Tag Archive for: GrandCare Systems

Join GrandCare at CES for our press event & cocktail reception

Happy Holidays from GrandCare Systems!

When: Tuesday Jan 8th 330 – 530p PST
Where: GrandCare Booth – South Hall 2 BOOTH #26629 (within the Digital Health Pavilion)

More information on CES

We invite you to join us at CES for exciting announcements, introductions to our team & networking with friends!  This will be the perfect opportunity to get the inside scoop on the digital home health industry and find out why GrandCare is paving the way for remote monitoring and maintaining independence and chronic disease mgmt at home.
Come meet our new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Erick Eiting, as he explains the importance of digital health in the healthcare industry and why he, as an emergency room doctor, believes digital health will be the key to successful post-hospitalization transitions.

GC Staff

CES In-Booth Agenda:

3:30p Happy Hour/Networking
4p WELCOME, Laura Mitchell, VP Business Development, GrandCare Systems
Sponsors: LivHOME CareMonitor, Z-Wave Alliance, CEDIA, Dakim, What’s Next Boomer Summit

    • GrandCare Announces UK Partnership, Charlie Hillman, Founder, GrandCare Systems
    • CEA Announces GrandCare as winner of CEA Entrepreneur of the Year, Steve Koenig, CEA
    • LivHOME CareMonitor announces national roll-out, Mike Nicholson, CEO LivHOME
    • GrandCare Announces Frost & Sullivan Award: Best Practices, Gaytha Traynor, Co-founder, GrandCare
    • GrandCare introduces new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Erick Eiting, CMO, GrandCare
    • What’s Next Boomer Summit announces conference, Mary Furlong
    • Samsung Tablet Give-Away – special thanks to Samsung Enterprise Healthcare team

5:00 – 5:30p Networking/Happy Hour

1. We have been chosen by Industry Analysts – Frost & Sullivan for Best Practices Award for the Elderly Health & Wellness Customer Enhancement Award

GrandCare-Systems-LLC.

“The world of telehealth is most impactful when it is addressing the elderly population, but unfortunately, elderly care and wellness remains one of the most undeserved needs in healthcare,” reported Bujnoch. “GrandCare continues to show exceptional insight within elderly health and wellness by understanding the complex needs of the elderly and offers a unique, high-value solution in response.” -Senior Analyst from Frost & Sullivan, Zachary Bujnoch

Press Release

2. We are excited to announce our partner, LivHOME, has announced official launch of their LivHOME CareMonitor, powered by GrandCare Systems.

CareMonitorLogo

LivHOME CareMonitor™, a remote care service first announced in March, is beginning to roll out nationwide where LivHOME services are offered. It is currently available in Los Angeles, Walnut Creek and Riverside, Calif., and will continue to be rolled out to additional markets in late 2012 and early 2013. LivHOME CareMonitor™ is provided by LivHOME, Inc., one of the nation’s largest providers of professionally led at-home care for seniors.

Press Release

3. GrandCare will be hosting an in-booth Cocktail Press Reception at CES!!

zwa-logo

This event is sponsored by LivHOME CareMonitor and co-sponsored by the Z-Wave Alliance , CEDIA, Dakim Brain Fitness and The What’s Next Boomer Summit. We will be making some major announcements and a lucky winner will walk away with a brand new Tablet donated by Samsung’s Enterprise Healthcare team. Must be present to win!

(GrandCare is headed to the UK…learn all about our exclusive UK Partner at CES)

RSVP

4. GrandCare was the 2012 Winner of the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association and producer of CES) Entrepreneur of the Year Award!!

Charlie Hillman CEA Award

“Innovative companies like GrandCare are moving our economy forward. It’s a great example of how the consumer electronics industry is allowing seniors and people with disabilities to use technology to enhance their lives and allow caregivers to have access to their loved ones anytime.”  -CEA CEO & President, Gary Shapiro

Press Release

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!!!

Your friends at GrandCare Systems

grandcare.com

GrandCare Systems® Wins 2012 Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Award

Frost & Sullivan Presents GrandCare Systems® as a 2012 Best Practices Award Winner, North American Elderly Health and Wellness Customer Value Enhancement

GrandCare-Systems-LLC.

West Bend, WI – (December 12, 2012) – GrandCare Systems® has received the prestigious 2012 Frost & Sullivan, North American Elderly Health and Wellness Customer Value Enhancement Award. This award recognizes GrandCare Systems for offering an extensive, cutting-edge, elderly health and wellness solution.

“GrandCare has recognized the opportunity presented by the convergence of healthcare and wellness. The company has designed and launched a complete and vetted elderly solution that successfully addresses the needs of being happy and healthy,” said Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst Zachary Bujnoch.

GrandCare offers a system that allows communication between various devices to a central interactive touchscreen hub, which then relays that information into a reviewable format. The core of customer value with elderly care is not in the technology itself, but in the effective design of the system, and in the deployment and ongoing service of such a system. The elderly population has unique needs and desires for home health and wellness systems. These needs must be taken into account during the initial design and ongoing improvements of the offering. It is becoming increasingly evident that wellness activities for the elderly, such as social interactions, are important to healthcare, and they might be necessary for success in some aspects of healthcare outcomes. To achieve greater customer value in elderly health and wellness, each of these needs must be addressed. Since 2005, GrandCare has set the highest standard for value in this market by designing and providing both a health offering and a wellness offering in the same system.

“The world of telehealth is most impactful when it is addressing the elderly population, but unfortunately, elderly care and wellness remains one of the most undeserved needs in healthcare,” reported Bujnoch. “GrandCare continues to show exceptional insight within elderly health and wellness by understanding the complex needs of the elderly and offers a unique, high-value solution in response.”

GrandCare’s offering takes on two roles. First, it acts as an interactive communication platform that can receive data from various activity and digital health devices. The GrandCare platform is malleable and customizable to the specific needs of an elderly home or community setting. It integrates with health-focused peripherals, such as scales, glucometers and blood pressure devices, as well as smart home sensors that can monitor activity and wellness. The second role of the system is as a direct and interactive communication touchscreen for the aged. Through this highly functional hub, the elderly persons can interact with various passive monitoring devices by reviewing data, and they can also engage in a wealth of social and day-to-day activities, such as video chatting with family and maintaining a shared social calendar. The system itself is extremely flexible, as it can be utilized for many diverse tasks facing the elderly, such as keeping up with a complex medication regimen, prompting them with voice and written reminders, and providing stimulating brain exercises. Best of all, no computer knowledge is needed to operate the system, fulfilling the critical need for ease of use. By properly addressing all of these factors, GrandCare’s solution clearly proves a value for the elderly care market. GrandCare will be exhibiting in the Digital Health Pavilion at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Jan. 8–11, LVCC South Hall, Booth # 26629

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When PERS alone is just not enough…

I read a great article today by MobiHealth News’ Neil Versel.

“Panic Buttons for Seniors Must Go”

He shared a story about his own grandmother who was living in a facility with panic buttons. She had a fall and because she was unable to press the button, she ended up not receiving help for 8 hours. He called for more passive monitoring soutions that did not require involvement from the individual in order to effectively work.

Clearly at GrandCare, this topic is of utmost importance… I don’t think there has to be only one solution. Perhaps a combination of several pieces can cover several areas.  We combine digital health technology (what are her vitals, is she taking her medications, touchscreen education, prompts & assessments) as well as Activity of daily living remote monitoring…what you were talking about – a series of motion/temp, door, bed sensors can passively give relatives and caregivers information on someone’s routine activities… could this have saved her life? Not sure… but you certainly would have known MUCH sooner that she hadn’t been moving around, perhaps she missed a medication dosage, perhaps you’d be notified she didn’t access the fridge at mealtime or hadn’t used a bathroom in a number of hours.

07a_GrandCare_Taking_BP_on_the_HomeBase_full

The perfect fit is having a combination of a PERS in Conjunction with a system like GrandCare.  If someone is experiencing chest pain and is capable of pressing a button, a crisis mgmt system could be a life saving device.  If someone is having other symptoms (excessive weight gain, wandering, noncompliance, failure to return to bed during the night, etc), the only way you would remotely know that is from a Digital Health/ADL system.  There are some very forward-thinking providers and in-home caregivers out there that have seen the professional caregiving POWERED by technology is the way to go.  I think many times a provider looks at technology as THE solution and instead, it needs to become a vehicle to provide a solution instead of letting the tech define the care.

So who is blazing the trail? Who is doing this right… Just a few honorable mentions go to:

LivHOME’s CareMonitor™ powered by GrandCare Systems®:
One of the largest in-home care providers who combine hands-on care management, caregiving & technology as one complete solution to keep folks independent at home.
www.livhomecaremonitor.com

Lutheran Homes of NY in Jamestown, NY:
They have created SMARTMENT™ homes that combine GrandCare’s digital health monitoring and socialization along with a Personal Emergency Response System and Activity of Daily Living Monitoring!!

I believe the digital health and activity monitoring space is heating up…It’s an exciting time to be a part of this disruptive industry!  Thanks again to Neil for the insightful, personal and thought-provoking article!!

Laura_05
Laura Mitchell, GrandCare Systems
VP Business Development
www.linkedin.com/in/laurahmitchell

LivHOME CareMonitor™ Powered by GrandCare Begins Nationwide Rollout

Professional Care Managers Can Monitor Seniors via the Web, Maintaining Both Independence and Safety Offers Cost-Saving Alternative to Home Care 

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–When Howard, a 90-year-old living in Walnut Creek, Calif., needs his blood pressure or oxygen level checked, the data are transmitted directly from monitors on his arm and finger and immediately made available to his geriatric Care Manager. His body weight is also sent from a Bluetooth-enabled scale.

Because Howard has congestive heart failure and lung disease, the ability to monitor this data is crucial. Yet, it is executed with ease in the comfort of his own home.

And when he wants to view new photos of family and friends or even listen to his favorite jazz, all Howard has to do is touch a button on the same, simple device that connects him with his Care Manager.

Howard is one of the first seniors in the nation to use LivHOME CareMonitor™, a web-based, touch-screen service powered by GrandCare Systems that lets Howard’s professional Care Manager, Francesca Wood, monitor his health and safety remotely.

“With LivHOME CareMonitor™, I know that Francesca is aware of my health and vital signs at any time of the day, while I retain my independence and privacy. It also lets me stay connected with my family and friends at the touch of a button,” Howard said.

LivHOME CareMonitor™ (www.livhomecaremonitor.com), a remote care service first announced in March, is beginning to roll out nationwide where LivHOME services are offered. It is currently available in Los Angeles, Walnut Creek and Riverside, Calif., and will continue to be rolled out to additional markets in late 2012 and early 2013. LivHOME CareMonitor™ is provided by LivHOME, Inc., one of the nation’s largest providers of professionally led at-home care for seniors.

Seniors access the LivHOME CareMonitor™ service through an easy-to-use, web-based, touch-screen interface developed by GrandCare Systems. LivHOME Care Managers can monitor their clients using the web-based service and are alerted immediately if any problems arise. The system can track medication schedules, movements around the house and biometric readings such as blood pressure, glucose, blood oxygen and body weight.

“LivHOME CareMonitor™ represents an entirely new approach to caregiving, enabling us to monitor the health and safety of our clients – but without the intrusiveness or cost of hands-on care. This provides greater independence and privacy, while significantly reducing the cost of care. It also extends our caregiving services to a whole new demographic of seniors, those who would benefit from some assistance to remain independent in their home but don’t require a full-time caregiver,” said Mike Nicholson, LivHOME’s Chief Executive Officer.

“In 1999, LivHOME was one of the first companies to place caregiver supervision under a professional Care Manager’s responsibility. In 2012, LivHOME is a pioneer once more – placing remote home care technology oversight under a Care Manager’s responsibility,” Nicholson continued.

Features of the LivHOME CareMonitor™ service include:

  • Professional Care Manager assessment
  • Installation and setup of system
  • Touch-screen computer
  • Personal emergency response system
  • 24/7 alert monitoring and Care Manager availability
  • Medication, appointment and social reminders
  • Skype connectivity, photos, messages, music
  • Motion and pressure sensors, door monitors
  • Biometric measurements including weight, glucose, blood pressure, blood oxygen monitors

LivHOME CareMonitor™, powered by GrandCare Systems’ award-winning technology, is available in multiple configurations depending upon the needs of the individual senior.

To find out more about LivHOME CareMonitor™, please contact Mickey Goldkorn
at mgoldkorn@livhome.com or visit the LivHOME CareMonitor™ website
at www.livhomecaremonitor.com.

About LivHOME

LivHOME is one of the nation’s largest providers of professionally led at-home care for seniors. The company is dedicated to finding solutions that enable older adults to remain in their homes as long as possible. Based in Los Angeles, LivHOME delivers high quality at-home care throughout California as well as Arlington, Va., Atlanta, Austin, Tx., Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Silver Spring, Md. and The Woodlands, Tx.

Contacts

For LivHOME
Sharon Bially, 508-655-2676
sharon@farrellkramer.com

GrandCare’s Laura Mitchell Nominated for TrailBlazer Award

GrandCare’s own Laura Mitchell has been nominated by the Digital Health Industry for the WEGO Health Activist “Trailblazer” Award!

You can support this nomination by endorsing Laura today!

GrandCare Returns to CES Digital Health Pavilion for 5th consecutive year!

GrandCare announced today that they plan to return to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, for their 5th consecutive year. GrandCare will be located in Las Vegas Convention Center, LVCC South Hall Booth 26629 within the Digital Health Pavilion. This will be a special year for GrandCare, as a 2012 winner of the CEA Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

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 2013 promises the shifting focus to Digital Health, Fitness and Aging in Place Technologies with large pavilions and information-rich educational sessions.

“One cannot separate the rising costs of healthcare from the aging population boom”, said GrandCare founder, Charlie Hillman “The majority of our healthcare costs are spent in the later years of life. If we continue our healthcare focus on pounds of cure, we will most certainly bankrupt our grandchildren. At GrandCare, we strive to provide ounces of prevention through our innovative digital health tablet platform. This will not only save money, it will also enable individuals to self-manage chronic conditions from the luxury of their own homes.

Hillman is slated to present on Healthcare and the importance of digital health during the Digital Health Summit on January 9th at 10:15a, LVCC North N250.

GrandCare Systems will provide full demonstrations of the Digital Health platform within their booth (LVCC S 26629) in the Digital Health Pavilion. Attendees will experience the socialization, gaming & video chat features, while delving into telehealth, medication management & activity of daily living remote monitoring capabilities.

The Las Vegas Convention Center North Exhibit Hall is open Tuesday January 8th until Friday January 11th. For more information on the CES Show, visit: http://www.cesweb.org/

GrandCare is coordinating a no-host meet up on Monday evening at the West Wing Bar inside the MGM. All are welcome to join. Please RSVP here

2012 mHealth Summit MEET-UP

The GrandCare team is delighted to once again attend the mHealth Summit this year at the Gaylord National Resort December 3 – 5.

Join the GrandCare team and others in the industry at the mHealth no-host MEET UP, Monday evening (Dec 3 – 830p) at the The Public House in National Harbor. This is an opportunity to casually meet up and network with colleagues throughout the Digital and Mobile Health Industry.

This event is free and requires no tickets. You can RSVP here and see who else is attending!

GrandCare will be hosting private meetings throughout the conference. To schedule a meeting or demo with GrandCare, please contact us

The 4th annual mHealth Summit attracts leaders from all sides of the spectrum, from government to non-profit organizations, The main focus for this event is the advancement of health related outcomes through the  use of technology. GrandCare is excited to be participating in this event. Backed by a full agenda, this event looks at current mobile health technology and ways to better it both in the United States as well as internationally. By utilizing mobile technology we can help providers deliver better care and create more awareness and promote better health for patients.

December 3rd – 5th, 2012

The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center        

Fort Washington, Maryland

The 2012 mHealth Summit is the premier international forum connecting the mobile health ecosystem for mHealth research, education, thought leadership, exhibits and action-provoking panel discussions. Conference sessions will explore, examine, and debate the ways mobile technology is transforming  health care delivery, research, business and policy for the 21st century both in the U.S. and internationally, including developed and developing nations.

Click here to learn more about the 2012 mHealth Summit

Nick McLain, CEDIA – On Digital Home Health

Nick McLain has recently written a great article on entering the digital home health field. He covers not only the basic demographics and applications, but takes a moment to point out the challenges and need for integrators to really understand the health care industry.  He used industry experts: Laurie Orlov (Age in Place Technology Watch), GrandCare’s own, Laura Mitchell, and GrandCare partner, Tom Ardolf of Cybermation .

“This is more about understanding home health care and its industry than it is about understanding the technology, which most integrators can get pretty easily.” – Ardolf

Digital Home Health Continues Its Ascent –
But Is It Viable for the CE Industry?

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Nick McLain

Ed Thelen, 69, of Cold Spring is able to live in his apartment with the help of an integrated monitoring system marketed locally by Cybermation.
Jason Wachter, jwachter@stcloudtimes.com

“You’d be hard pressed to find a bigger endorser of digital home health technology than Ed Thelen of Cold Spring, Minn.

That’s not how the 70-year-old originally felt when his daughter, who also acts as his caregiver, proposed getting such a system a year ago. “My first reaction was, ‘I don’t need anything like that,’” he says. “But she talked me into it, and I’m really glad she did. It’s absolutely wonderful.”

Thelen, who has Parkinson’s and diabetes, records his blood pressure and weight, and the results are sent to his doctor. The unit he uses, a Grandcare System, also has Skype capabilities so that Thelen can talk to and see his relatives, and in particular his grandchildren, often. “I can see them all the time now,” he says. “It helps me keep in close contact with everybody.”

Telehealth, digital home health, remote monitoring, aging in place, e-health, m-health — whatever you want to call it, the industry, which aims to deliver health care remotely through technology, is a burgeoning one. Laurie Orlov, an industry analyst and founder of Aging in Place Technology Watch, puts the size of the digital home health care industry at approximately $6-7 billion — and growing.”

…

Laura Mitchell, vice president of business development for Grandcare Systems, says many of her dealers lower the initial upfront cost of the equipment and instead spread it out over monthly fees. After the equipment is paid for, the monthly fees are pure profit.

Ardolf started offering digital home health products and services in 2010. After two years, he is so satisfied with it that he sold the low-voltage electronic portion of his business, and now Cybermation focuses exclusively on digital home health.

Read more at www.cedia.net/blog

Technology and Its Benefits to Helping Adult Children, Caregivers and Seniors Live Better Lives

We wanted to share another great blog article by Mark Phillips, Product Manager at GE Healthcare IT.

Can Technology Help Adult Children, Caregivers and Seniors Live Better Lives?

Mark Phillips

Every day the aging population is growing at a significant rate, and at the same time, technology is taking off at a remarkable pace. So why not combine the two to help adult children take care of their aging loved ones without sacrificing their independence?   He has successfully addressed the key needs the Aging and Technology industry faces and has defined them as below:

      • Support seniors in living their absolute best life where they want to live it!
      • Keep families and caregivers connected, even across long distances
      • Support and promote socialization
      • Promote safety and peace of mind
      • Assist with activities of daily living
      • Help coordinate the myriad of care activities
      • Enable easy interaction with community services and businesses
      • Are easy to setup, intuitive, and easy to use
      • Are affordable to acquire and to keep

Phillips goes on to describe the issues that caregivers and their aging loved ones face and then gives some viable techology solutions as a vehicle to provide better, individualized, and more efficient care. GrandCare is mentioned as a stand out solution “these guys are the blaze, the trail pioneers in the market…”  GrandCare’s VP of Business Development, Laura Mitchell, is described by Mark as “a tireless champion for aging in place technology and who has delivered many blogs and webinars to help spread the word”.

Check out Mark Phillip’s complete blog Here.

CEA Announces GrandCare Systems as Innovation Entrepreneur Awards Winner

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct 16, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)(R) today announced the winners of the first annual Innovation Entrepreneur Awards, sponsored by its new flagship publication, It Is Innovation (i(3)) and CEA’s Small Business Council. The Innovation Entrepreneur Awards honor excellence in business and recognize visionaries leading companies with revenues under $30 million.

“We had a standout group of finalists for the inaugural year of the Innovation Entrepreneur Awards,” said Gary Shapiro, CEA’s president and CEO.

Charlie Hillman, CEO GrandCare Systems, accepts the CEA Innovation Entrepreneur Award at the 2012 CEA Industry Forum.

“Congratulations to ecoATM and GrandCare, winners of the 2012 Small Business Awards; and Sandy Gross, winner of the 2012 Small Business Executive Award. Each of the winners epitomizes the entrepreneurial drive and spirit of innovation that powers our industry and the American economy.” To select the inaugural class for the Innovation Entrepreneur Awards, a panel of media and industry professionals met at CE Week to judge the nominations. From the group of seven finalists selected by the judges, one executive and two small businesses were announced today at CEA’s Industry Forum as the winners.

“Innovative companies like GrandCare are moving our economy forward. It’s a great example of how the consumer electronics industry is allowing seniors and people with disabilities to use technology to enhance their lives and allow caregivers to have access to their loved ones anytime.”

-CEA CEO & President, Gary Shapiro

The 2012 winners are:

  • Small Business of the Year: ecoATM – Originally called reMobile, ecoATM was founded in 2008 by Tom Tullie as an automated eCycling Station for eWaste recycling. Its automated kiosk buys back used cell phones, MP3 players, iPods, iPads and game media and provides cash or an in-store credit. The company incentivizes consumers to participate in reselling and recycling to cut down on CE eWaste.
  • Small Business of the Year: GrandCare Systems – This innovative company integrates daily activities, telehealth monitoring, social networking, medication management and cognitive assists into a user-friendly touch-based system for seniors. Charlie Hillman, founder and CEO, originally created the system to help his great-aunt live independently. The system connects to the Internet allowing caregivers to communicate with their loved ones.
  • Small Business Executive of the Year: Sandy Gross – Gross is co-founder of Polk Audio, Definitive Technology and his latest business, GoldenEar Technology. At Polk he was in charge of marketing and product concepts. In 1988, Gross left for a stint in Hollywood, then founded Definitive Technology in 1990. The company designed high-end models of center channels and surround sound speakers. He retired as president in 2009, and started his third loudspeaker company, GoldenEar Technology, in 2010. Gross is often called upon by other entrepreneurs, in the early stages of developing their companies, for advice.

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