Buzz in the press is good for all.  Articles about using technology to monitor aging parents -- like the most recent two in the Thursday NY Times by Hilary Stout and Eric Taub can be great for the aging tech industry. They generate buzz and interest in the media; they are syndicated and carried throughout the Internet; re-mailed (many times to me); they boost awareness of prospective buyers; and create curiosity and even leads, both of consumer prospects as well as vendors and dealer channels.  Given buzz like this, one might think that technologies to help monitor your aging parents will now be well-understood and vendors will have to spend less of their time educating and explaining, and more time just taking orders. We thought that in February, 2009 Times article by John Leland by John Leland. Meanwhile, Living Independently Group launched QuietCare in 2003 -- when remote monitoring then really was fairly 'new'.  And then again, in September, 2009, in Business Week, when Arlene Weintraub wrote about the business of aging in place. Oh, were it true. >>> Read more . . .

Remote monitoring (BeClose, GrandCare), medication reminders (MedMinder and iReminder).

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Remote self-care monitoring at home - gaining traction per WSJ. 

OAKLAND, Calif., July 19, 2010 – The Center for Technology and Aging today announced grants to five organizations for remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology projects that will demonstrate how RPM improves the quality and efficiency of chronic disease management  and post-acute care of older adults.  Each project involves a coordinated effort among patients, families and caregivers. >>> Read more . . .

myHalo, PERS 2.0, Automatic Fall Detection are Redefining the Medical Alarm Market

Huntsville, Alabama (July 19, 2010)

Halo Monitoring, Inc., provider of the world's most reliable and easy to use elderly fall monitoring system, will exhibit myHalo® at the Seventh Annual Healthcare Unbound Conference this week in San Diego, CA.  Company co-founder and CEO, Chris A. Otto, will be speaking during a panel presentation titled "PERS 2.0", a term Otto and Halo Monitoring coined in early 2009. >>> Read more . . .

Tech coalitions -- small steps to the start of a community service? Last week was the start of a new Forum category, Community Coalitions About Aging Technology, with San Diego County as the first entrant - 'to help local organizations become more familiar with technologies that could help seniors in the county.' Soon to have their first meeting, Denise Nelesen spoke about the intent, which is to bring local organizations up to speed on what products are out there. She is particularly interested in moving beyond 'computers in libraries' to other categories of products that could be useful to seniors. If others have similar local initiatives and ideas about how to do this, please post in the forum. >>> Read more . . .

 No new technology -- huh? Sometimes ya gotta wonder. Listening on a call to a group of senior housing executives recently, I was intrigued by the comment of one of them: "There isn't any new technology."  The context was a rationalization of the technology areas they are currently engaged in (home monitoring, senior communication). I was reminded of that old cliche: "You snooze, you lose." In this as in all technology categories, every day an entrepreneur wakes up and says to themselves, 'I can do that.' I know -- I hear from them. They are reminded somehow of population demographics or they are engaged in the care of their grandparents, or they just walked out of a senior housing community and could not believe how out of touch the management was -- and therefore they would become -- if their parent moved in. Company of the month that I bet the speaker hasn't heard of -- InTouchLink -- software for seniors -- yeah, appropriate for senior housing organizations.

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Tech is useful, but deployment approach needs some work.  So here's an article about Senior Lifestyles Corporation and their deployment of QuietCare in a Florida (Fort Pierce) Assisted Living community. Was this a happy experience, like the NY Times article last year about keeping frail individuals longer in their homes through effective remote monitoring? Sadly, no. This one cites a family member describing the additional $200/month charge for QuietCare as 'elder abuse' while contemplating legal action. Another resident circulated a petition protesting the installation, and the local ombudsman has now weighed in and discussed the situation with the press. Hmm. That didn't go well. >>> Read more . . .

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2010

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:     Jon Weiner, 919.459.8161, jweiner@seniorhelpers.com
Sue Yannello, 919.459.8162, syannello@seniorhelpers.com

Leading Senior Care Provider Announces New National Partnership
Agreement makes innovative emergency response system available to families across the nation

Towson, Md. (June 23, 2010) – What if something happens and nobody’s there to help? >>> Read more . . .