Five new technologies from LeadingAge Philadelphia 2018

From AAHSA to LeadingAge.  In 2010, this association was renamed LeadingAge – from the Association of Homes and Services for the Aging – a mouthful, shortened to AAHSA. As it was at first encounter in 2009, it is an association of faith-based and non-profit senior living and aging-related services. A rhetorical question, does LeadingAge, the association and event organizer, lead in the world of aging services? 

Or is it dragged into the future, one which older adults do not necessarily want – and also cannot afford?  From the 2016 event, attended by 6500, attendance had shrunk from 2009’s attending 9000. Meanwhile, the ‘aging in place’ concept is a reality for most older people. A small percent live in nursing homes. Most don’t move to senior living communities, which have been overbuilt in recent years -- and today are only 86% occupied.

What else should LeadingAge do? Consolidate with home care associations, for one, since that seems to be the more likely service provider for the oldest who cannot afford to move into LeadingAge companies. Consider more about virtual senior living – marketing services to individuals still living in nearby communities. Partner with the Village to Village Network with 200 active villages and many others launching. Include the larger population of service providers, not just its own members, in its 'consumer' online search for services, for another.  The Philadelphia event hosted a simulated Day in the Life that included Hamilton Captel (tech for hearing impaired) and VR startup Embodied Labs. The show also had a Startup Garage – here are five companies from that section (material from their websites):

• Keenly Health. "Using state-of-the-art Ultra Wide Band (UWB) radar, Keenly Health intelligently monitors vital signs and patient activities to provide a distinctive window into a resident’s current and future health state. Keenly Health’s Big Data platform will analyze and compare gathered data continuously and quickly detect changes and trends to help identify exacerbation of chronic disease and help avoid the development of complications such as pressure ulcers, falls, and infections." Learn more at Keenly Health.

• MyFrontPageStory.  "MyFrontPageStory.com brings the stories of everyday heroes to life. We specialize in telling stories about great people and turning them into their own personal newspaper front page. We have a team of professional journalists who conduct interviews and write feature-length stories that honor loved ones and celebrate major life milestones." Learn more at MyFrontPageStory.

• OneClick.chat. "OneClick.chat leverages video chat technology to increase social engagement opportunities for seniors.Our platform can help you build trust, respond to questions, and create a space for real conversations. Create a room to connect directly with your community,or connect your community with each other."  Learn more at OneCLick.chat.

• SofiHub. "Sofihub is an IoT (Internet of Things) device that contains AI (Artificial Intelligence that connects to sensors in our senior's homes. The systems "learns" the senior's behavior and will send an if something out of the ordinary happens in their home. In addition, Sofi will provide morning greetings, medication s and family communication."  Learn more at SofiHub.

• SoundMindInc.  "Customized devices and personalized voice assistants to easily access the internet, relevant information, entertainment, communication, and more, simply by speaking. Connect the Dots brings the modern convenience of voice assistants to senior living. It gives administrators and caregivers tools to manage everyone's account and deliver personalized calendar information, reminders, messaging, and entertainment to residents all on one secure and easy to platform." Learn more at SoundMindInc.