Mobile PERS

An increasingly tech-oriented society makes older adult tech adoption critical. While many information-based offerings are now AI-enabled, many other capabilities like wearables and sensors, can offer safety features or be enablers for those with physical challenges -- including mobility and hearing. In addition, for those who are most comfortable interacting with a smart TV, there are new solutions that make the TV a more effective device, improve walking, or enable greater safety when out and about.  Here are five first-time entrants in this year’s report that fit that category – all content directly from the companies:

Refresh required.  Each year, the Technology for Aging Market Overview is revised in January of the new year.  This year, that revision is being published right after CES 2024, which featured multiple offerings of possible utility to older adults, especially those with physical limitations.  The purpose of the document, however, is to aggregate and review trends from 2023 that shape 2024, technology changes that matter, and offer, by category, a sampling of products, services, and sites of relevance to the older adult market.  As such, the report is intended for those businesses (for-profit, non-profit) and services that want and need to serve the older adult segment.

And in other news, CMS really wants older adults with dementia to remain in their homes.  The government agency seems to have given up on improving the quality or affordability of dementia care in senior living or nursing homes. The new GUIDE program will support caregivers and ‘enable people living with dementia to remain in their homes and communities.’ But is that the best setting for dementia care? No way to share meals with others, access staff-run activities, and build on the expertise of caring for people with dementia that the senior-related industries already established?  Never mind enabling caregivers to enter a robust job market away from their homes. Just asking. Here are the posts:

Has anyone you know fallen and couldn’t get up?  If so, would you pick up the phone and call Life Alert, the purveyor of those miserable ads on TV?  This is not a fun company – read the reviews about working there. Philips launched its own Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) offering in 2005 through the acquisition of Lifeline Systems and gave up 16 years later, selling it to Connect America. Since then, Medical Guardian became a market leader ($100 million investment from WaterStreet), with Florence Henderson as spokesperson. And so some believe this is a viable (standalone?) market and believe that it has a low penetration rate into the potential market of worried older adults or their physicians and families.

The AI hype cycle is distracting everyone. That is inclusive of very large companies. And doubts continue to emerge in the media that make it seem like we are in the slough of despond, otherwise known as the low point of the Gartner Hype Cycle. Note the concerted efforts to find and publicize deficiencies and mistakes, reinforcing the premise that it is too early for benefits across industries like senior living or home care. But it’s not too early, as the new report, The Future of AI and Older Adults 2023, points out through interviews with those deploying conversational AI and machine learning technology today.  And from the other May blog posts: