Age in Place : A Watchful Eye


GrandCare Systems grants independence to the elderly and peace of mind to caregivers.

Demographics are changing. The elderly are growing as a group, and many of them want to maintain independence and stay in their homes. GrandCare System’s range of products creates a communication and monitoring path for the elderly, allowing them to retain their independent lifestyle.

Technology serves the elderly by using simple-to-operate touch screens that create a care triangle among seniors, families and caregivers. This allows the elderly to communicate with their family, doctors and even a monitoring company. In addition, it gives the elderly several layers of monitoring that assure family and friends that the senior citizen is safe and secure in their environment.
Ken Kerr, CEO of Home Controls, the nationwide distributor for GrandCare Systems, believes in the opportunity custom installers have with GrandCare Systems products.
“The elderly want to stay where they are and not go into assisted living. This demand is increasing as the baby boomer population ages. The time has come to meet this demand and technology has met the demand through GrandCare Systems products.”
The value proposition, as Kerr explains it, is that the family can constantly monitor the activities of their loved one. From making sure that they don’t leave their home unexpectedly through the use of door monitors, to monitoring blood pressure and other measureable health parameters, to offering a communication system via the touch panel, the elderly remain in contact with family members and health care providers.
Additionally, sensors can be installed to show whether a pill draw has been opened on time or if a bed has been slept in by using pressure-sensitive monitoring pads on the bed…All of this monitoring is pre-programmed so the elderly person does not need to be a technology expert to operate.
The touch screen can be programmed to have as many or as few buttons on the screen as needed for easy operation. The elderly person does not have to interact with the system at all, but if they are able, it can be the center for e-mail, Web browsing or any communication possible via the Internet. The system even has a button on the screen for getting the local weather.
Asking Kerr about the benefits of selling GrandCare for the typically A/V installer, he talked about the ease of installation and the remote programming of the system. Typically, it takes about half day to install, and most of the system uses wireless communication.

The recurring revenue stream from monitoring is an important part of the value proposition for the dealer. Although Kerr does not recommend a specific price for (monthly maintenance fee), he did mention that many dealers charge from $49.95 to $79.95 per month depending on the level of service included in the price.
Kerr’s company, Home Controls, is a national distributor. and by representing over 110 manufacturers, he emphasized that he understands what the dealer needs to be successful with GrandCare products. Education and training are fundamental, but they also need help with the marketing side. Kerr realizes that for dealers to be successful, they need to get the word out about this product range.
GrandCare products are selling to a market that is growing, working with families who want to take care of their loved ones. -end

NOTE FROM GRANDCARE SYSTEMS:
Hello and thanks to Custom Retailer Magazine for reporting on the Aging Tsunami and enabling technologies like the GrandCare System! I wanted to make a few clarifications: Ken Kerr’s company is called Home Controls (www.homecontrols.com). Also, there is no monitoring center officially involved with the GrandCare System. The system is a tool that authorized family & care providers can use to remotely access activity of daily living & tele-wellness information. They can use that info to set up automated notifications (someone didn’t take meds, left the house during the night, excessive weight gain, etc).

The monthly fee involves 24-7 online user access, full installation/maintenance support, automated software updates, automated GrandCare email, text, phone alerts to designated Care-partners.

Thanks so much to Ken Kerr from Home Controls & Custom Retailer Magazine for spreading the word on the ever-growing aging & technology industry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD0qdEZd1PM

To find a dealer near you: www.grandcare.com
The GrandCare Team!