Five new technologies for aging in place

Rounding up from a series of press releases over the past two months, here are some new technologies and/or services that may be new to you, for use by or in support of older adults.  All material is from the vendor published information:

Securus, Inc. offers the eCare+Voice Mobile Medical Alert System.  "eCare+Voice was designed to enable active seniors to live confidently and independently. It is a one-­‐of-­‐a-­‐kind, compact emergency phone that connects users with the Securus Emergency Care Center via two-­‐way voice communication, just by pressing the alert button. Unlike other medical alert devices, eCare+Voice is fully self-­‐contained and works indoors and outdoors, anywhere in the US, with a powerful microphone and speaker built directly into the unit. The eCare+Voice unit has a long-­‐lasting battery and can be recharged using a cord-­‐free, inductive charging pad."  Learn more at SecurusGPS.com.

Verizon buys Hughes Telematics. "Hughes, based in Atlanta, sells products that offer GPS tracking, communications and safety features in cars. The deal gives Verizon a new source of growth as it faces saturation in the U.S. market for mobile phones and land lines. Verizon is competing with carriers like AT&T Inc. (T) and other companies such as Apple Inc. (AAPL), which sells both devices and services.. Hughes Telematics is developing a wearable device with one-touch access to an emergency assistance call center. Inside the device, a cellular modem will enable wireless voice and data communications, and embedded sensors will allow location-based monitoring of the person wearing the device." Learn more at Hughes Telematics.com.

GreatCall announces the Jitterbug Plus. "GreatCall, Inc. announced the national availability of its new Jitterbug® Plus cell phone. The new phone offers a sleek and simple design along with a smart new feature set that includes a stronger battery life and improved speaker, packaged in a lightweight, comfortable handset.  The Jitterbug Plus also features an easy-to-use camera with a thoughtful one-touch photo sharing service that allows users to share their photos with the touch of a button.  The celebrated design that made the Jitterbug the gold standard of simplicity stays the same, including the ability to easily turn features on or off to match your lifestyle, but avoid feature overload."  Learn more at GreatCall.com.

Remote patient monitoring service connects patients and caregivers.  "AT&T has signed an agreement with Valued Relationships Inc. (VRI) to deliver a remote patient monitoring service to more effectively manage chronic diseases and help reduce hospital readmissions. The end-to-end managed service is scheduled to be available in the third quarter of 2012. The managed solution will allow a VRI nurse-staffed telemonitoring center to monitor patients around the clock for everything ranging from basic vital signs to chronic diseases, following standard of care guidelines established by physicians and healthcare providers. The intelligent service can alert caregivers when intervention is needed." Learn more at Monitoringcare.com.

Silent Call Communications receiver watch provides mobility.  "Silent Call Communications, a company that provides visual and tactile alerting devices to organizations, companies and individuals alike, has introduced the Signature Series Receiver Watch, alerting the wearer quickly to visitors, calls, and emergencies. The watch is portable, with a range of up to 250 feet, and allows the person wearing it to be fully in-touch with what is going on in their home without missing out on their lives.  It receives a signal and then displays a digital icon while emitting distinct pulse vibrations, designating which transmitter sent the signal. The watch can monitor phones, smoke detectors, doorbells, weather alert systems, sound monitors, and other Silent Call Signature Series 418MHz transmitters.”  Learn more at SilentCall.com.