about, let me know.

Simplicity. Recently I ranted about Apple and their non-recognition of the age 50+ market. And of course, Amazon doesn't really acknowledge how much boomers and seniors love the Kindle.

Denial of need, current and future, has been a recurring theme lately.  We have a push to get people out of nursing homes and into independent living, we have boomers who want (mostly) to age in their own homes, generally in the suburbs.

Another aging tech gap that must be filled. I received an e-mail the other day that pointed out: "I’m very interested in the role of technology and read about a lot of products – the thing that I don’t see much about is what types of solution providers are doing the installation, servicing, etc. It’s actually a business I’ve considered entering – but have yet to find any reference points on this side of the industry."

This is truly special.  Business Week has devoted a special report to Aging in Place. We've seen newspaper and magazine articles, usually on the social curiosity or human interest aspect of using technology to help seniors. In this case, there are many, many small vendors and organizations who are investing and slowly growing their businesses that will serve us as we age.

Why does this bug me? It sounds so good. Another state as described in today's NY Times article, this time Pennsylvania, uses federal funds and state Medicaid money (totaling $1.75 billion) to move individuals from a nursing home out into the community.