CEDIA presents: Home Health Technology And You…In 60 mins or less…led by GrandCare

Home Health Technology and You…in 60 minutes or less

July 26, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. EDT

Presented by Laura Mitchell, VP Marketing for GrandCare Systems

The statistics are in – the aging population is growing faster than ever and service providers and family caregivers are turning to technology as a solution. Find out why this industry is growing so fast, why dealers/integrators are a necessary component and 10 steps to quickly get started! 

Laura Mitchell, VP Marketing, GrandCare Systems

  Laura is a founding member of GrandCare Systems, a software technology that combines aspects of Home Automation, Social Networking, Video Chat, Entertainment, Activity of Daily Living monitoring and Tele-health assessment into one flexible and easy-to-use system.  A significant part of her role was to bring the product to market through the development of a nation-wide distributor/dealer network while getting the GrandCare brand known throughout the industry.  Laura specializes in Social Media and non-traditional guerilla marketing.  Laura was a 2011 recipient of the Flame Award for Excellence in Leadership and Innovation from the What’s Next 2011 Boomer Business Innovation Awards.

Laura speaks throughout the country on Social Media, Go-to-market Strategies and Enabling Technologies in the Aging Industry.

She is a founding member and serves as a Director on the AgeTek Alliance board (www.agetek.org), is a key organizer for the EHX and CEDIA Home Health Pavilions and Educational Tracks, and is the creator/host of the bi-weekly, industry-wide GrandCare Aging and Technology webinars.

Laura is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Madison and lives in Wisconsin with her husband and her two little boys.

For more information on this webinar, visit: http://www.cedia.net/education/elearning_webinar.php

Thought of the Day from GrandCare’s Founder: Charlie Hillman

Technology that is properly applied will not only enable, but also strengthen the social bonds between the loved one, their caregiving network and future generations.  A successful technology will consider all of the aspects of aging to positively affect physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness.  If our society does not embrace available technologies to encourage responsible aging, the healthcare costs and the emotional toll taken on familial caregivers will be staggering. Charlie Hillman Founder, GrandCare Systems

A Connected Living Boom for Boomers

An article from viodi.com
June 21st 2011
By Ken Pyle, Managing Editor

Declining population and an aging demographic are challenges for many rural U.S. telecom operators and their communities. These challenges may be even greater in other countries, such as China where it will only take 26 years for its population aged 65 and over to increase from 7 to 14% of the general populace (as compared to 76% for the U.S.). Where there are challenges, there are also opportunities and the focus of last week’s 8th Annual Boomer Venture Summit at Santa Clara University was on the opportunities to serve an aging population through new devices and services.

Greg O’Neill, PhD, of the National Academy on an Aging Society, indicated that as societies move from an agricultural to industrial to service economy and get wealthier, they also make a demographic transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates. There is concern that some of the developing countries will make this transition too quickly and that they will, “Grow old before they grow rich.”

Panel at 8th Annual Boomer Venture SummitOne implication of this demographic trend is that China will not be the low-cost labor competitor in 10 years. O’Neill thinks there is an opportunity to create products and services for the growing senior market, whether in the U.S or internationally. The challenge may be making these products and services affordable.
Panel at 8th Annual Boomer Venture Summit

Scott Collins, president and CEO of Linkage, which is essentially a buying organization for senior living communities, warned of “A wave of poverty coming down the road.” He said that affordability is a key need.

One organization that is morphing to reflect a changing environment is AARP. Jody Holtzmann, SVP of Thought Leadership for AARP, emphasized how AARP has to be mission driven, instead of organization-driven. Their mission of improving the quality of life of all, as people age reflected the conference exhibitors and speakers who offered up products and services such as:

  • A Cellular radio-based, inexpensive Personal Emergency Response System, from SurePod, that provides mobility and a two-way voice connection to a call center in the event of an emergency.
  • Body Area Networking – ReFlex Wireless, a start-up has developed a series of wireless sensors for monitoring parameters such as pulse, heart rhythms, position and envisions applications both within the hospital and at home.
  • More than just transportation, SilverRide provides companionship and personalized activities for their customers. Reliable transportation is an important element in helping people age at home.
  • Flipper Remote – a simple, six button remote control. Their new model promises to tune Internet video programming as well.
  • Home Health Tech – a distributor to dealers of technology that helps people live independent in their own homes. Home Health Tech distributes products from GrandCare Systems and Presto were featured in this video interview at CES 2011.
  • Cookstop – stovetop fire prevention, which turns off the stove if motion isn’t detected in a user-determined amount of time. They are finding that it has use from seniors to college students.

The Cookstop product is indicative of a design approach that AARP advocates in their recently issued report, “Connected Living for Social Aging: Designing Technology for All.” In the forward to that report, Holtzmann suggests that, “the ‘lens’ of every user group must be a conscious part of the design function.”

An underlying assumption to the report is the availability of some form of wired or wireless broadband. AARP sees broadband, coupled with new devices, transforming the way people volunteer, socialize and work in their senior years. The report advises vendors to move forward with better products that will help baby boomers stay connected and live social lives; echoing the theme of the 8th Annual Boomer Venture Summit.

Why Digital Home Health Isn’t Selling by Jason Knott

Here’s an article from CE Pro  June 20th 2011 By Jason Knott – his view on Why Digital Home Health Isn’t Selling….what do you think??? To read the article: http://www.cepro.com/article/why_digital_home_health_isnt_selling/  

Dealers lack the sales skills for digital home health market that is ready to take off.

As the residential market continues to flatten and integrators seek out alternatives, why haven’t more dealers looked into digital home healthcare? After taking a full-day GrandCare Systems training recently at Home Controls Inc., here are a few of my conclusions.

The market is growing: There will be 70 million senior citizens by the year 2030, double the number from the year 2000. This one is even more mind boggling: there will be 1 million people over the age of 100 by the year 2050. Almost none of us will able to afford nursing homes.

The systems are profitable: Systems from companies like GrandCare offer healthy margins for dealers.

The systems offer recurring revenue: Dealers can earn solid “alarm-like” recurring monthly revenues from home health systems.

There is an entry-level option: Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) offer a lower-cost option to “get your feet wet” in the market.

Systems are easy to install: The GrandCare System is stand alone, it does not and cannot integrate with a home control system. That might be a drawback in terms of providing a totally seamless solution for customers, but is probably not a reason for not even offering these systems. Plus, the installation is way easier than installing a control system or even an A/V system.

There is no liability to the dealer: In the case of GrandCare, the system liability is borne by the manufacturer, not the integrator. Besides, the system is not a PERS. It is not designed to detect when granny falls down the stairs.

Since all the stars seemed to be aligned for aging in place systems, why aren’t they selling? The only conclusion I can come to is that integrators are unwilling to put in the sales effort. For the average integrator, the systems are not easy to sell. The sales process requires educating both the caretaker and/or the family of the elderly client. It can be slow with a lot of hand-holding.

Selling digital home health also means you have to establish relationships with a new set of partners (nurse care, physical therapists, oxygen supply providers, etc.), and A/V guys don’t want to do that.

If you want to put in the work, the home health market is ripe for the picking. If you don’t, then you will be on the outside looking in on a market that is unquestionably going to be huge.

Am I wrong?

CE Pro  June 20th 2011 By Jason Knott

About the Author

Jason Knott, Editor, CE Pro
Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990. He joined EH Publishing in 2000, and before that served as publisher and editor of Security Sales, a leading magazine for the security industry. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California.

5 Comments

Posted by Paul Self  on  06/20  at  10:04 AM

I believe it is more about the transition from the AV/Home Theater dealer to being a true Electronics Systems Contractor (ESC). This industry is struggling to transition from “Home Theater” guys to really address the electronic needs of our lives (even as we age). This same speed bump happened with IT services and video gaming. The CEDIA market practically fought back because it was not home theater, whole house AV, or control system. The industry is still struggling with energy management, which is a lot more than energy monitoring. This industry is at an important juncture that will require a lot of dealers to adjust to being a true ESC.

Posted by Stephen  on  06/20  at  12:41 PM

Have you ever tried to sell tech to old people?

Posted by Paul Self  on  06/20  at  01:03 PM

Therein lies the problem. This article is about selling piece of mind to care givers and helping an aging population live in their own home with autonomy. It isn’t about selling technology to old people. They do not want to live in a “old people’s home”. They want to live at home and not be a bother to their children. They key is to sell the benefit, not to sell the technology. The CEDIA market is struggling past that transition of selling the cool technology and start selling the benefit. We are touching everything electronically in the home, and yet we ignore a major lifestyle shift, aging in place.

Posted by Jason Knott  on  06/20  at  01:17 PM

Paul is right on. The primary sales target is the family member and/or caregiver, not the elderly “loved one.”

Posted by Laura Mitchell – GrandCare Systems  on  06/21  at  09:17 AM

This is an interesting article, Jason, thanks for posting!

I see a few reasons why the market has been slow to accept!  One of the problems was technology in general!  It took a while to really get a hold on the industry!  We started selling GrandCare back in 2006, set up a dealer network in 2007.  Some of it was just a waiting game, waiting until the market caught up with the early dealers’ visions.

I think in a lot of ways, all of our dealers have been extremely visionary, so often way ahead of the curve. They saw the need, they saw the solution years before the general public noticed.

So, some of it was just getting prepared, waiting it out, getting educated and educating their local population on the solutions available.

I do agree with you that so often, there is much more hand holding and explanation/education involved (at least for now) in this industry. We often find that many of our dealers that are successful have experience already in the elder care market OR have been smart to partner with an aging expert.  Some of our dealers have partnered or hired on a geriatric care manager, nurse, continuum of care expert, etc.  These partners are the ones that know HOW to talk with the caregivers/loved ones AND they know how to identify problems and help to solve them using technology.

It’s darn hard to sell something to a demographic that you really know nothing about. For this very reason, in 2008, I started up industry wide aging/technology webinars. They were designed to educate our dealers on the aging market and how to apply tech to those situations!  They are still happening – the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month – we meet here: http://grandcaresystems.webex.com (all are welcome)

Biggest mistake is when a dealer joins this market to “make a quick buck” – it’s not an easy sale, but it IS fulfilling, heartwarming and as an added bonus, the margins are good!

Thanks for the post!


Squidoo or Not Squidoo….that is the question….

http://www.squidoo.com/grandcare-systems

I just learned a bit more about Squidoo and am happy to say, finally, I can consider myself a worthy squid! GrandCare now has a ‘Lens’ on Squidoo! Check it out, let me know what you think! I would also be interested in hearing about your experiences on Squidoo…has it been helpful? are you finding interesting content? Really trying to delve into all areas of social media, so I can effectively give advice on which are the most worthy of a company’s time!!  Please stop by our site and Sign our Guestbook 🙂

http://www.squidoo.com/grandcare-systems

GrandCare featured in: The Homes-built for-Boomers Boom

Great article about GrandCare Canadian Reseller, UberHome!  The article describes the GrandCare technology that UberHome provides!!

As the largest generation of the last century approaches their senior years, the aging-in-place philosophy looks to become the next great revolution in housing.

Baby Boomers

What do today’s baby boomers and Disney’s Peter Pan have in common? According to research done by Doctor Donald Shiner of Mount Saint Vincent University, they both feel as though they will never grow old. Now everyone knows that acting young can keep you feeling young at heart and possibly lead to a longer life, but Dr. Shiner is warning boomers that denying or neglecting the fact that they are aging prevents boomers from making necessary changes to their home and lifestyle.

“1,000 boomers are turning 65 each day as of January 2011 for the next 20 years,” explains Dr. Shiner. “There is no way Canada as a country can take care of that many people. Hospitals and senior housing just won’t have enough space and the country just can’t do it financially.”

This age wave is a ticking time bomb the residential housing industry has been discussing for years. Now that many are aware of the issue, industry leaders are undergoing significant changes to accommodate Canada’s rapidly aging population.

Aging-in-place is the new term, and builders and renovators who understand the issues of an aging population are starting to educate boomers on options available to make life comfortable, safe, and accessible. Aging-in-place design principles can be applied to almost any style of home.

“Builders are now faced with an opportunity to make life better for all clients as they age,” says Dr. Shiner. “Not only can the home have a higher resale value, but the space becomes accessible to seniors, the disabled, children and anyone recovering from an accident.”

Aging-in-place modifications can be as simple as changing the doorframes from 32 inches to 36 inches, or installing a comfort-height toilet with grab bars in the bathroom. The bathroom is an accident-prone space not only for seniors, but also for adults and families, and renovations can be done now to keep people out of the emergency room and safe in their own home.

Read more

‘The Talk’ With Mom and Dad -Wall Street Journal reports!!!

This is another great article by the Wall Street Journal’s Sue Shellenbarger (see below)!!!  The business approach is absolutely a great way to get everyone involved and really make the decisions together! We find that with technologies, this is often a great way to approach the situation as well. When we have a family that is considering installing the GrandCare technology (sometimes, the family members say if a Loved One agrees to adopt some sort of remote wellness technology like GrandCare, they will have the assurance and peace of mind to let them stay at home). If a Loved One is engaged and part of that process, it can be a very connected and family-oriented solution! Of course, as the author mentions – if a Loved One is incapable of making this decision (dementia or other mental troubles) that would change the decision process altogether. Often times, I think there is no ONE correct solution, instead there are many puzzle pieces that fit together to provide the perfect in-home solution.  With the new technologies out there, it has added a new “step” into the continuum of care. The new phase can be thought of as enabling technologies. GrandCare, like many others, absolutely requires a human caregiver in order to properly function. Much like a baby monitor, if nobody is on the other end, it really does no good.

GrandCare technology is a tool designed to help caregivers make better informed decisions, connect with their loved ones (by video chatting, sending pictures, videos, music, games, trivia, etc.), and have “peace of mind” that a loved one is safe, happy and healthy at home. I believe that there are many times when an in-home care provider and some type of monitoring technology like GrandCare can be a perfect synergy. GrandCare does not have panning cameras, but instead acts like a customized security system (complete with motion, indoor temperature, lighting, caller-id, door sensors while combining telewellness such as blood pressure, weight, pulseox, glucose, medication dispensers).  There is obviously no one size fits all, but that’s where the customization plays such a huge role! It’s exciting that there are so many options out there – and people can choose exactly what fits their needs.

‘The Talk’ With Mom and Dad

When the time came for Kathy Peel’s mother and father to consider moving into an assisted-living facility, Ms. Peel tried reasoning with them, citing examples of friends who were happy they had made the move.

 

workfam

Morris and Kathryn Weeks helped write a ‘strategic plan’ before deciding to move to a senior-living community in Memphis.

When that didn’t work, she took a business approach. Ms. Peel and her husband Bill convened a conference at her parents’ kitchen table in Memphis and helped them write a three-page “strategic plan.” Her parents, Morris and Kathryn Weeks —both retired businesspeople in their late 80s—joined in, talking about their goals and helping list dozens of pros and cons to staying in their home.

Among the pros the family agreed on were the Weeks’ “positive attitude” and desire to share care for each other. But the cons loomed large, including the fact that no family members lived nearby to provide emergency care in a crisis. Ms. Peel had been forced to make 10 trips to Memphis from her home in Dallas in 2009 to help her parents with health problems, from her mother’s heart ailment to her father’s failure to notice her bout with dehydration. Ms. Peel printed the plan, and after mulling it for a few weeks, the Weeks agreed to move to a senior-living community in Memphis.

It’s an agonizing discussion for adult children: whether elderly parents can no longer live on their own. Some 42% of adults between ages 45 and 65 cite the topic as the most difficult one to discuss with their parents, according to a 2006 survey of 1,000 people by Home Instead Inc., an Omaha, Neb., provider of in-home care. And 31% said their biggest communication obstacle is getting stuck in the parent-child roles of the past.

Read more

Breaking News – – Reminding people to do stuff, helps make them do stuff…

I always am happy to read articles with yet more proof that we are all exactly in the right industry and on the right track! Medication Compliance is one of the leading drivers to assisted living. Any months that we can save of supervised care can save thousands of dollars. We must, as a country, embrace enabling remote monitoring technologies to save money, encourage independence and prompt health/wellness and good decision making.  We use technologies every day (I certainly use an alarm clock to get up in the morning) and my google calendar sends me text message reminders about my appointments so I don’t miss them. All we need to do is provide this information to the seniors and individuals that need these prompts/reminders in an effective and user-friendly format.  It sounds like Memotext has hit the nail on the head!

GrandCare Systems is also working towards this common goal, to help individuals help themselves.  To maintain independence, encourage healthy choices and keep them socially connected to family (video chat, emails, reminders, calendar appts, pictures, videos, music, games, etc.) in a user-friendly format (no computer skills necessary).
GrandCare can prompt a Loved One (via their TV screen or telephone) to take meds, eat, take vitals (BP, Weight, Pulseox, glucose), perform activities, etc. and also alerts family members if certain parameters were met (meds not accessed, door opened during the night, excessive motion, wandering motion, someone didn’t return to bed during the night, vitals were not taken, etc.).

Thanks Mobihealth News and Memotext for the below article: http://mobihealthnews.com/11146/automated-dosing-reminder-study-finds-increased-adherence/

Automated med reminders boost adherence

By: Brian Dolan | Jun 8, 2011 12:34pm EST
Tags:  |  |  | |  |  |  |

Amos Adler, President, MemotextAmos Adler, President, Memotext

Glaucoma, the world’s second leading cause of blindness, has a number of effective therapies to help those afflicted. Despite these solutions, non-adherence rates for those treatments are reported to be between thirty-seven and fifty-nine percent. Luckily, mobile health professionals are working on ways to solve this issue. One such company, Memotext, has been developing adherence technologies and may have proof that its solution will improve those statistics.

Memotext and Microsoft’s recent study (funded by Microsoft and conducted by Johns Hopkins University) measured the efficacy of using the Memotext adherence solution combined with Microsoft’s personal health tracking platform HealthVault. Patients received some combination of text message reminders and IVR messages to remind them about their medication regimen.

When patients used the combined technologies, researchers found adherence to daily glaucoma therapy increased from fifty-one to sixty-seven percent. The control group, with no intervention, saw no change in adherence. The preliminary results from the automated dosing reminder study, which followed 429 patients, were presented at the March 2011 annual meeting of the American Glaucoma Society, as well as at the 2011 Mobile Health conference held in May at Stanford.

Of course, glaucoma isn’t the only disease where patients need help adhering to therapies. According to a recent study by Express Scripts, Americans might be wasting as much as $258 billion annually by not taking their prescribed medications. Another study, by NEHI, found that poor adherence is causing problems that cost $290 billion in unnecessary spending each year.

Last week, MobiHealthNews reported that two members of Congress introduced bills to allow Medicare reimbursement for more increased adherence solutions like text message reminders.

For more on Memotext’s study, read the full release: http://mobihealthnews.com/11146/automated-dosing-reminder-study-finds-increased-adherence/

 

 

 

2011 Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit at Santa Clara University Gathers Entrepreneurs and Other Leaders Serving the Baby-Boomer Consumer Market

Business Plan Competition Showcases Innovative Start-Up Entrepreneurs, Finalists Announced

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The eighth annual Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit will showcase the latest in mobile and digital advertising trends; new product-distribution channels; and tips and insights to help entrepreneurs, marketers and corporate strategists sharpen their businesses serving the baby-boomer market.

“The ‘longevity marketplace’ for boomers and seniors is akin to the Internet in 1996—without the bubble”

The event is taking place at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 15, 2011. The full agenda for the event — the theme of which is “Design for All”— is available at http://www.scuboomerventure.com/agenda.html.

The Summit brings together industry analysts, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the field of aging to create a unique forum to explore business ideas, share trends and best-practice information, and design products and services to serve the baby-boomer market in the coming years. Some sessions will cover business financing, including where venture capitalists are investing now in the boomer market segment.

The Summit culminates with two competitions: The Boomer Business Plan and the Elevator Pitch Competition. Finalists will present business ideas for tapping into the boomer marketplace to a panel of judges comprised of leading venture capitalists and experts in the field of aging. Winners will receive a $10,000 grand prize for the best business plan, and $1,000 for best elevator pitch.

This year’s finalists have proposed products and services in a variety of channels within the boomer and senior marketplace, including health and wellness, technology, design and nutrition. A list of business plan competition finalists can be found at http://www.scuboomerventure.com/competitions/finalists.html.

“The ‘longevity marketplace’ for boomers and seniors is akin to the Internet in 1996—without the bubble,” said Mary Furlong, event producer and professor of entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University. “The Summit provides a forum for talented entrepreneurs and the venture capital community to connect around this growing and lucrative marketplace.”

The Summit’s sponsors include AARP, Continuum Crew, First Republic Bank, Southwest Airlines, firstSTREET, UnitedHealthcare, ABHOW, Caring.com, GrandCare Systems, Linkage Ventures, Silverado and SilverRide.

To register online visit www.scuboomerventure.com/register. Costs range from $120 – $195, including special rates for students.

About the Leavey School of Business

The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University began in 1923, and was one of the first business schools in the country to receive national accreditation. Its undergraduate business, MBA and Executive MBA programs are consistently ranked among the top in the nation. The curriculum at all levels emphasizes the leadership role of business in creating an ethical society as well as business responsibilities for social justice and sustainability in the global marketplace. The School opened its new $49 million building for undergraduate, graduate, and professional business education in Fall 2008. For more information, see www.scu.edu/business/.

About Mary Furlong & Associates

Mary Furlong & Associates works with companies seeking to capitalize on new business and investment opportunities in the boomer market. The company provides business development, financing strategy and integrated marketing solutions to entrepreneurs, corporations and non-profit organizations serving the 50+ market. Mary Furlong is the Dean’s Executive Professor of Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business. For more information: www.maryfurlong.com.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110606006405/en/2011-Silicon-Valley-Boomer-Venture-Summit-Santa

Contacts

SCU Media Relations
Deborah Lohse, 408-554-5121
dlohse@scu.edu

GrandCare chosen as Home Health Component in PCBC Home of Innovation

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]GrandCare has been selected to display our comprehensive in-home health technology in the Home of Innovation, at the PCBC Conference. GrandCare will be exhibited and fully functioning within the Home of Innovation. Come and see the GrandCare System LIVE IN ACTION AND meet GrandCare founder and CEO, Charlie Hillman

THE HOME OF INNOVATION
The Home of Innovation, a 2,000 SQ FT exhibit floor show home, will explore the opportunities – and challenges – of incorporating next generation connected technologies, new smart energy infrastructure, and the latest sustainable products in tomorrow’s new homes and communities. More info: http://www.pcbc.com/theshow/Exhibiting/onthefloor/homeofinnovation.html

PCBC 2011 / June 22-24 / Moscone Center / San Francisco

CONFERENCE EDUCATIONDesigned to elevate the industry’s dialogue and explore new perspectives, PCBC offers numerous opportunities to contribute to the advancement of the art and science of community building. 
 

www.pcbc.com

PCBC Advancing The Art + Science of Community Building
California Building Industry Association
California Homebuilding Foundation

How technology, energy and
innovation are converging to
shape home and community.

GENERAL SESSION KEYNOTES

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Guy Kawasaki | Chip Heath | Joseph Coughlin

Open to all registered attendees and exhibitors







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