GeekBeat TV Reports Live on the GrandCare System

Geek Beat’s CALLY, Reports live from the CEDIA Tech House and covers the GrandCare System along with some of the sensors (medication dispenser, weight scale, motion/temp, etc).  She shows off the Rx Tender Medication Dispenser along with the GrandCare System (where all of the sensors report in)…. The GrandCare System   The GrandCare Medication Dispenser Rx Tender starts about 4:48 into the video….take a look!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_COkLs2jN5c&feature=player_embedded]

…

Tech in the Bathroom

The Seura TV Mirror is a TV with a mirrored surface, and the whole package is just one-inch deep. Audio Design Associates has a scale that is Bluetooth-enabled and will send notifications to your doctor if you gain 5 pounds in 3 days, for example (a sign of congestive heart failure). And this toilet can send you alerts if grandma doesn’t flush in 3 days so you can take her to the doctor.

Healthcare in the Bedroom

Again, there’s a focus here on seniors. A pill dispenser will automatically give the owner medication and it’ll beep to let them know it’s time. If the pills aren’t picked up it will send a caregiver an alert. A weight sensor on the bed will send an alert if the occupant doesn’t get up (or return) after a set number of hours…

To read the entire article, visit: http://geekbeat.tv/geekbeat-tv-260-cedia-2011-future-technology-pavilion/

GrandCare Systems featured on “Into Tomorrow” by Dave Graveline – from EHX

I ran across this video today while searching online and thought I’d share! It’s a great little clip of two of our GrandCare team members giving a demonstration back in March 2011 at EHX: The CEPRO event in Orlando. GrandCare R&D team member, Nick Hall and GrandCare Las Vegas Sales Rep, Brietta Smith, were interviewed by Dave Graveline & Rob Almanza from Into Tomorrow about the GrandCare wellness sensors (namely the blood pressure device) and the newer integration of the Rx Tender, Medication Dispenser.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozk_d3hhCbM]

 

Finding Opportunities for Health Care Technology Integration – Residential Systems Reports

Lee from Residential Systems does a nice job of discussing the opportunities in Digital Home Health. GrandCare’s VP of Marketing, Laura Mitchell & CEDIA’s Dave Pedigo weigh in on the dealer/integrator opportunities in home health technology and why the in-home health care providers should be listening…  NOTE: the technology called Health Fronts, should be HealthSense

RX Integration
By Lee Distad, September 6, 2011

Full story: http://residentialsystems.com/article/63422.aspx

inding Opportunities for Health Care Technology Integration

Technology is getting to the point where in-home technology can do things that help medical professionals monitor their patients remotely, long term.

In the AV and automation channels there are categories that are widely adopted, such as AV distribution, as well as ones that are less so, such as energy management. At least at present, home health care is a category that is in the latter group. But a partnership between CEDIA and manufacturers of these technologies is seeking to make it both better known and a successful profit center for integrators.

CEDIA’s director of technology, Dave Pedigo, has been personally embedded in home health care research for the past year. As he puts it, “The elevator to get on and understand the category would be to take away the technology for a second and look at sheer numbers: there are 100 million in the U.S. alone who are reaching retirement age. At the same time there’s a serious shortage of doctors: as many as 150,000 fewer than needed according to the Wall Street Journal.”

With the growth of an elderly population and decreasing number of medical professionals, the question becomes how that disparity is going to be handled. Pedigo explained that, “Technology is getting to the point where we can do things that help the medical professionals.” By which he means the ability to remotely monitor patients, long term.

The home health care market is very much in its infancy, according to Laura Mitchell, VP of marketing for GrandCare Systems. Although she warns that it’s not as undeveloped as some people might believe. “Maybe it’s better to say that it’s an adolescent with braces,” she joked, going on to assert that the category has been around for some while now and is seeing more vendors and more advanced technology.

Mitchell explained that when GrandCare was being developed in 2005 there were only three major players: GrandCare, QuietCare, which is now a part of GE, and Health Fronts. While educating the market is still ongoing, Mitchell said that it was more of an uphill back then, requiring her to get out in the field, telling people that the technology exists, and getting health-care professionals to accept it. “I went from place to place,” she said, “including long-term and in-home care providers, many of whom saw us as competition.”

Mitchell said that her mission was to teach health-care professionals that home health-care technologies are supplemental to the health-care workers, and not a replacement for the human touch. “A baby monitor is not a replacement for a mother,” Mitchell said, noting, “Our products enable a better standard of care and a bigger picture of wellness.” For example, a computer algorithm can see patterns of behavior and vital signs that a family member or in-home care provider might miss. That said, the system is simply reporting information. “The smartest part of the system is the caregiver who’s making assessments based on that information.” She concludes.

GrandCare Systems’ Laura Mitchell said that her mission has been to teach health-care professionals that home health-care technologies are supplemental to the health-care workers, and not a replacement for the human touch.

What it Means to Integrators

So why should integrators consider home health care? According to Mitchell, with an aging boom under way in the USA “This is something that has to happen, and must happen to assist Americans coping with the aging boom.”

According to Mitchell, there is a lot of education that needs to be done. As far as people outside the industry are concerned, home health care is synonymous with PERS, the Personal Injury Service, and better known by the iconic commercial tagline, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” Mitchell said. “One of the biggest hurdles is explaining that this category is more than that. With crisis management, you push a button and something happens. But that’s a reactive technology. Other solutions, such as what GrandCare focuses on are proactive, preventative solutions.”

It’s Mitchell’s assertion that prospective clients should not wait until an emergency to get a home health-care system in place. Rather, that they should be looked at in the context of ongoing wellness; using the feedback and data from the system for preventative care. “Think of these systems as being in place as ‘no news is good news’ systems,” she explained.

Technology continues to progress, with recent innovations including medication management and GPS-enabled reporting, for tracking when a subject has gone beyond their normal parameters.

“Some of the medication technology can dispense medication at the right time and provide health and dose advice,” Mitchell explained.”

Although she points out that without a throat camera, there is no verification that the meds have been swallowed. Even then, technology is being developed with tablets that can alert the system that they’ve been dissolved. While that remains a future technology, monitors that track blood pressure, bodyweight, movement around the house, including frequency of bathroom breaks, and sleep patterns exist now, and these provide care givers with a more complete picture of a subject’s well-being.

Pedigo suggested that there are dual issues in play that make home health care ideal for integrators. The first is that there is a large potential client base, which translates to lucrative recurring revenue opportunities. The other is the nature of the technology itself.

“I don’t think it can be cookie cutter, which makes it ideal for integrators; we’re used to installing motions and dry contacts, and we’re already installing other systems,” Pedigo noted.

CEDIA’s Role

So what’s CEDIA doing to help raise awareness of home health care with integrators? “Well, we’re doing a couple of things,” Pedigo replied. “We’ve formed the Home Health Advisory Group, which comprises manufacturers that are advising us on what we should be doing for the industry, and helping CEDIA develop training materials.”

GrandCare Systems Laura Mitchell says that one of the biggest hurdles to selling home health-care category, is explaining that it’s more than just, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” technology synonymous with with PERS, the Personal Injury Service.

A big part of CEDIA’s outreach is clarifying what home health care really means. “We’re taking this nebulous concept and honing it so that our members can sell it,” Pedigo explained.

At the moment, the home health-care field is wide open, yet with risks and unknowns that integrators will need to sort out.

“I think that at the moment there are few specific certifications involved, but I can foresee that changing,” Mitchell said. However, she pointed out that if integrators get involved with offering any healthcare devices, like blood pressure monitors, they have to be HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant.

“GrandCare has a HIPAA compliance officer, and we are teaching a course on this on September 7, 2011, before CEDIA EXPO begins,” Mitchell noted. This introductory course is an eight-hour session that covers everything integrators need to do to receive HIPAA certification. HIPAA compliance means that vendors are unable to sell to a dealer unless that dealer has achieved certification.

Mitchell also noted that integrators need to address the category with their commercial insurance provider, and be prepared to educate them. “From an insurance point of view there really are no rules yet,” she said. “The insurance companies still view it as a crisis system, like fire alarms, even though it isn’t that at all.”

Integrators may need to explain to their insurance carriers that they aren’t selling lifesaving devices; they are selling wellness devices.

And the business model itself may be more “industrial” than retail. Rather than being a quickbuck business, it requires cultivating connections in the health-care field and a potentially large list of decision makers who need to agree to the installation, including health care professionals and family members.

“Our dealers have an average of three meetings with the principal decision makers before a sale is made,” Mitchell said. “It’s not a quick cold call.”

As a result, she strongly recommends partnering with a care provider that specializes in aging, whether in a long-term care or a home-care capacity. Those partners understand how to have this conversation with prospective clients without sounding like a door-to-door salesman. “Dealers should stick to what they’re best at, which is the installation” Mitchell said. “A person who is used to dealing with the elderly has the patience and empathy that will help build your credibility.”

Lee Distad (www.leedistad.com) is an Edmonton, Alberta-based writer.

 

Mark Your Calendars – – Home Health Tech EVENTS at CEDIA 2011

If you are interested in the home health technology market, then CEDIA is the place to be Sept 7-10th in Indianapolis.

Come for the exhibits, the educational courses & the networking. GrandCare is a sponsor again this year of the Future Home Pavilion and will be showcased throughout the CEDIA show  by Distribution partners, Home Controls, JNL Technologies and Worthington Distribution.

GrandCare will be leading three educational courses on Digital Home Health & the valuable dealer opportunities available in this emerging market. GrandCare is also coordinating a pre-CEDIA HIPAA boot camp session as well as a no-host networking session!   Mark your calendars now – – if you will be at CEDIA, you can’t miss THESE events!!!!!!

Wednesday September 7th:

2:00p – 3:00pm  ESCR039 Home Health Technology is Here to Stay…Are You?
Catalog #: ESCR039-10, Wednesday: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Indianapolis Convention Center
Room 241
CEU Value: 0.50
Moderator: Laura Mitchell
Panelists: Tom Morgan, Peter Radsliff, Jim Gleason
In an economy where markets are drying up left and right, there’s one market that we can guarantee will only grow: The Aging & Technology Industry. This year alone, 7,000 boomers will turn age 65, increasing the demand for a new and sustainable “aging in place” model of care. Delivered by a true integration expert, the solution combines standard home automation and smart home technologies—complete with wireless tele-medicine, brain fitness, and socialization features. Learn about the future of aging and technology, why you should get involved, and how to start.  A la carte fees: Early $49/$99, Regular $71/$121, Onsite $85/$145  Register:  http://www.cedia.net/expo/expo11.att.register.php
4:00p – 5:30pm Pre-CEDIA HIPAA 90 minute boot camp (hosted by GrandCare Systems)
 Wednesday: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. 
Crowne Plaza at Union Station, 123 W Louisiana St, Indianapolis (Room TBA)
Get trained by GrandCare’s HIPAA compliance officer on what HIPAA is, what is means to DEALERS, why it is REQUIRED of dealers reselling telehealth devices,  and what t takes to be HIPAA compliant. This seminar is Wednesday, Sept 7th 4-530p at the Crowne Plaza-Union Station hotel in Indianpolis.  
$129 per person (discounts for GC Dealers). To reserve a spot, contact info@grandcare.com OR call 262-338-6147
 
6:00p – 8:00pm Pre-CEDIA DEALER-TO-DEALER MIXER!!! 
Pullman’s Lounge, Crowne Plaza at Union Station, 123 W Louisiana St, Indianapolis
ALL ARE WELCOME!!!  FREE
Come meet the GrandCare Team and fellow AgeTek Members An informal NO HOST meet & greet at Pullman’s Lounge, Crowne Plaza-Union Station Hotel in Indianapolis, directly following HIPAA Boot Camp. 6p – 8p.  No RSVP needed, just meet us there! The GrandCare Team as well as AgeTek Board members will be there!

Thursday September 8th:

 9:00a – 6:00 pm Exhibits Open – – Visit the Future Home Pavilion Booth 4754 
 See an Exhibit Hall Map Here: http://www.mapyourshow.com/shows/index.cfm?booth=4754&exhid=319054&show_id=cedia11&userid=&lang=EN&locale=EN
 Press may Schedule an appointment for a demonstration: info@grandcare.com or download our GrandCare Press Kit: https://www.grandcare.com/presskit/
 
 
11:00a – 12:00pm  ESCR047 Home Health Technology Case Study: A How-To Discussion
Catalog #: ESCR047-7, Thursday: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
CEU Value: 0.50
Indianapolis Convention Center
Room 231
CEU Value: 0.50
Instructor: Laura Mitchell, GrandCare Systems
We all know the statistics and can agree that technology and aging is the future, so now what? This
course takes you on a journey from choosing your home health technologies to promoting and
educating to sales and support. Prepare to see real-life case studies on how actual home automation
installers started their business, promoted, sold and supported this new caregiving network clientele.
Discuss why it’s not your ordinary sale and how you can be prepared for this brand new $20 billion
dollar market! If you think home health technology might be your next market, you cannot afford to
miss this rare opportunity!
A la carte fees: Early $49/$99, Regular $71/$121, Onsite $85/$145  Register:  http://www.cedia.net/expo/expo11.att.register.php
  
 
 Friday September 9th:
9:00a – 6:00 pm Exhibits Open – – Visit the Future Home Pavilion Booth 4754 
 See an Exhibit Hall Map Here: http://www.mapyourshow.com/shows/index.cfm?booth=4754&exhid=319054&show_id=cedia11&userid=&lang=EN&locale=EN
 Press may Schedule an appointment for a demonstration: info@grandcare.com or download our GrandCare Press Kit: https://www.grandcare.com/presskit/
 
3:00p – 4:00pm  ESD010-4 Digital Home Health – The Technology of Aging in Place
ESD010
Catalog #: ESD010-4, Friday: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
CEU Value: 0.50 
Moderator: Laura Mitchell, GrandCare Systems
Panelists: Ken Kerr, Kip Meachum, Charlie Hillman
Get into the nitty gritty of the various technologies being used and integrated into independent living for
our aging population. Industry expert Laura Mitchell assembles a panel of manufacturers and ESCs to
discuss aging technologies, ranging from the Personal Emergency Response Systems (Think: “Help, I’ve
fallen and I can’t get up!”) to medication management, fall detection, Activities of Daily Living and
socialization/cognition. Anyone who wants to enter the home health technology needs to attend.
A la carte fees: Early $49/$99, Regular $71/$121, Onsite $85/$145  Register:  http://www.cedia.net/expo/expo11.att.register.php
 

Saturday September 10th:

9:00a – 5:00 pm Exhibits Open – – Visit the Future Home Pavilion Booth 4754 
 See an Exhibit Hall Map Here: http://www.mapyourshow.com/shows/index.cfm?booth=4754&exhid=319054&show_id=cedia11&userid=&lang=EN&locale=EN
 Press may Schedule an appointment for a demonstration: info@grandcare.com or download our GrandCare Press Kit: https://www.grandcare.com/presskit/
 
 
 

What is CEDIA EXPO?

CEDIA EXPO is the leading tradeshow in the residential electronic systems industry. Attending CEDIA EXPO gives you an advantage over the competition by providing the latest technologies, FREE training on the latest products, and the industry’s best education with CEDIA University courses. CEDIA EXPO gives you the best strategies to profit in home entertainment, environmental control, energy management, green technology, home health, security, and more.

Register Now: http://www.cedia.net/expo/expo11.att.register.php

What is GrandCare Systems?

GrandCare combines ADL monitoring, tele-wellness assessment, senior social networking & cognitive assists into one easy-to-use system. GrandCare is highly customizable and can be set up to fit your needs exactly. There is no “one size fits all” model, so it’s easy to make sure each customer gets EXACTLY what he/she is looking for.

GrandCare exhibiting at LeadingAge Conference – BOOTH 2340

GrandCare will be joining Unified Alerts in a booth at the Leading Age Conference this October. GrandCare is no stranger to LeadingAge or CAST. GrandCare founder, Charlie Hillman, is a CAST commissioner and back in 2005, GrandCare was chosen as one of only 30 companies worldwide to showcase at the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging in the “IMAGINE” Pavilion by CAST.  Come and meet GrandCare Founder, Charlie Hillman, see the GrandCare HomeBase in action and learn how GrandCare’s fully featured technology can help your organization to save costs, transform your caregiving staff into SUPER caregiving staff, save footsteps, connect staff & family in a cost-effective way, provide detailed wellness & assessment information for nursing staff, etc.   Leading Age, formerly AAHSA, is an association of 5,400 not-for-profit organizations celebrating its 50th anniversary and dedicated to expanding the world of possibilities for aging.

 

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GrandCare Selected as Finalist for ‘Innovations in Healthcare’ ABBY Award

12 Healthcare Companies Achieve Finalist Status for Innovations in HealthcareSM ABBY Awards

— 13th Annual Awards Event to be held September 28, 2011

Santa Ana, CA, July 11, 2011 – The Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL) Organization has announced the names of 12 innovative healthcare companies which have been selected as Finalists for the 2011 ABBY Awards.  The ABBYs will be presented at the 13th Annual Innovations in HealthcareSM Awards Event, on September 28, 2011. The ABBY Awards honor companies, selected from throughout North America, which have developed ways to lower the cost of providing quality healthcare through their medical or information technologies, or innovative approaches to the delivery of healthcare.

The 12 Finalists– three each in each of the four categories – were selected by a Committee composed of ABL Members who are C-level healthcare executives with deep domain knowledge in each of the Award areas. “In this, our 13th year of selecting Finalists for the ABBY Awards, the Committee was truly impressed with the caliber of all the nominees, representing companies from throughout North America,” noted Mimi Grant, President of the ABL Organization.  “Not only are they all innovative, they have convincingly demonstrated that they are currently in use in the United States, and have clinical and financial metrics that prove their product or service reduces the cost of providing quality care.”

Four ABBY Award Winners will be selected via secret ballot by the healthcare executives attending the September 28 Event, after viewing presentations made by the CEO representing each Finalist company.  Attendance is open to ABL Members and their guests, as well as non-Member senior executives of healthcare providers and payers, health IT, medical technology, and services firms.  Details about the Innovations in HealthcareSM Awards Event, to be held at the Marriott Hotel, in Long Beach, CA, can be found at http://www.abl.org/IIH.htm

Finalists in the “Healthcare Information and/or Telecommunications Technology – Consumer-Facing” category are:

Westbend, WI-based GrandCare Systems provides a telecommunications system that enables individuals to remain independent and at home by remotely assessing their activities of daily living and managing their chronic health conditions. It also offers virtual communication and visits with family and caregivers via two-way web conferencing, and stimulates brain activity and fitness with such activities. GrandCare Systems helps relieve individuals’ feelings of isolation and gives caregivers peace of mind.

 

Boulder Creek, CA’s HeartMath’s Revitalize You! Resilience Training program provides a video-based online course for organizations and consumers, teaching how to maximize heart-brain communication for increased physiological well-being and cognitive performance. Research has shown that the heart is a primary generator of body rhythms and powerfully influences brain processes that control the nervous system, cognitive function, and emotion.

 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada’s IDEAL LIFE is a multinational company that delivers secure, reliable remote health management solutions for individuals with chronic conditions – on demand, to any location – accessible through major brands of cell phones, computers, and other devices. The FDA-approved products are wireless, easy-to-use, and affordable, with an open technology platform that supports customization and integration with existing information-based systems, including electronic medical records.

Finalists in the “Healthcare Information and/or Telecommunications Technology – Business-Facing” category are:

Houston, TX-based Blausen Medical Communications has developed and deployed the Blausen Human Atlas app for smartphones and tablets, utilizing its world’s-largest library of 3D medical animations. Doctors and nurses use the app, at the point of care, to explain often-complex medical concepts to patients. The app contains 300+ topics covering medical conditions and treatments, with easy-to-understand animation and narration. Clinicians report that using the Blausen app has resulted in better-informed, less-anxious, and more treatment-compliant patients and their families.

 

San Mateo, CA’s Extend Health, which operates the largest private Medicare-focused health insurance exchange in the U.S., developed its patent-pending call center solution, Complemax, to shorten average telephone hold times for its customers, while maximizing agent utilization. Using an innovative algorithm, Complemax matches the calling customer’s location and profile with an agent who holds appropriate credentials to provide service – i.e., state licensure, insurance company appointments, and certification to sell specific products in that region.

 

Irvine, CA’s PathCentral, Inc. offers a scalable web-based anatomic pathology laboratory information system that seamlessly integrates all of the critical components of a pathology practice’s day-to-day operations into a single platform. PathCentral’s system quickly and inexpensively interfaces with hospital electronic medical records, doctors’ offices, and a wide range of laboratory instrumentation. It reduces costs through improvements in operating efficiencies and enhances patient safety using state-of the art specimen identification and tracking.

Finalists in the “Medical Device” category are:

Cleveland, OH’s Chart SeQual Technologies’ Eclipse 3 Personal Ambulatory Oxygen System provides reliable continuous flow and pulse dose options in a 24/7 portable device that satisfies both stationary and ambulatory oxygen needs. Eclipse 3 lowers operational costs by reducing monthly deliveries and simplifying inventory management and space; it also uses less electricity than traditional stationary concentrators. Clinically, studies have shown that active oxygen therapy patients have 80% fewer hospitalizations than inactive patients.

 

Austin, TX-based Vermillion, Inc.’s OVA1 is the only FDA-cleared blood test intended to help physicians identify the likelihood of a woman’s ovarian mass being malignant prior to surgery, thus facilitating her referral to the most appropriate specialist (i.e., a gynecologic oncologist) for her initial surgery. Incorporating OVA1 into physicians’ preoperative assessment may also help reduce the number of second surgeries, therefore reducing overall healthcare costs.

 

South San Francisco, CA’s VitalWear’s VitalWrap System provides heating, cooling, and compression through a family of body-part-specific therapeutic wraps, combined with a base unit and tubing set. This continuous thermal therapy reduces pain and dependency on pain medication, and minimizes tissue damage and scarring. In an orthopedic rehabilitation field study, VitalWrap was shown to reduce recovery time in half.

 

Finalists in the “Approaches to the Delivery of Healthcare” category are:

Aliso Viejo, CA-based CareMeridian’s continuum of post-acute care and rehabilitation options to people with life-altering injuries (i.e., brain, spinal cord) and medically complex illnesses, merges a skilled healthcare team with state-of-the-art technology in community-based settings. With over 1,400 admissions and discharges in recent years, CareMeridian has experienced successful outcomes in 96% of those cases, returning one-third of its short-term admissions directly home and another 40% to acute rehab environments for intense therapy prior to the ultimate discharge home. The company’s 44-day average length of stay is less than half of the benefit days that most patients have in their long-term care plan.

San Fernando, CA’s Partners in Care Foundation Institute for Change developed and disseminated the In-Home Palliative Care (IHPC) program in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente, providing home visits to patients with serious chronic illnesses and an estimated life expectancy of one year. The IHPC significantly reduced ER visits (20% for those receiving the intervention vs. 33% of usual care patients), hospitalizations (36% vs. 59%), and hospital use by 4.36 days. Overall costs of care were 33% lower for those receiving the intervention, and the average cost per day was $117.50 lower ($95.30 vs. $212.80) than for the usual treatment group.

 

Dallas, TX-based Teladoc, Inc. provides access to U.S.-based, board-certified physicians, 24/7/365, via telephone or videoconferencing, for a variety of medical issues, offering an affordable and convenient alternative to using an ER or urgent care facility. Teladoc patients receive a response from a highly-qualified physician within an average of 22 minutes; the average consultation lasts 12 minutes and costs about $38. Teladoc’s solution reduces patients’ workplace absenteeism and presenteeism, and alleviates the strain on urgent care providers. The service is covered by many employers and healthcare plans in an effort to drive down their own healthcare costs.

 

Semi-Finalists

 

The Semi-Finalists for the 2011 ABBY Awards were – in the HIT-Business category: BioStorage Technologies, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN); CareCloud (Miami, FL); eBridge Inc. (Tampa, FL); Happtique, Inc. (New York, NY); Informatics Corporation of America (Nashville, TN); Mitochon Systems (Newport Beach, CA); NaviNet (Boston, MA); NetChemistry (Newport Beach, CA); Quality Systems, Inc. (Irvine, CA); and Sajix Inc. (Pleasanton, CA).  In the HIT-Consumer category: CaringBridge (Eagan, MN); Conceptus, Inc. (Mountain View, CA); Healthagen, LLC (Lakewood, CO); Pharos Innovations (Northfield, IL); and RememberItNow! (Orinda, CA).  In the Medical Device category: Cobalis Corporation (Irvine, CA); Hartwell Medical (Carlsbad, CA); Lerner Medical Devices, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA); Masimo Corporation (Irvine, CA); SI-BONE, Inc. (San Jose, CA); and Vertos Medical, Inc. (Aliso Viejo, CA).  And, in the Approach to the Delivery of Healthcare category: AccessOC (Laguna Hills, CA); Catholic Healthcare West + Blue Shield of California + Hill Physicians (Northern California); Forefront TeleCare, Inc. (Emeryville, CA); MediCall (Pleasanton, CA); Private Health Management (Los Angeles, CA); Satori World Medical, Inc. (San Diego, CA); and The Orthopedic Clinic Association (Phoenix, AZ).

Past ABBY Award Winners

Past ABBY Award nominees and winners have included companies that have made breakthroughs and transformative advances in medical devices, diagnostics, therapeutics, information technology, and electronic solutions, as well as organizations that have applied innovative systems and technology to providing care and coverage, decreasing the numbers of uninsured, and engaging healthcare consumers more actively in their care and health status. Specifically: A-Life Medical; Accuray, Inc.; Alameda County Medical Center; Aperio; BeWell Mobile Technology Inc.; Blue Shield of California; Care Level Management; Dakim, Inc.; Diversa Corporation; eHealth, Inc.; Epocrates Inc.; eV3, Inc.’s Neurovascular Division; FoxHollow Technologies, Inc.; Gen-Probe, Inc.; Health Allies; Health Hero Network, Inc.; I-Flow; IPC – The Hospitalist Company; InSight Health Services; InTouch Health; Kaiser Permanente’s eHealth Initiatives; M*Modal, Inc.; Masimo Corporation; Memorial Health Services; Osmetech Molecular Diagnostics; Refractec; Santa Clara Family Health Plan; Silverado Senior Living Center; Specialists On Call; Sutter Health’s eICU; Trizetto Group; Vocera Communications; VQ OrthoCare; and WorkWell Systems, Inc. 

About the Adaptive Business Leaders Organization:
ABL supports the needs of its Member CEOs by providing a place for top-level executives to draw on the experience, knowledge, and skill sets of their healthcare and technology industry peers in a vertical industry, personal advisory board setting. Members meet monthly in Round Tables, as well as near-monthly in workshops and conferences to hear from cutting-edge experts, to exchange ideas, and connect with other chief executives. ABL’s CEO Round Table program is offered throughout California: in Greater Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Clara Counties. More information can be found at http://www.abl.org and http://www.abl.org/IIH.htm. Contact: Laura Grant, Events Director, at 714/245-1427 or Mimi Grant, President, at 714/245-1425  # # #

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!


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

GrandCare Team Member Awarded the FLAME Award for Innovation & Leadership at What’s Next Boomer Summit

What’s Next Boomer Business Summit is an annual event that brings together the country’s top businesses and organizations that are thought leaders in the baby boomer marketplace. It is where deals get done.


No other conference brings together a dedicated group of professionals focused on the boomer and senior populations. Together this group of thought leaders from the non-profit sector, senior advocacy organizations, Fortune 100 companies to entrepreneurial start-ups will share their knowledge and passion for this important customer demographic.

This year, the number of attendees surpassed 350, the most ever for this event.

The What’s Next 2011 Boomer Business Innovation Awards were presented during the awards ceremony and reception on April 28. Laura Mitchell, GrandCare’s VP of Marketing, received a flame award for Excellence in Leadership and Innovation, presented by Michael Carroll, VP, Portfolio Marketing, United Healthcare.

The next Mary Furlong event is June 15th, 2011 in Santa Clara, CA.  GrandCare will be in attendance and speaking on a panel session.  For more information: http://www.scuboomerventure.com/

Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit

What’s Next Boomer Business Summit
The eighth annual What’s Next Boomer Business Summit takes place at the Parc 55 Wyndham on April 29, 2011 in San Francisco. It is produced by Mary Furlong & Associates. It is affiliated with the American Society on Aging (ASA) Aging in America Conference, which is held April 26-30, 2011 in San Francisco. The theme for 2011 is Dynamics, Deals, Differentiation and Disruption. The focus of the annual event is to foster a cutting-edge community to explore and share products and services that will serve the needs and wants of the 50+ market. Registration and program information is available at http://www.boomersummit.com. Facebook page ishttp://www.facebook.com/2011-Whats-Next-Boomer-Business-Summit. Twitter username is WhatsNextBoomer. Twitter hashtag is #WNBBS2011. The 2012 What’s Next Boomer Business Summit will take place in Washington, D.C.

Mary Furlong & Associates
Founded in 2003, Mary Furlong & Associates (MFA) works with companies seeking to capitalize on new business and investment opportunities in the baby boomer market. MFA provides business development, financing strategy and integrated marketing solutions to entrepreneurs, corporations and non-profit organizations serving the 50+ market. Mary Furlong, Ed.D., the firm’s founder and CEO, has guided the offline and online 40+ market strategies of leading corporations and non-profit organizations for more than 20 years. Furlong is Dean’s Executive Professor of Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, and founder of SeniorNet and ThirdAge Media. Her book, Turning Silver into Gold: How to Profit in the New Boomer Marketplace (FT Press), was published in February 2007. Website: http://www.maryfurlong.com.

Full Press Release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/4/prweb8351641.htm