Announcements from Leading Technology Companies to Occur at Conference Highlighting the Imperative of Technology-Enabled Care for Older Californians

Please note that GrandCare Systems will be exhibiting at the AgeTech Conference in California on November 15th. We will be in booth 250
See the floor plan http://cahsah.org/educational_events/Expo/AgeTechExpoHall.asp

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

November 3, 2011

Contact: Kristy Oriol

Tel: 916- 469-3383

Announcements from Leading Technology Companies to Occur at Conference Highlighting the Imperative of Technology-Enabled Care for Older Californians

Pasadena, California – November 15, 2011 AgeTech California, a joint initiative between the California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) and Aging Services of California, will host California’s premier provider technology event – the Annual AgeTech California Conference & Technology Expo at the Hilton Hotel in Pasadena, California from 8am-5:30pm. Attendees of this conference will learn from leading experts about “Tech-enabled Care Management at Home: Our Future Imperative.” Experts will provide cutting edge information on technology-enabled care and business models that reposition wellness and health care in the place people call home, saving scarce resources while delivering the most satisfying products and services to older Californians. In addition, twenty industry technology companies will showcase their products and services in this intimate setting.

“As we age, our technologies can become even more valuable to us, but it is not about the next ‘gifted gadget.’ Instead, the most useful technologies will be those that present intuitive and unobtrusive solutions that foster connectedness while preserving autonomy and independence,” said Dr. Joseph Smith, Chief Medical and Science Officer at the San Diego-based West Wireless Health Institute. Dr. Smith will be delivering the closing keynote presentation.

Media is invited to attend an interactive lunch session where exhibitors will discuss new product launches and advances in eCare technology. Product announcements include:

· AOD Software becoming the first and currently only Electronic Health Record to be CCHIT Certified® 2011 LTPAC. This will advance the progress of Electronic Health Records to meet the achievements of other areas of healthcare like inpatient and ambulatory settings. This makes long term care well positioned to participate in the future of Accountable Care Organizations and interoperabilityAOD Press Release

· Dakim’s BrainFitness upgrade of their touch screen platform to showcase its award-winning brain boosting program Dakim Press Release

· GrandCare’s collaboration with CoroHealth, providing musical therapy for seniors GrandCare Press Release

The interactive luncheon interviews will be facilitated by Cindy Campbell, Associate Director, Operational Consulting of Fazzi Associates, and Tim Rowan, Editor of the HomeCare Technology Report. In a statement by Cindy Campbell, she discusses the necessity of affordable and accessible healthcare delivery systems supported by available technologies:

“Mounting levels of chronic disease represent an unmet and human need for care management. Within this need, there is a growing divide in quality healthcare delivery between the haves and have-nots. More than half of bankruptcies in the U.S. are being driven by healthcare cost, many of those in the insured population. Solving this problem requires affordable solutions. A clear and accessible path for today is to move care to the least expensive and least restrictive location – the patient’s home – whenever possible. Fully leveraging the existing expertise of home health and hospice providers and eCare technologies can result in more effective, less expensive, more accessible care”.

Tim Rowan goes on to say:

“Today’s elderly may express a strong preference to remain in their homes as they age and need more and more health care services but the Baby Boomer generation will demand it when they reach their 70’s and 80’s. Fortunately, advances in home-based healthcare technologies make it possible to deliver high-quality care in the patient’s home at a fraction of costs incurred at in-patient facilities. There is legitimate reason for concern, however, as private and government payers continue to be slow to acknowledge the superior care quality and net savings that accrue from the use of in-home “eCare” technologies. Forcing avoidable hospital admissions, which always follow when unattended conditions worsen, foolishly sacrifices long-term cost reductions for short-term savings”.

Beth Hennessey, Executive Director of Integrated Chronic Care with Sutter Care at Home will deliver the morning keynote presentation. She comments on the potential of technology driven care models for chronic care management:

“We advocate that chronic care management be the starting point of national healthcare reform by re-focusing home and community providers as an ‘army at the ready’, utilizing a proven high-touch, high-tech care delivery model. With the implementation of this model, homecare providers across the nation have successfully demonstrated positive outcomes in patient experience, quality of care, and affordability. Imperative to this model’s success is the integration of technology supporting the needs of patients, families, and providers across the healthcare system”.

Scott Peifer, AgeTech California’s executive director surmises that “Ultimately, such models are the future imperative for sustainable wellness, sustainable resources and sustainable aging services and home care organizations.”

The interactive lunch will be held from 12PM-1PM and media interviews will occur after the lunch in the expo hall and in the San Jose Board Room. Contact Kristy Oriol to schedule interviews, Koriol@aging.org, 916-469-3383. For more information on the conference, visit the event web site.

ABOUT AGETECH CALIFORNIA
AgeTech California was established to promote the use of advanced health and wellness technologies by aging services and home care providers throughout California. Its primary focus is on technologies that enable older Californians’ aging in “connected independence” with safety and security, personal health maintenance, successful management of chronic disease, early detection of illness, and prevention of acute episodes. Such technologies include telehealth, electronic health records, sensor telemonitoring, remote medication management, safety technologies, and cognitive fitness among others that enable eCare and personal wellness while enhancing caregiving and cost efficiency. AgeTech is a programmatic partnership of Aging Services of California and the California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH).

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11/3/11 Webinar “Digital Home Health in 60 Minutes or Less”

Thursday November 3rd Aging & Technology Webinar

2:00 pm ET  1:00 pm CT  12:00 pm MT 11:00 am PT

Download/Watch Here

Explore the aging in place solutions available and how to successfully promote and install them.

This webinar will focus on:

  • An overview of Digital Home Health Solutions
  • Marketing Tips & Tricks
  • How to avoid common sales faux pas

Our Presenter: Laura Mitchell
VP of Marketing for GrandCare Systems

Laura is a founding member of the GrandCare team. A significant part of her role was to bring the product to market through the development of a nation-wide GC-Partner and Distributor network. Laura has spoken in various  venues and educational forums including ASA, Silicon Valley Boomer Summit, AHIMA, LSN Tech Conference, CEDIA and EHX about enabling technologies for the aging population, the importance of social media in the aging industry, industry disruptive demographics and technology-enabled medication management. She is What’s Next Boomer Summit Flame Award Winner for Innovation & Leadership, a co-founder and a Director on the AgeTek Alliance board (www.agetek.org), the creator and host of the bi-weekly industry-wide “Aging & Technology Webinars,” and a key organizer for the EHX CE Pro Show and CEDIA Future Home Pavilion and Educational Tracks.

This webinar is free and requires no registration, simply join us at:
https://grandcaresystems.webex.com
Call in: +1-408-600-3600
Access code: 669 477 157

10/20/11 Webinar “A New Approach to Customer Service: Boomers Serving Boomers”

Thursday, October 20th 2011

Bi-Weelky Aging & Technology Webinar

Download/Watch this Webinar

Our Topic: “A New Approach to Customer Service: Boomers Serving Boomers”

Hiring and managing Baby-Boomers requires employers to implement some new management styles and HR policies to be effective.

This webinar will focus on:

  • The value of hiring Boomers and older adults within your organization
  • What management styles need to change to be effective
  • The pros/cons of hiring and managing an older workforce (Boomers and Seniors specifically)

Our Speaker: Steve Shefveland, Founder and CEO, Tree Rings

Steve Shefveland is a 20-year sales and marketing veteran, who is founder and CEO of Ashesi Global Services, Inc. and Tree Rings, LLC, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.  Tree Rings was founded in 2009 and employs “boomers” and senior adults in its call centers near retirement communities to provide customer care, sales and technical support services for companies selling to the aging adult population.  Mr. Shefveland attributes Tree Rings’ success to his direct investment in senior adults, whose experience and skills are highly valued for achieving the company’s vision of serving others.

Our Sponsor: Tree Rings

Tree Rings, LLC. was founded with the single goal of hiring “baby boomers,” seniors and retirees who want to work part-time or full-time providing telephone support and other support services for companies who sell-to and service retirees and senior market consumers.

In other words … Boomers serving Boomers!

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Tree Rings is building state-of-the art, IP-enabled Micro-Call Centers adjacent to large retirement communities across the USA, beginning in Scottsdale, Arizona and West Phoenix, including Sun City.  Our call centers in Scottsdale and Sun City draw upon a senior market demographic of 200,000 who are highly educated, outgoing, and hard working.

“Aging-in-Place Systems in a Recurring Revenue Business Model”

Thursday October 6th 2011

Bi-Weelky Aging & Technology Webinar

Download/Watch Here

Our Topic: “Aging-in-Place Systems in a Recurring Revenue Business Model”

As the market for high-end home theaters and lavish audio systems has tempered was the economy has softened, custom electronics integrators are turning to recurring revenue business models. Thus, dealers are looking to for new sources of revenue, such as security systems, maintenance/service contracts and aging-in-place/digital home healthcare systems.

In this webinar, find out:

  • Exactly what how many dealers are pursuing recurring revenue and what percentage of their income is derived from these ongoing sources.
  • Details on why service contracts are important for profitability and why most dealers lose money on their service departments
  • Which sources of recurring revenue hold the most opportunity for dealers, and where does aging-in-place technology rank?
  • Tips on what some integrators are doing to adopt home health business models in their businesses.

Our Presenter: Jason Knott, Editor-in-Chief, CE Pro

Jason Knott is the editor-in-chief of CE Pro magazine. He 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. He is currently a member of the CEDIA Education Action Team for Electronic Systems Business. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California.

GrandCare’s 2011 ABBY Awards Healthcare IT & Telecomm. Technology Video

GrandCare System’s Charlie Hillman was honored to be one of this years 11 “2011 Innovations In Healthcare ABBY Award Finalists”

 

 

 

 

The competition included a 4 minute long video presentation by the top finalists is each category. We think you’ll appreciate our TAKE on the Boomers changing the world! Take a look at our video titled, “The Greatest Generation”:  Consumer Facing Healthcare IT & Telecomm. Technology category. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0XjNRqQ2ZU]

ABL created the IIH Awards Event, to honor healthcare industry leaders whose products and services are not just innovative, but are truly reducing the cost of providing quality healthcare. 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.

Congratulations to this years winners Blausen Medical Communications, IDEAL LIFE, Teladoc, Inc., and Vertos Medical Inc., as well as this year’s “Leadership in Innovation” Award Winner, Daniel Kraft, MD, Founder and CEO of IntelliMedicine. 

9-15-11 Aging &Technology Webinar – Technology in Senior Housing: Marketing Supportive Technology

See our newsletter Here

Thursday September 15th Aging/Technology Webinar:

Date: Thursday, September 15th, 2011
Time: 2pm EDT (1pm CDT / 12p MDT / 11am PDT)
Location: http://grandcaresystems.webex.com

Topic: Technology in Senior Housing: Marketing Supportive Technology

Though existing and emerging technology has great potential in improving the quality of care in senior housing, providers continue to face barriers in implementing the supportive technologies in these settings.  In this webinar, we will discuss known obstacles and describe effective ways of modifying a sales presentation to focus on the benefits to counter the barriers based on the specific needs of your audience.

Take Away Points:

  1. Accurately report benefits and challenges of implementing technology into a care plan
  2. Adapt to meet needs
  3. Quality training crucial for success

Our Speaker: Amber Lee, Prelude

As a leader in Prelude’s At Home initiative, Amber is responsible for identifying and delivering innovative solutions that improve care delivery and increase the quality of life for each family she serves.  Her dedication to creating meaningful relationships drives the extraordinary customer service that is the Prelude standard. Amber has a distinctive background in serving others who are navigating transitional decisions.  Years of working intimately with families in challenging situations has contributed to her aptitude for understand and empathizing with clients.  She has a unique ability to match technology offerings and care strategies to real life circumstances and is able to offer a fresh approach in responding to family concerns while balancing quality, efficiency, and less costly care options.

“I feel blessed that my love of people, particularly elders, has turned into a gratifying career.  I have the pleasure of interfacing with and educating families on the available resources to help mom and dad live in their own homes.”

Our Sponsor: GrandCare Systems

GrandCare combines aspects of “Smart Home” automation technology, internet communications, social networking designed for residents, telehealth assessment, activity of daily living monitoring, cognitive assists, medication management and two-way video chat technologies, into a flexible, user friendly and affordable package. Available since 2006, GrandCare Systems offers the most comprehensive and fully featured aging and technology system on the market today.

Want to be kept up to date on all things aging and technology?

Join our mailing list.

9-01-11 Aging & Technology Webinar – “One Patient, Many Providers: A Blueprint for Successful Care Transitions”

Watch/Download Here

Thursday September 1st Aging & Technology Webinar:

Date: Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Time: 2pm EDT (1pm CDT / 12p MDT / 11am PDT)
Location:http://grandcaresystems.webex.com

Topic: “One Patient, Many Providers: A Blueprint for Successful Care Transitions”

In this webinar you will learn how effective care transitions play a critical role with both clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. This timely program addresses effective care management techniques that improve care transitions, identify the main causes of avoidable hospital readmissions and describe how to use simple project management techniques to manage complex patients across the care continuum.

Purpose of Presentation:

  1. Describe practical methods to prevent “bouncebacks.”
  2. Learn how care management and coordination based on project management techniques assists patients and families with their own self managed care.
  3. Define main reasons for re-hospitalization.

Our Speaker: Kathy Heery, RN, MS, CCM

Kathleen Heery RN, MS, CCM is a certified, RN Geriatric Care Manager and Homecare Consultant and owner of Healthcare Solutions for You. Kathy’s approach focuses on an elder’s ability to remain independent in the community and the capacity to fund needed services. Kathy has served as national director for a large homecare company, global director of care management services and has developed/implemented care coordination program/services for various organizations. Additionally, she is an active member of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. Kathy has been managing care transitions for the past few years and has recently co-authored a book on “Ending Hospital Readmissions: A Blueprint for Homecare Providers.”

Our Sponsor: GrandCare Systems

GrandCare combines aspects of “Smart Home” automation technology, internet communications, social networking designed for residents, telehealth assessment, activity of daily living monitoring, cognitive assists, medication management and two-way video chat technologies, into a flexible, user friendly and affordable package. Available since 2006, GrandCare Systems offers the most comprehensive and fully featured aging and technology system on the market today.

Want to be kept up to date on all things aging and technology?

Join our mailing list.

GrandCare SUPER-HEROES…

The GrandCare System was designed to help individuals stay independent at home for longer, reduce hospital readmissions, reduce the need for paid in-home staff visits, turn caregivers into “SUPER” caregivers allowing them to be multiple places at once.

Our system is simply placed into a home and offers two aspects:
1. Remote Monitoring: remotely monitor activities of daily living (sleeping, eating, med access, door openings), vitals (blood pressure, weight, pulseox, glucose). Caregivers can customize automated phone/em/text alerts (if someone doesn’t get out of bed, noncompliance, door opens during the night, etc.)

2. Communication/Socialization: 2-way interactive video chat via skype, incoming messages, emails, reminders, voicemails, games, videos, weather/news, calendar appts, etc – RIGHT on an interactive touch panel. Zero computer experience is needed.

 

Seeking a sponsor for our Thurday, September 1st webinar – “One Patient, Many Providers”

If you enjoy the free bi-weekly webinars created and hosted by GrandCare Systems, consider a $50 webinar sponsorship!  The sponsorship helps to defray costs for the webinar service. Sponsorship includes listing in all social media, Company Description & log inclusion in 2 email blasts sent out to over 1500 subscribers prior to the topic date. If you would like to support this webinar, please contact us at info@grandcare.com or dial 262-338-6147

Please include a company one paragraph description as well as a logo. Thanks! Your friends at GrandCare Systems!

Thursday September 1st Aging & Technology Webinar:

Date: Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Time: 2pm EDT (1pm CDT / 12p MDT / 11am PDT)
Location: http://grandcaresystems.webex.com

Topic: “One Patient, Many Providers: A Blueprint for Successful Care Transitions”

In this webinar you will learn how effective care transitions play a critical role with both clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. This timely program addresses effective care management techniques that improve care transitions, identify the main causes of avoidable hospital readmissions and describe how to use simple project management techniques to manage complex patients across the care continuum.

Purpose of Presentation:

  1. Define main reasons for re-hospitalization.
  2. Describe practical methods to prevent “bouncebacks.”
  3. Learn how care management and coordination based on project management techniques assists patients and families with their own self managed care.

Our Speaker: Kathleen Heery RN, MS, CCM

Kathleen Heery is a certified, RN Geriatric Care Manager and Homecare Consultant and owner of Healthcare Solutions for You. Kathy’s approach focuses on an elder’s ability to remain independent in the community and the capacity to fund needed services. Kathy has served as national director for a large homecare company, global director of care management services and has developed/implemented care coordination program/services for various organizations. Additionally, she is an active member of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.

Kathy has been managing care transitions for the past few years and has recently coauthored a book on “Ending Hospital Readmissions: A Blueprint for Homecare Providers.”

Tomorrow’s Webinar: “Nutrition & Fitness: Promoting Healthy Aging”

Just a friendly reminder…

Please join us for tomorrow’s webinar

Our Topic: “Nutrition & Fitness: Promoting Healthy Aging”

2pm EDT – 1pm CDT – 12pm MDT – 11am PDT

 Join us at: http://grandcaresystems.webex.com

 Or simply call dial-in: 1-408-600-3600   Pin 669 416 193#

Open to anyone interested in the aging & technology industry. Our purpose is to discuss relevant aging topics, showcase available technologies, network, and learn from one another.

Over the years good nutritional behaviors has gotten a little complicated to figure out…we’re going to make it easy for you! Good nutritional behaviors are not just about the food you put in your mouth.  It’s back to the basics with the ABC’s: Adequacy, Balance, and Choices. Don’t just “complete” (finish) your plate but learn how to make a “complete” plate a reap the rewards of a healthy diet.

Purpose of Presentation:

To focus on good nutritional behaviors

To learn the ABC’s of nutrition

To learn how to make a “complete” plate

For complete information on tomorrow’s webinar Click Here