GrandCare Has 500 Reasons To Celebrate

Indy drivers race for 500 miles. Peter, Paul and Mary were 500 miles from home. And now GrandCare has over 500 Likes on Facebook. We thank you for each and every one of them. But like the Proclaimers–who famously sang in the 80s that they would walk 500 miles and then walk 500 more–we’re not done yet. We’re going to go out and get another 500 Likes. How? By doing even more of what we do best on Facebook.

At GrandCare we’ve always had a strong focus on community and the building up of the entire aging/technology industry. It’s why we led the famous aging/tech industry weekly Thursday webinars and conference calls from 2008-2011 and why we co-founded the Aging Technology Alliance (AgeTek) in 2010. It’s why we started the no-host meet-and-greets/mix-and-mingles back in 2008 at CES to encourage networking and movement in this space.

That’s the spirit that guides us on Facebook. Not only do we use the platform to inform customers and other industry insiders about what we’re doing at GrandCare, but we also use it to share information about what’s going on in the wider industry. We’re proud of our long history of community focus. And we think it’s why we’ve recently reached that 500 like milestone.

Five hundred may not sound like an astronomical number. We’re not Youtube (80 million Likes) or Samsung Mobile (40 million). But then again we’re not Youtube or Samsung. We’re a big fish in a growing but still small pond. We are a pioneer. A grandfather to this industry. This aging/technology community is getting bigger every day. We are proud that we have had a role in the building of its foundation. In that context, 500 likes in a largely B2B industry is something we’re proud of. We thank you for each and every one of them.

On to 1,000!

Will you join our movement to inspire and connect? GrandCare Contest

The GrandCare movement is changing the world…

GrandCare is leading a movement to change the world as we age.  View the movement video here: GrandCare’s Facebook page and just hit share on Facebook.  Two “sharers” will be selected as our Inspirational Movement Ambassadors and be highlighted by GrandCare AND will win a FREE GrandCare System on May 30th.

Here’s what the movement is about. Will you join us?

…Transforming and connecting

The simple touchscreen system, has big, easy to read buttons. It makes the connection with loved ones as easy as the push of a button.

…Empowering and soothing

Vitals and activities are recorded automatically. Peace of mind for the people far away who worry. Peace of mind of the senior, who knows loved ones can check in easily, and are alerted automatically if something isn’t right.

…Entertaining and informative

A wealth of information, connection, and entertainment easily available. Just push the buttons for news and weather. Games. Old-time radio. Videos. Family photos. The Internet.

…Friendly guidance

Messaging. Calendar and event reminders. Daily To-do lists. Medication reminders.

…Pure joy

Isn’t it time to inspire with GrandCare?

Will you join us to inspire and make your loved one’s life better? You have the power! Enter our Facebook contest.

How?

Visit GrandCare’s Facebook page to view our video. Then share it with your Facebook friends. Everyone who shares will be entered into our contest. Two winners will be selected to win a GrandCare System on May 30th.

Inspire, motivate, influence someone special today! Join the GrandCare movement.

GrandCare hailed as “Granddaddy of all Tech Tools for Seniors”

GrandCare was back on TV.

In a feature on ABC News 19 (WXOW in La Crosse), GrandCare was highlighted as one of five tools recommended to keep seniors living safely and independently in their homes as long as possible.

The segment, called “Making Technology Work for You,” which aired on May 3, described the technology available today to help seniors and people with disabilities live more independently and enjoyably as impressive. “As people are living longer, technology is only getting better.”

The segment featured Stacy Mitby, Service Coordinator for Western Wisconsin Cares, a nonprofit that provides long-term care services in the western region of Wisconsin, with the mission of  keeping members as independent as possible. It operates under a contract with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

One of the things Mitby liked about GrandCare is that, “it’s programmable, so you don’t need to go through an agency. It can alert your family or your friends, your support system, if you need help.” She also praised how easy it is to use. “It’s technology I can use, without having my children teach me.”

GrandCare was described as the “granddaddy of all tech tools for seniors.”

“The systems cost $699, plus $49 monthly subscription fees, but they pack in a lot of features. The GrandCare System has many of the same features you’d find in other tools, such as smart watches and medicine dispensers, plus it can be used in any setting and can record blood pressure, weight, pulse, blood glucose and temperature. It’s a communication, care management and activity sensor all wrapped into one touchscreen device.”

The Connectivity Obstacle: Solved, With Help From An Unlikely Source

GrandCare delivers the best technology for telehealth, activity monitoring, and socialization. But the system relies on Internet connectivity to work. That’s a problem for some customers, especially in rural areas. If you’re a home health agency or a GrandCare dealer serving private homes, how can you overcome this obstacle? Partner. Here’s how.

Find the smallest telecom organizations serving your area. You’ll often get the best results approaching the smaller guys. Offer to do a GrandCare demo for their board of directors, and get them excited. Offer to be a referral source if they offer discounted service in return. Desirable terms would include no minimum contract, no installation fee, and a low monthly charge like $19.99 a month. You may be surprised at how willing these organizations are to agree to this kind of arrangement. Remember, these are customers they would not ordinarily have access to. And the data usage is quite low.

As a bonus, they may want to do a joint press release on the deal, which makes everyone look good. Best of all, this kind of partnership can bring GrandCare to the people who need it the most.

GrandCare to Be Featured on USDA Website

GrandCare Systems is proud to announce that we will be featured on the USDA Target Center website beginning in early-to-mid May. What is the Target Center? According to the USDA website

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the Technology & Accessible Resources Give Employment Today (TARGET) Center in 1992 to utilize the power of technology and provide impactful services related to improving accessibility and contributing to the complete employment experience of individuals with disabilities.”

The video, which shows how GrandCare helps make it possible for seniors to age happy and healthy in their homes, is being included as part of Older Americans Month, as the USDA seeks to “…highlight disability-related [technologies] that enhance the Department’s employer of choice capability for individuals with disabilities.” GrandCare is honored to support that mission.

Watch the GrandCare video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viLjutnGWFU

To find out more, please contact GrandCare at info@grandcare.com or call us at (262) 338-6147.

GrandCare Announces Distribution Shift, Launches New and Improved Reseller Program  

LivHOME CareMonitorApril 11, 2016 West Bend, WI–GrandCare is launching a new network of professional dealers, expanding services and offerings in Spring 2016.

GrandCare Systems introduced today an all new distribution and reseller program, using educated and innovative dealers throughout the United States, Canada and in the UK. The company has begun training and certifying custom integrators, dealers, installers, care communities, and other senior-oriented organizations who wish to cater to the rising aging and disabled population. GrandCare will host various two-day intensive education and training sessions to address the various market verticals, clinical information on healthcare needs and chronic conditions, the competitive industry landscape and evolution, regulatory and security compliance, accessibility, as well as complementary products and services to co-sell.

Participants will learn to successfully sell, customize, implement and install GrandCare, while offering additional value-added, revenue-generating services. The training will encompass GrandCare’s eleven years of industry knowledge, teaching tried and true sales and marketing strategies that are geared towards the aging and healthcare market.  

“We always knew the dealer channel was a great idea, but it just took the market a while to catch on,” laughed GrandCare founder Charlie Hillman. “We spent over a decade improving the GrandCare experience, ensuring we have the most reliable and comprehensive technology out there. With this population, you don’t get second chances so it’s critical that the technology actually works.”

As baby boomers retire in increasing numbers, the market for technology that assists seniors to remain in their homes is growing. In response to this increased demand, GrandCare is opening up additional distribution channels.

The next training will be held April 12 – 14 in the GrandCare heartland of Wisconsin. Additional trainings are being scheduled this summer. For more information on registration and dealer requirements, email: info@grandcare.com.

About GrandCare:

GrandCare is designed to reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes by enabling designated family members, caregivers and healthcare professionals to remotely care for an individual in a residence, regardless of geographic location. The heart of GrandCare is a large touchscreen in the residence, which provides the individual with social communications, instructions, reminders and medication prompts.  Optional telehealth & activity sensors wirelessly report information and can send alerts if something is amiss. No computer skills are needed for the resident.  For more information, visit: www.grandcare.com, call 262-­338-6147, or contact info@grandcare.com.

GrandCare Makes Healthcare Accessible Via Telemedicine

 

GrandCare is in the news again. Rural telephone companies have partnered with local health care providers to improve access to care using telehealth devices. GrandCare is instrumental to this effort, according to Rural Telecom magazine.

The article “Making Health Care Accessible via Telemedicine,” features innovator Dave Wolf, CEO and general manager of Gardonville Telephone Cooperative in Brandon, MN. Wolf used GrandCare’s monitoring system as the vehicle to partner with Knute Nelson, a senior care organization serving rural Minnesota, to offer in-home services to hospice patients. “They want to go home and be surrounded by family and a familiar environment,” Wolf said.

GrandCare is proud to help.

In the article, Wolf praises GrandCare for its simple and intuitive design that makes it easy for seniors to manage, as well as its security features.

“These are very simple and intuitive and designed for someone who may be a little foggy and on meds,” he said, adding that it’s also easy to lock out unintended users. “We don’t want family visitors jumping on the tablet and clogging it up with games or videos.”

Wolf identifies two other reasons he chose GrandCare: quick installation, and a monthly payment schedule rather than a long-term contract. Wolf pointed out that these features, important to all clients, are especially important to hospice patients where time is of the essence.

In his experience, patients and caregivers liked many of the features of the GrandCare system, for example the medication reminders, music and entertainment features, and video communication with health care providers, caregivers, and family members.

GrandCare’s Clinical Advisor, Daphne Karpan worked with Wolf to help make the partnership a success.In the article, Karpan praises Wolf and rural telecommunication providers for bringing high quality care to people who might otherwise not have access, saying, “Meeting the folks at Gardonville and working with other small telephone companies over the years has given me newfound respect for this group. They work hard, and they care about people.”

Karpan notes that progress has been made toward reimbursement for telehealth.

Medicare is doing pilot programs on telemedicine and home-based care, and it’s starting to do some limited reimbursements. While this is a slow-moving regulatory process, Karpan said the fact that Medicare reimbursements are now based on patient outcomes is good news.

The article also highlights the importance of HIPAA compliance for telehealth reimbursement. Successful partnerships use tools such as GrandCare that meet or exceed the requirements of HIPAA.

The advances in telehealth create a big opportunity. Using a tool that is a proven market leader, and that works, such as GrandCare, will be key to success. As Karpan explains:

“So many health care agencies are coming online to offer in-home services. If you get the package and system figured out, you’ll be the one to get that business.”

GrandCare is a caregiving tool that is designed to reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes by enabling designated family members, caregivers and healthcare professionals to remotely care for an individual in a residence, regardless of geographic location. The heart of GrandCare is a large touchscreen in the residence, which provides the individual with social communications, instructions, reminders and medication prompts. No computer skills are needed for the resident to fully engage in all of the touchscreen features.

GrandCare is the winner of the 2012 CEA Innovation Entrepreneur Award for Small Business of the Year, and is a two-time winner of SeniorHomes.com’s Most Innovative Senior Products Award.

GrandCare is a Featured Product in Senior Home Safety Article

Many seniors ask themselves, “Can I live alone safely?” The answer is a resounding “yes” according to GrandCare Systems. This good news is made clear in a recent article by Brittany Kovalick of Beltone.

Just before mentioning GrandCare, the article explains:

For seniors with health concerns, home-monitoring services can give you and your family greater peace of mind. Home monitoring services install wireless sensors in key areas of your home — such as the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. Sensors can track your normal patterns of behavior. If they identify unusual patterns of behavior — your refrigerator door didn’t open — family or friends can be alerted. One service offers daily reports on movement in the house that caretakers or children can track on a web page or mobile phone.

GrandCare provides all these services, and we also offer a wide set of features that positively impact all areas of a senior citizen’s life. From games and video chatting to weather updates to pictures and messages from family, all on a large intuitive GrandCare touchscreen, GrandCare is a complete solution for the needs of your elder. Zero computer or technical expertise is necessary. In fact, most of GrandCare’s customers don’t even relate the GrandCare experience to using a tablet or a computer, it’s just that easy.

To find out more, please contact GrandCare at info@grandcare.com or call us at (262) 338-6147.

Charlie Hillman Recruited for Technology in Aging Expertise for Aging 2.0 Event

Charlie Hillman, founder and CEO of GrandCare Systems, has been selected to join a high-powered group of aging industry innovators for a Digital Aging roundtable in March. Hillman and three other industry veterans will share everything they’ve learned through the years in the recently intersecting senior housing and technology industry. The forum will also include Pete Celano, Director of Consumer Health Initiatives at the MedStar Institute for Innovation; Myron Kowal, President and CEO of RCare; and John Rydzewski, General Manager of Technology Solutions at Direct Supply.

Hosted by Aging 2.0 and sponsored by RCare, the roundtable will be moderated by aging and technology expert Laura Mitchell of Laura Mitchell Consulting. Hillman and his fellow panelists will share stories, experiences, successes, mistakes and advice for getting ahead in the aging industry.

The roundtable event is being held in conjunction with the LeadingAge Peak Summit in Washington, DC, a unique conference that brings together the highest-level executives and business leaders in the aging and technology industry. The conference fosters education, strategic thinking, and networking. The Fireside Chat event is scheduled on the Sunday just before the conference.

This reservation-only Fireside Chat is an event you won’t want to miss!

For Reservations:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aging20-washington-dc-digital-aging-successful-technology-implementation-in-senior-care-tickets-22199669810

Fireside Chat Schedule

Where: Stone’s Throw Restaurant, Marriott Wardmann Hotel

When: 7:00-8:30pm, Sunday March 13th

7-7:30pm Networking/Registration

7:30-7:35pm Welcome & Introduction to Aging 2.0

7:35-7:45pm Opening Remarks by Myron Kowal, CEO of RCare

7:45-8:15pm Roundtable Panel Discussion, moderated by Laura Mitchell of Laura Mitchell Consulting

Panelists: Pete Celano (MedStar), Myron (RCare), Charlie (GrandCare),  John Rydzewski  (Direct Supply)

8:15-8:30pm Networking Cocktail Reception

General Admission from Feb 26 at 5pm –  March 9th at 5pm

Last Minutes tickets available after March 9th, until 6pm on March 13th

To find out more about what GrandCare is up to, visit us on the web at grandcare.com. Ask us about our discounted pricing for senior care providers at sales@grandcare.com today!

GrandCare Showcased at Innovative LeadingAge MN Conference

GrandCare, the industry leader in comprehensive eldercare technology, will be featured at the LeadingAge Minnesota conference in St. Paul tomorrow, February 10. The mission of LeadingAge Minnesota is an important one: ensuring that “older adults in every community live with dignity, meaning, and purpose.” GrandCare will be at the conference in booth 257 to help deliver on that mission.

How? By introducing new and innovative functionality like the Emergency Broadcast Alert System and enhanced community features like event calendars, meal schedule and digital signage. GrandCare founder and CEO Charlie Hillman commented, “GrandCare is delighted to reinforce our partnership with LeadingAge of MN and be on display at this innovative event. Together we are reinventing the care delivery model to be more proactive, predictive and cost-effective.”

To find out more about what GrandCare is up to, visit us on the web at grandcare.com. Ask us about our discounted pricing for senior care providers at sales@grandcare.com today!