Tag Archive for: CES 2012

GrandCare Systems in the WB Daily News

GrandCare Receives AARP Sterling Award

West Bend Daily News;Date: Feb 3, 2012;Section: Front Page;Page: A2

GrandCare Systems founder Charlie Hillman, left, recieves the Sterling Award from Jody Holtzman of AARP.

West Bend-based GrandCare Systems won the first Sterling Awards competition in the health and wellness category during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Sponsored by AARP, the Sterling Awards identify the best in technology innovation and product excellence for Americans age 50 and older. “We are honored to accept this prestigious award,” said Charlie Hillman, GrandCare founder. “We share the passion of AARP to forge a better future for our aging population and we are encouraged to continue developing innovation technologies that make aging and ‘healing in place’ safer, happier, healthier and more cost-effective.”

Founded in 2005, GrandCare is a pioneer in the digital home health care industry. The company currently has 12 employees, but Hillman said he expects that to grow as new subscribers sign up.

GrandCare offers a senior-friendly, Internet-enabled, touch-based system aimed at maintaining independence at home, instead of in an assisted living facility. The system, which costs approximately $99 a month, helps control chronic conditions, increases

compliance, strengthens family connections and reduces hospital readmissions, said Laura Mitchell, GrandCare vice president of marketing. It combines technologies to provide activity monitoring, medication management, wellness monitoring, video chatting and social connectivity into an interactive product that can be learned by any senior citizen, she said.

Laura Mitchell, GrandCare Systems vice president of marketing, addresses the crowd during the Silvers Summit awards ceremony.

The unit, which is essentially a touch-screen computer monitor on steroids, can monitor seemingly simple tasks – like lighting, temperature and appliance shut off – to complex ones, like wireless pulse readings, glucose levels and interaction with hand-held electrocardiographs. It also provides social interaction tools, like video chats with family and care professionals, as well as games, music, calendars and trivia.

The purpose of the inaugural Sterling Awards is to identify products that enhance, empower and exemplify the lifestyles of those 50 and older.

Award winners were chosen by a panel of judges from Aging in Place Technology Watch, AARP, Carnegie Mellon University, Care2, Compelling Telling, Continua Health Alliance, Mary Furlong and Associates, National Alliance for Caregiving, NPR Labs, PBS Kids Interaction, SmartSilvers Alliance and Vibrant Nation.

GrandCare Nominated for the Silver’s Choice Award

Welcome to the Silvers Choice (people’s choice) in our first-ever Sterling Awards for the Silvers Summit at CES.

GrandCare has been selected as one of a few technologies to be nominated for the People’s Choice/Silver’s Choice Awards at CES, sponsored by AARP. We would love your vote!  Please take a moment and vote here: http://silverssummit.com/silvers-choice-awards/

Vote your Silver’s Choice Award

Education and Learning: Livemocha by LivemochaCause-Worthy Product: Unique Touch Grab Bars by Great GrabzEntertainment: My Gait Senior Computer by My GaitHealth and Wellness: GC Homebase by GrandCare SystemsRelationships and Family Caregiving: Auto Verbal by No Tie

The purpose of the inaugural Sterling Awards is to identify the peerless products (design, functionality, purpose) that enhance, empower and exemplify the lifestyles of the Boomer and Silvers audience.

All companies with a product or service that meets the following criteria may enter for a chance to be an award winner:

Product or service must solve a problem/issue and have relevancy for the lifestyles for those age 50+:

      • Limited mobility and agility
      • Limitations with eyesight or hearing
      • Cognitive thinking skills/brain health
      • Communication, education and engagement

Product must enhance one of the following for those age 50+:

      • Health and wellness aiding longevity
      • Intergenerational interaction and learning (includes family caregiving)
      • Safety (in the home, car, community, etc.)
      • Social connectivity or networks (help in eliminating isolation)
      • Engages user in social or environmental cause

Awards will be given in the following categories:

    • Entertainment
    • Health & Wellness
    • Relationships and Family Caregiving
    • Education and Continued Learning

The Sterling Awards are sponsored by AARP.

GrandCare announces return to exhibit at CES 2012

West Bend, WI, 2011 – GrandCare Systems announced today that they will exhibit at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) January 9-13th in Las Vegas, NV.

GrandCare will showcase their innovative socialization, activity & telehealth remote monitoring technology at the Las Vegas Convention Center, LVCC North Hall Booth 3209.  GrandCare Systems will be located in the AgeTek Pavilion, of which they are a co-founder, between the Silvers Summit and Digital Health Summit. This will be GrandCare’s 4th consecutive appearance at CES.

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer technology industry. CES is held every January at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  CES 2012 will give even more focus on Digital Health and Aging in Place Technologies with the return of the Digital Health Pavilion & Summit, The Silvers Summit and the AgeTek (Aging Technology Alliance) Pavilion.

“The Digital Health Summit is privileged to bring together experts from the health, science and technology worlds, to share their wisdom and insight on the ideas that will be vital to health care’s future,” said Jill Gilbert, co-producer, Digital Health Summit. “Technology advancements are changing the way Americans manage their own health and wellness needs, from raising children to managing care for aging parents. In its fourth year, the Digital Health Summit will push the boundaries and encourage everyone – from manufacturers to providers – to think bigger, explore new topics, and challenge one another as we move forward in this fast-growing market.”

Digital Home Health industry pioneer, GrandCare Systems, will provide full demonstrations of their cutting-edge Socialization, Telehealth and Activity Monitoring Smart Home System. Attendees of CES will have the chance to video chat with the Wisconsin-based GrandCare corporate office, play fun games, complete wellness assessments, take vitals and understand why GrandCare is leading the way in the Aging/Technology Industry.  GrandCare will be one of several innovative aging/technology companies under the AgeTek Pavilion umbrella.  Additional AgeTek Exhibitors include: Presto, Dr. Marion, Vital Link, Independa, ClearSounds, Great Call, LifeStation, and Telikin.

“The need for tech-based solutions designed to serve our aging society is exploding,” said Peter Radsliff, co-founder and chairman of the Aging Technology Alliance, “AgeTek was formed to promote the awareness, benefits and value of our members’ products and services in this expanding category.”

The Las Vegas Convention Center North Exhibit Hall is open Tuesday January 10th until Friday January 13th. For more information on the CES Show, visit: http://www.cesweb.org/

About GrandCare Systems

GrandCare offers a senior-friendly, Internet enabled, private HomeBase touchcomputer system aimed at maintaining independence, controlling chronic conditions, increasing compliance, strengthening family connections and reducing hospital readmissions. GrandCare combines the technologies of smart home, activity monitoring, wellness monitoring, and social connectivity. The wellness aspect includes wireless physiological readings (weight, blood pressure, oximeter, glucometer), self assessment, and medication compliance with an associated medication dispenser, medication instructions, photos and prompts, specified medication rule sets, alerts, and congregate analytics. The social aspect includes one button Skype, pictures, emails, wellness videos, reminders, and other standard social media content aimed at reducing isolation, educating our loved ones, and influencing them to better self-manage their own health.

For more information, visit: www.grandcare.com

Press Contact:
Laura Mitchell
VP of Marketing
GrandCare Systems LLC
262-338-6147

Online Press Kit Available: https://www.grandcare.com/presskit/docs/PressKit.pdf