Tag Archive for: Charlie Hillman

virtual long term care

Benefit Specialists Recognizes GrandCare as the Cadillac of Virtual Long-Term Care

Benefit Specialists, an industry leader since 1980, is a privately owned, full service insurance brokerage firm specialize in both employer-provided and voluntary benefits for companies of all sizes across a broad array of industries. Affiliated with over 50 of the largest national insurance companies, they specialize in providing customized solutions for companies looking for group and individual insurance products and benefit plans which will meet the unique needs of employees.

Recently, Benefit Specialists wrote an interesting article discussing the impact that emerging technologies are having on long-term care environments. Check out the excerpt below, which explains how GrandCare is reshaping the healthcare landscape.

“For those who want to maximize their peace of mind, Gomez says the Cadillac of virtual long-term care is a remote-monitoring system like that offered by grandCARE.

With this system, activity sensors are placed in a senior’s home. To use grandCARE, Managed Senior Care first evaluates what a typical ‘good day’ looks like for a senior and sets alerts accordingly. For example, if a senior typically has breakfast by 9 a.m. and the refrigerator hasn’t been opened by that time, an alert may go out to a caregiver.

As with Banner iCare, seniors using the grandCARE system are set up with a tablet. In this case, it’s an oversized tablet that can be remotely activated. If a caregiver needs to check on a senior, he or she can open Skype which will activate the camera and microphone on the tablet. At that point, the caregiver can look for the senior and call out to him or her to determine whether help is needed.

‘One of the reasons we like this product is because it’s respectful of the senior,’ Gomez says. ‘You know when people are watching. There is no secret monitoring.’”

GrandCare’s Charlie Hillman to Speak at HxRefactored

Cambridge, Massachusetts. June 20th and 21st. More than six hundred thinkers, leaders, and innovators will gather to discuss one thing: the healthcare experience. GrandCare’s own Charlie Hillman has been selected as an industry thought leader to share his experience and knowledge. Alongside his industry colleagues, he will be discussing tech for the aging population and how GrandCare technology helps the elderly in mind, body and spirit.

HXRefactored June 201-21If there’s one thing Charlie is passionate about, it’s using enabling technologies to better the aging experience, make caregiving easier, and to mitigate costly health interventions. “The current healthcare system cannot go on without bankrupting my children and grandchildren,” Hillman said. “Patient engagement is critical. Technologies designed to engage patients will reduce costs, improve outcomes, and revolutionize care delivery.”

There’s no telling where the conversation will lead, but it’s certain to be interesting. Healthcare is a topic that isn’t going away anytime soon as key innovators and healthcare experts work together to find ways to make healthcare more accessible, more affordable and scalable.

Recent GrandCare Studies showed increased patient satisfaction for patients that combined hands on care with GrandCare technology. This is because GrandCare was designed to improve the care recipient’s experience. Read the study findings here.

Now in its seventh year, HxRefactored will take place in Cambridge, MA on June 20 & 21, 2017. Click here to register.

GrandCare Shines at Boomer Summit

Once again, this year GrandCare is exhibiting and showcasing our latest features at the 14th annual What’s Next Boomer Business Summit in Chicago, Illinois. Why do we keep coming back? Because the Boomer Summit is a great place to meet up with the longevity market’s leaders. You’ll see CEO’s from top businesses, entrepreneurs from innovative startups, finance people, nonprofits, industry analysts, and everyone else you can imagine who moves this industry forward.

GrandCare CEO Charlie Hillman has been attending this networking event for years. “We have been building this market for over a decade, but it’s hard to move the giant, especially when healthcare is part of the equation,” Hillman said. “Obviously the introduction of enabling telehealth and telemedicine technologies will participate in reducing costs and improving patient outcomes. It is critical for our increasing senior population and the country’s healthcare system as a whole.”

GrandCare has so much to share at the summit. We just released a brand new concierge model customized for premier independent living communities with resident touchscreen check-in capabilities, community-wide messaging and emergency broadcasting. The new GrandCare distribution client affiliate network has been growing quickly, not just in the US, but globally in five additional countries. GrandCare has been shortlisted for a top disability award at the UK Disability Conference, NAIDEX.

GrandCare will be showcasing all of the new features and the comprehensive product models established for private home care, senior housing, home health care, “CCRC’s without Walls” and PACE programs. 2017 is going to be a great year for GrandCare.

There are many good reasons to attend the Boomer Summit. Besides seeing the latest in boomer-facing solutions, this one-day event has always been the best place for networking within the longevity market. And this year could be the best one yet. If there’s one event that really lets you take the temperature of the entire aging industry, this is it.

The one-day Summit takes place on Thursday, March 23, at the Chicago Hyatt Regency.
Register now.
Use discount code wn17LMC20 for a 20% discount on your registration.

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 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!

GrandCare Targeted as Must Have Comprehensive Tool According to Writer, Christine Halaba

Through the years, different generations found ways to help their elders cope with aging and its effects. The efforts of recent generations led to fruitful solutions such as the birth of home health care in Chicago and other parts of America. This allowed seniors to receive the health care services that they need in the comfort of their own homes. Aside from this, today’s generation has another weapon in its arsenal – technology.

We are living in a digital world, so it’s no surprise that several outstanding individuals found ways to create devices that are meant to aid the older portion of the population with their needs. These genius innovations are meant to assist aging adults – with the help of their caregivers – as they face the challenges of aging. If you are looking to equip your loved ones with necessary items to help ease the obstacles of growing old, check the gadgets below:

Medical Alert System

Several difficulties arise as people grow older and one of these is problems with mobility or balance. Older people are likely to fall down and injure themselves. In case this happens to your loved one, how will she be able to ask for help? Medical alert system, or Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), allows your loved one to contact you or her caregiver in case of an emergency.

Thanks to constant innovations, the PERS gadgets available in the market today are wireless and more mobile. You won’t have to worry anymore whenever your aging parents are out of your sight because they now have a means to contact you. At the same time, your parents will be at ease about moving around freely because they know that you are only a click away.

Automatic Pill Dispensers

Sometimes, people decide to hire home care because their loved one is becoming forgetful. This is especially problematic when your loved one has to take different medications for their ailments every day. With all those medicines, it might be difficult for her to remember which one to take at what time.

Good thing electronic pill dispensers are now available in the market. Electronic pill dispensers doesn’t only dispense pills, you can also set them to remind your loved one what medicine to take at what time. Not only that – this gadget can also alert you when your stock is running low! An automatic pill dispenser will allow your loved one to easily get her medicine and reduce the risk of forgetting when to drink them.

Pre-Programmed Phones

Most people rely on smartphones to stay connected with their friends and families anywhere. Despite this, older adults tend to shy away from phones. It can be difficult to convince your elders to use mobile phones because they sometimes find it too complex. That’s why the arrival of senior-friendly phones in the market is such good news.

Mobile phones are a good way to be in contact with your loved one especially if they are out visiting their friends or just strolling around the mall. Plus, it has other applications that can entertain your loved one like music and games. Just make sure that before you give the phone, your number, any of your immediate family member, and your caregiver’s are already pre-programmed in the phone directory.

GrandCare Systems

The three devices stated above are just some of the gadgets that your loved ones should possess at all to help them cope with the effects of aging. Although if you want, there is one tool that can deliver all the benefits of the said three gadgets and more! The GrandCare Systems is an advantageous device that allows your parents to contact their family and friends, view medication reminders, and access information. Basically, it combines the advantages of many separate devices into one tool!

Despite its many uses, your parents don’t have to be tech savvy in order to use GrandCare. In addition, you can access the care portal using any device and leave notes and reminders or just check on your parents. GrandCare is your parents’ all in one tool for communication and information.

Today’s generation is using technology wisely to create devices that will aid the older population as they deal with the effects of aging. Just remember that these tools are not meant to fully replace caregivers, rather, to help them assist an aging person. Before you buy any of the gadgets listed above, remember to discuss it with your loved ones first. Including them in the decision-making process – especially one that involves them – is a must.

Author Bio

Christine Halaba is a Communications degree holder and a freelance writer from the Philippines. Her contributions as a writer can be seen in different blogs for home care, advertising, and health and wellness. Her hobbies include leisure and traveling.