Leveraging Technology to Simplify Medication Management, by Jerry Hahn

Mr. Hahn entered the telehealth industry in 2003 after spending most of his career developing space shuttle, robotic, and a wide array of automated systems.  His early experience has served him well enabling him to leverage his automation background into the development of MedSignals, a state of the art, talking, communicating, intelligent, portable medication management device and system.

When used by a patient, MedSignals automatically captures medication adherence detail and forwards it to a server that supports remote monitoring and caregiver alerts.  MedSignals remote management also enables an authorized caregiver to adjust MedSignals regimens on the system and to download new settings to the patient’s device.

2pm EDT Thursday July 23rd Dial: 269-320-8200 Pin: 968410

Web-portion: www.dimdim.com meeting room: grandcare

I read Jack Halpern’s blog today: Elders Are in Danger
http://boomerauthority.ning.com/profiles/blogs/our-elders-are-in-danger

It really made me start to think about the reasons we keep tabs on mom and dad. Not only to make sure they are healthy, happy and safe, but also we should be making sure that if they are in the care of someone else, that everything is as it should be.

We have heard the caregiver horror stories. We allow someone else to care for our loved one and things aren’t how they should be – perhaps they aren’t being talked to, fed, groomed or cared for?
We don’t need to rely on faith anymore! The family can be involved remotely – with the technologies we have available. You can use the remote monitoring tech solutions to make sure your loved one is taking care of himself/herself, but also to make sure that the caregivers and nursing staff are doing what they are “supposed” to be doing. Know that your loved one ate, drank, went to the bathroom, got out of bed, left the room, etc. This is all possible whether they are in the comfort of their own home or at a facility – – when this happens, there’s no reason that we should blindly have faith that they are going to love our parents like we do. we need to be proactive and ENSURE that our loved ones are receiving top-notch care that we are PAYING for. Elder neglect can happen and a loved one might not even be able to express it. We would certainly NEVER allow our children in a daycare center if we weren’t CERTAIN they were receiving the best care and being attended to. Why not put up the same standards for our parents. We have the technology to take matters into our own hands. Be in control of our own fate – our parent’s fate! They are counting on us!!

Technology can enhance the way we live today. We use technology in almost everything we do. If you drove to work today, you already used a computer (car). If you checked your messages, sent emails, typed in information, are reading this, etc…you are using computers to complete every day tasks.

Tonight when you go home to watch a show on DVR (computer) or listen to your IPOD, think about why we enjoy all of these technologies, yet shy away when these same technologies can be used to enhance a loved one’s life, keep him/her independent, living at home and happy!

GrandCare Systems is just one example of an enabling technology solution. GrandCare is a communication, cognition and monitoring technology designed to keep individuals safe, happy, healthy and connected to family, while staying at home!

GrandCare utilizes a variety of wireless telewellness, activity and cognition sensors to let the care-partners know that all is well. If not, they can easily receive a phone call, email or text alert. Care-partners can also digitally send pictures, messages, emails, med reminders, calendar events, family videos, favorite music, trivia, weather reports and more to a dedicated communication portal. We call this feature the Communication Station.

We would never consider driving anywhere with children in the car (without a car seat). We don’t expect to get into an accident, but we’re certainly going to be prepared. Why wouldn’t we be prepared for ourselves and our parents? It’s time we “age responsibly” and take care of ourselves and our loved ones.