Hope you are all staying optimistic and energized about this topic -- as I am. Next month I officially launch the company, building on interest from the blog and research -- this is the real beginning of the next chapter. Stay tuned!

Aging in Place Technology Technology Watch content continues to invite strong interest -- besides consulting inquiries and requests for proposal, other sites have picked up publication of columns from it: Add RetirementHomes and 50+Digital to GilbertGuide, SmartSilvers, and AgeinPlace@Home to the list of content publishers -- and more sites like Ecumen and Caring.com link it in blog rolls. 

The 2009 Technology Market Overview (including Appendix of 40 vendors) will be launched (press release, the whole bit!) on March 18 at the Boomer What's Next Summit in Las Vegas. The key points of the market overview are built around four categories of need and related technology. These together can help enrich the lives of boomers and seniors, enabling them to stay longer in their homes. They are: communication and engagement, home safety and security, health and wellness, and contribution and learning -- which serve as the categories of included vendors. The market for these products today is in the $2 billion range, limited by lackof awareness, not to mention product cost and market immaturity. But by 2020 this market will grow to $20 billion -- an out-of-pocket cost that boomers will want to pay.

Blog highlights from this past month:

Desire versus Outcome: You can't always get what you want that examines the problem of denial interfering with boomer and senior hopes to remain at home.  How are Personal Emergency Response (PERS) devices going to reach an market that needs them?

Aging in Place and Tech-enabled healthcare are not in synch looks at several Deloitte studies that show how consumers want home-based health devices and Internet tools that would reduce doctors visits. But is the reimbursement model an enabler?

The New York Times 'endorsement' of home monitoring is good from the standpoint that it raises visibility to the opportunity for use of sensor technology to help seniors stay at home. But the medical establishment is unconvinced -- therein is a problem.

And our vendor of the month -- CrossLoop, a tech consultant marketplace -- with a free downloadable remote PC access tool that enables 15,000 independent consultants (around the world) to help boomers, seniors and everyone with PC-related problems.

Aside from these posts, I am increasingly interested in the senior village -- concierge services emerging in communities around the country focused on serving boomers and seniors who want to remain in their homes -- should they offer technology expertise in their list of services?

That's it for February!

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All the best,

Laurie Orlov, Principal Analyst

Aging in Place Technology Watch