Tag Archive for: GrandCare

GrandCare Systems debuts new website

You may recall that late in 2014, we announced our new brand logo, identity, and new color schematics as GrandCare Systems looked to modernize and give our brand an updated and refreshed look. Expanding on what we started, we are aligning our new brand identity to our completely redefined sales and marketing strategy in the hopes to better target our product solutions to the various customer markets we serve on our newly redesigned website: www.grandCARE.com.

Introducing: Our all new grandCARE program solution strategy featuring Professional Care, Community Based Care, and Family Centered Care programs. While our product and its capabilities haven’t really changed, what is different is the way we are presenting it to each of the individuals and organizations our product is designed to benefit.

“When I first came on board, I started to evaluate our website immediately, because it is the most highly visible sales and marketing tool we have. In most cases, our website presents the first impression we make to our customers. My goal when redesigning the site was to take the new branding and color schemes and build on those ideas by developing very distinct program solution paths for visitors to take based on their specific personal or business needs,” said GrandCare Systems Marketing Analyst, Amy Schwengels.

Who We Help_pg 1Selection Guide
Along with an all new look and feel to the site, the new website includes two new sections to help users decide which program solution is best for them: Who We Help and Selection Guide.

“We wanted to create a more straight-forward approach to how we engage visitors on our website. We feel that by creating the color-coded program solution paths along with useful selection guide tools, we are able to better communicate with our customers and make sure that they are able to find more meaningful content on our site,” added Dan Maynard, GrandCare Systems CEO.

Additional information, questions, or comments regarding the new website can be directed to Amy Schwengels, Marketing Analyst at 262.338.6147, or please visit www.grandCARE.com and drop us a line on our Contact Us page. A media kit and other marketing materials are available on our website.

HomeCare Magazine highlights grandCARE as an aging in place solution

HomeCare Logo

GrandCare Systems was recently featured in HomeCare Magazine in an article by Graham Miller about aging in place. Technology is transforming the way both aging populations and health care professionals view and manage health care, with the reality being that the best way to keep people out of hospitals and long-term care is through prevention. Digital health tools, such as the grandCARE system, can be the key to greater prevention and managing long-term health needs for seniors.

In the article, Graham Miller writes:

“Every day, tens of thousands of Americans are turning 65, and three factors—longer life spans, rising health care costs and aging baby boomers—are driving the growth of this demographic. An overwhelming percentage of these aging adults desires to stay at home, maintaining an active, independent lifestyle for as long (and as safely) as possible.”

“The Affordable Care Act has changed how both consumers and companies view health care,” says Dan Maynard, president and CEO of GrandCare Systems. “The cost of health care continues to rise, especially for the aging populations that require more frequent and longer-term health care monitoring.” A large part of the new legislation focuses on hospital readmission reductions and consequences for reactive versus proactive care, he says, and there are significant financial incentives for hospitals to actively work with Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) to reduce costs associated with patient readmissions. Products like grandCARE incorporate resident information and support, captured resident data and professional caregiving tools, encouraging everyone in the caregiving support network to work together to achieve true patient-centered care. “A path of a patient/provider partnership results in better outcomes for both the patients and the caregivers because it creates greater efficiency for the caregiver staff by allowing virtual care, which results in fewer at-home visits,” says Maynard.

Our product is designed to reduce health care costs and improve outcomes by enabling family members, caregivers and health care professionals to remotely care for an individual living at home. The system uses a large touch screen in the residence, which provides the individual with social communications, health care monitoring, visual daily reminders and medication prompts. The easy-to-use interface means that no computer skills are needed for the resident to engage in all of the touch screen features. The system also supports virtual video visits, telehealth device recording (which takes vitals such as wireless blood pressure readings, weight, pulse oximerty, glucose and thermometer readings) and remote in-home activity sensing.

We recently incorporated a new professional caregiver and user task management feature into the system, which allows the resident and caregiver to follow a daily schedule of tasks (such as medication administration, caregiver education, scheduled appointments, etc.).

Caregiver showing grandCARE user new task list feature on the resident's touchscreen.

Caregiver showing grandCARE user new task list feature on resident’s touchscreen.

“This new feature enhances the resident engagement aspect by giving the resident a daily to-do list and establishes complete transparency for professional caregiving organizations by providing a task list that is required to be completed during home visits,” says Maynard.

– See more at: http://www.homecaremag.com/aging-place/mar-2015/smart-home-solutions-aging-population#sthash.Hxk28Xpy.dpuf

GrandCare Systems forms new medical advisory board

Better Care Logo - Square - Standard - TM

 

For immediate release March 17, 2015

GrandCare Systems, a pioneer in digital health and remote monitoring technology, is excited to announce the formation of a medical advisory board chaired by Dr. Erick Eiting, MD, MPH, MMM, Chief Medical Officer. The purpose of the group is to become better aligned with key members of the healthcare industry in an effort to become more proactive with gathering trending medical information. Dr. Eiting said, “I am excited to be selected as chair of the grandCARE advisory board. GrandCare Systems continues to grow and evolve in so many ways, and I feel that our discussions will continue to make grandCARE an innovator when it comes to development of new medical technologies and align with the needs of the professional health care industry.”

The company is focused on leading the way by partnering with several medical professionals who together along with the grandCARE leadership team, will form this medical advisory board. The group will meet quarterly to discuss new opportunities and trends in the health care industry. “Healthcare and digital health technologies are a constantly fluid, and ever-changing entity. In order stay one step ahead of the curve, we felt it was important to get our information directly from leading medical professionals. We believe that this advisory board will give grandCARE a competitive advantage in the telehealth marketplace by keeping abreast of the latest medical trends and allow us to better serve our customer needs” said Charlie Hillman, Chief Technology Officer and Founder.

 

 

About grandCARE:

GrandCare Systems LLC, founded in 2005, offers the most comprehensive and holistic professional care giving and health coordination tool on the market.  grandCARE is a large touch platform which provides health instructions, secure video chat, wireless vital recordings and analytics, medication compliance, activity sensing, and family communications into one intuitive and expandable platform.  grandCARE focuses on true individual centered care, enabling better experience, better engagement, and better outcomes. For more information, visit: www.grandcare.com or call 262-338-6147.

 Media Contact:

Amy Schwengels       262.338.6147   media@grandCARE.com

Kiplinger Report Highlights grandCARE in new report

Technology Helps Seniors Remain at Home

Most of us want to remain at home as we get older, but safety and health issues and social isolation can interfere with that plan. A growing number of seniors are turning to state-of-the-art digital tools — via smartphones, GPS, voice activation and sensors — that enable them to stay put indefinitely.

……By 2017, experts expect this market to reach $30 billion. “The aging-in-place technology field is exploding,” says gerontologist Katy Fike, who co-founded San Francisco-based Aging 2.0 in 2012 to advise start-ups geared to boomers and seniors…

 System Comp HR11-13Randall Schafer, 61, of Houston, Tex., uses his grandCARE system to Skype with his mother, 90. (She just pushes a button to videochat.) “My mom is in love with our dog, Daisy,” Schafer says. Her “face lights up” when she sees the schnauzer, he says.

Keeping in touch. You might be able to stay in your home, but you can get lonely. Technology can help you feel connected to friends and family — and sometimes even to medical professionals.

With an interactive touch screen from grandCARE Systems (www.grandcare.com, 262-338-6147), you can look at a photo of a grandson’s Halloween getup or a video replay of his baseball home run. You can listen to music, play word games, read the news or surf the Internet. No need to know how to use a computer

skype

Randall Schafer, 61, of Houston, Tex., uses his grandCARE system to Skype with his mother, 90. (She just pushes a button to videochat.) “My mom is in love with our dog, Daisy,” Schafer says. Her “face lights up” when she sees the schnauzer, he says.

An added feature: The system can transmit health data, from glucose and blood pressure to weight and oxygen readings. For example, a blood pressure cuff with a wireless Bluetooth medical device will record and relay the readings to caregivers…

Read the entire article here

grandCARE can be purchased for a loved one Here
Are you a professional care provider, medical provider or housing organization?  Contact grandCARE for volume purchasing options.

grandCARE featured in Improving Seniors’ Home Safety Through Software IndustryView

Software Advice, a resource for software buyers looking to improve their home heath and long-term care services, recently featured GrandCARE in their report on senior home safety:
“Some vendors, such as grandCARE Systems, cater to average families and home health agencies alike. These vendors’ products and services include sensors that can be configured to send out alerts, wireless touch screens to facilitate communication for seniors, telehealth support and more.”

“Seniors aging at home are constantly at risk for life-threatening falls,” says Market Researcher Gaby Loria. “We wanted to take on this topic in our research report as a way to highlight home safety initiatives, measure adoption rates for those initiatives and explore technology’s growing role in keeping older Americans safe in their houses.”

The results signaled many older Americans and their families are hesitant to implement both traditional and tech-based home safety measures. “The bulk of our findings are surprising because we expected seniors to embrace tools and technology that would minimize their risks for hospitalization while allowing them to age at home,” says Loria. “This just goes to show why it’s so important for home health agencies to act on their own opportunities for promoting a safe environment in patient homes.”

grandCARE products

grandCARE products

Read the whole article here

grandCARE mentioned as innovative digital health devices for caregiving

Digital Health Devices Now Used By 41% of U.S. Home Caregivers

Parks Associates is out with a new report showing that 41% of caregivers in U.S. broadband households currently use a digital health device as part of their “caregiving routine,” (including 8% who use online tools to coordinate their efforts.”

“Among U.S. broadband households, 22% have a head of household who currently provides care for a family member or anticipates doing so in the near future,” said Harry Wang, Director of Health & Mobile Product Research at Parks Associates.

“At 2015 International CES, we’ll see many new digital health devices and software on display, including innovations from companies such as…Grandcare..These innovative solutions will find strong interest among current caregivers, but they will also have high standards to meet in improving the ways caregivers can monitor their family members.”

read the full article here

Virtual chats with grandCARE relieves loneliness, enhances happiness

Virtual Chats With grandCARE Can Help Fight Loneliness in the Elderly

Products Like GrandCare Can Help You Stay In Touch With Loved Ones and Reduce Isolation and Loneliness.

Social isolation does more than just make our elderly lonely. More recent research suggests that loneliness is actually a predictor of functional decline and even death. A study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine late in 2012 showed that for adults who are over the age of 60, loneliness can have adverse health effects. It can worsen existing medical conditions, as well as contribute to new ones.

But many elders have trouble using computers to stay in touch.

Esther using Skype with Laura's Son

So what can families and long distance caregivers do to help fight loneliness in their senior loved one?

  1. If your loved one is able to get out and about in their community but they no longer drive, arrange transportation for them. The local agency on aging or senior center can be a good resource to help you with this. Most maintain a list of quality, reliable senior transportation services. They can also connect you with events and activities your loved one can participate in close to home.
  2. Talk with local religious organizations to see what senior services they offer. Many have friendly visitor programs with volunteers who make house calls to provide companionship. Most can also arrange transportation to weekly services.
  3. Consider employing the services of a companion, homemaker,  personal care assistant, or live-in caregiver. They not only provide your loved one with help around the house, but also a friendly visitor to chat with a few days each week, or around the clock.
  4. Technology can also provide a variety of solutions. One that allows you to have a virtual face-to-face conversation once or twice a day with your older family member is GrandCare. This senior-friendly system doesn’t require a keyboard or a mouse to operate. It requires only a simple touch of the screen to open a video connection.  Adult children and grandchildren can video chat and share the daily news with their aging family member. GrandCare also allows caregivers to send reminders about appointments and medications and to share family photos. The senior can even send voice emails with this system.

Read the entire article here

grandCARE Featured in Venture Beat

How tech is helping seniors live at home, not in a home

GrandCare calls their homecare monitoring system the “comprehensive care solution”, perhaps not a far-fetched description. Their system offers a wide range of features, including activity sensors, and a telehealth device that wirelessly records blood pressure, pulse, glucose, weight, and temperature readings. In the center of the system is a senior-friendly touchscreen providing individualized reminders, instructions, and medication prompts. GrandCare also has a social component with virtual video visits, chat, and shared calendar events.

Better Care Logo - Square - Standard - TMMost seniors would like to remain independent, and continue to live in their own home as long as possible. It’s important that they can do so in a safe way. Technology can help ease the worries about not knowing if an aging family member has wandered off, hurt themselves, or forgotten to take their medication.

The elderly population in the U.S is expected to double between now and 2050 (and presumably also the healthcare costs), making it even more important to better facilitate remote patient monitoring. At the same time, investment in tech to meet the needs of the coming age bubble have been doubling down. Here are a few interesting tools that can assist the elderly to stay safe in their own home.

[…]

Homecare monitoring systems

By using sensors placed in different locations at home, daily activity movements can be safely monitored. If and when a senior opens the refrigerator, goes to the bathroom, or takes their medication, this can all be tracked and analyzed. If something out of the ordinary happens, the caregiver will be alerted. For example, if dad has spent an extended amount of time in the basement, this could be due to a project he’s working on – or it could be a fall or other kind of emergency. If the refrigerator hasn’t been opened for a long time, this could indicate poor eating habits.

[…]

GrandCare calls their homecare monitoring system the “comprehensive care solution”, perhaps not a far-fetched description. Their system offers a wide range of features, including activity sensors, and a telehealth device that wirelessly records blood pressure, pulse, glucose, weight, and temperature readings. In the center of the system is a senior-friendly touchscreen providing individualized reminders, instructions, and medication prompts. GrandCare also has a social component with virtual video visits, chat, and shared calendar events.

[…]

Read the entire article here.
This sponsored post is produced in association with Humana.

grandCARE featured on Peggy Smedley Radio Show

Peggy Smedley Radio show had the chance to interview the team at CES 2015 and find out the reasoning behind grandCARE’s strategic brand positioning and new “betterCARE” brandmark.

Laura Mitchell, founding member and strategic advisor of GrandCare Systems, discusses the digital health industry and her company’s shift towards patient centered care.


“In order to achieve better outcomes for professional care providers, healthcare systems and the end user, it is critical to have the ultimate client experience. The grandCARE touchscreen is the heart and soul of the system, encouraging engagement and better compliance, ultimately resulting in better health.”

Smedley

The Peggy Smedley Show, the voice of M2M and connected devices, is broadcast live each Tuesday from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. CT on the Connected World Network, owned by Specialty Publishing Co., and a member of the World Syndicated Radio Network (wsRadio). The Peggy Smedley Show is a weekly radio show that helps listeners not only understand connected devices, but also how to make these devices a part of their everyday lives.

GrandCare Systems interviewed by Tim Reha, Living in Digital Times at CES 2015

CES 2015 was a huge success for GrandCare Systems, as we unveiled our new brandmark logo and branding strategy, signifying a shift towards true patient centered care.  The grandCARE better care logo was designed to symbolize our better care program. In order to achieve better outcomes, we must be sure that the person engages with his/her own health and in order to get there, we have to ensure the client experience is top notch. This is what sets the grandCARE platform apart from the rest.

Tim Reha from Living in Digital Times had a chance to catch up with one of GrandCare’s founding members, Laura Mitchell, on the panel she spoke on as well as the new grandCARE brand mark and strategy.

The Digital Health Summit, http://www.digitalhealthsummit.com , produced by Living in Digital Times, convenes one of the broadest spectrum audiences which makes it a can’t miss event. Everyone from medical providers, policy makers, buyers, payers, investors, developers, leading consumer electronics companies, innovators driving the marketplace and all the other industries starting to cross-pollinate into digital health including the automotive, fitness and gaming industries.