Perhaps you have seen the scary Apple Watch ad about 911 calls. If not,here it is, short but it’s a doozy. Three examples of desperate 911 calls. Young woman trapped in car filling with water, young man paddle-boarding, wind pushing him out to sea, and a farmer who fell and can’t move (at the end, we calm down because all were rescued by emergency responders.) So this is the argument for the $749 or more for Series 7 Apple watch with Cellular access? Not an 82-year-old woman living alone, but instead, selling heart-racing fear to the young. Why it could open a whole new market of watch buyers and upgraders. So what could go wrong – and what about this IS wrong?
So much happened in 2021 that should benefit older adults. It should be more feasible topurchase hearing aids ‘over the counter’ without an exam (offered for many years in Japan, but whatever...) and at a price point that is more reasonable for largely uninsured devices. Honor bought Home Instead – which should result in more technology used in the home care industry -- and soon, hopefully, for an industry suffering from a severe labor shortage. LifeStation (never a first mover) became the latest to introduce a PERS watch, which should be the non-stigmatizing form factor for Personal Emergency Response devices. Big tech revealed growing interest in older adults and investors saw the potential in firms like Papa, which provides (reimbursed) varied assistance to older adults. Lowe’s prioritized helping older adults and partnered with AARP, which should help older adults benefit from smart homes. And maybe the big deal starts now -- the oldest baby boomers turn 76, which should trigger even more investment in 2022 and beyond. Here are the four December posts:
HERZLIYA, Israel – December 8, 2021 – Essence Group, a leading technology group developing IoT-based security, safety and healthcare solutions for homes, families and businesses, today announced it will showcase the world’s first 5G-enabled mobile personal emergency response system (mPERS) at CES 2022 in January.
ModivCare Inc., a technology-enabled healthcare services company that provides integrated supportive care solutions focused on improving patient outcomes, today announced that the Company has signed a purchase agreement to acquire VRI Intermediate Holdings, LLC (“VRI”), a provider of remote patient monitoring (“RPM”) solutions.
AUSTIN, Texas, June 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UnaliWear and FirstLight Homecare of Idaho announced today that they have formed a strategic partnership to co-market the Kanega Watch medical alert system to FirstLight's clients.
Aloe Care Health, the worlds' most advanced voice-activated medical alert system and caregiver support platform, has partnered with BioIntelliSense to integrate its revolutionary medical grade remote patient monitoring (RPM) multi-parameter wearable devices and data services. This represents a significant milestone with the BioIntelliSense FDA-cleared BioSticker™ and medical grade BioButton™ becoming the first RPM devices to earn the “Certified by Aloe Care” designation.
BALA CYNWYD, Pa., May 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Connect America.com, LLC, a nationally recognized leading innovator in connected health solutions, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Aging and Caregiving (ACG) business from Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG). The ACG business offers the Lifeline Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) and senior living solutions with 24/7 access to trained care specialists, and digital solutions that help caregivers stay connected and coordinate their loved one's needs.