Tag Archive for: Laura Mitchell

West Bend Daily News: GrandCare receives $200K county loan

Company offers health care, technology

By DAVE RANK

A $200,000 county low interest loan was approved for GrandCare Systems LLC, a growing technology company in West Bend, through the Economic Development Washington County, the EDWC announced Monday.

GrandCare is rapidly expanding sales of its digital health monitoring and socializing technology for the elderly both domestically and internationally, GrandCare co-founder and CEO Charlie Hillman said.

GrandCare Systems combines digital health assessment, biometric readings, daily living activity sensing, medication management, smart home automation, video chat and virtual touch-based communications technology for the private home market since 2006.

“Home health care is a growing segment of the global economy,” EDWC Executive Director Christian Tscheschlok said. “We are excited to support the growth of a local company that offers significant potential to elevate our economy through its noteworthy leadership in that expanding market.”

Hillman’s wife, Gaytha Traynor, co-founded GrandCare and is the company’s chief operating officer.

In part, the company’s current expansion is due to the the Community Development Block Grant loan from the EDWC, Hillman said.

GrandCare now is available for retail purchase throughout the United States, Bermuda, New Zealand, Australia and [soon] the United Kingdom, Laura Mitchell, vice president of business development, said.

The daughter of Hillman and Traynor, Mitchell has been a part of GrandCare since its founding. “It started with just four of us in 2005,” Mitchell said. “We now have 18 employees.”

In January, GrandCare announced it had an exclusive contract to provide technology to the largest home health care provider in the United Kingdom, Mitchell said.

“It’s an exciting time for GrandCare and the ‘aging in place’ technology industry,” Hillman said. “The vision that the EDWC has shown will not only help build up our team to support our large contracts, but also will showcase that Washington County is a pioneer in the Health Information Technology space.”

The loan will help GrandCare expand its staff, Mitchell said, including finding a new CEO to step in for Hillman.

“Charlie has been the vision of GrandCare and he wants to remain the visionary,” Mitchell said. Hillman and Nick Mitchell, vice president of product development, built GrandCare’s products from scratch, Laura Mitchell said. “He (Hillman) wants to stay in development.”

Nick and Laura Mitchell are married.

“We are considered the pioneer in the industry,” she said. “We have that credibility.”

GrandCare’s largest competitor is a partnership formed by General Electric and Intel, she said.

The company is also preparing to launch its own e-commerce online site to sell its products directly to consumers, Laura Mitchell said.

GrandCare is located at 327 N. Main St., Lower Riverside. For more information, visit www.grandcare. com or call 338-6147.

Laura Mitchell on BBS Radio – Reaching For The Gold

“The GrandCare System helps connect elders with the world in ways designed to maximize their independence while also ensuring their safety. This technology not only tracks when they take their medication and other important health statistics. It also allows elders to send e-mails and other important correspondences without the technology frustrating or intimidating them.

Laura Mitchell serves as VP of business development for this company. She has spoken throughout the country about how digital home health can mitigate hospital admissions and otherwise have positive outcomes for elders and their family.”

Reaching For The Gold with Harriet Tramer

Reaching For The Gold airs every other week
BBS Radio Station 1 – Tuesdays
2:00 – 2:55 PM (PST)
5:00 – 5:55 PM (EST)

Harriet Tramer is publishing journalist and a college instructor. Harriet finds that these two careers have much in common as they both demand honing communication skills every day. Over the years, however, her understanding of precisely what is meant by “communication skills” has changed exponentially. At first, she taught classes in the most traditional sense, standing in front of students. And she wrote for print media. But now she instructs her students almost exclusively online and her writing is published in print and over the web. Times have changed but the need to speak to your audience by being concise, yet intriguing, remains the same.

—– Contact Harriet Tramer —–
Email: harriet.tramer@tri-C.edu
Website: http: www.justwannatalk.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/JustWannaTalk1

10th annual Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit

The Summit will attract more than 300 entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and leaders in the fields of aging and health.

Laura Mitchell, VP of Business Development at GrandCare Systems, will be presenting at this year’s event.

The 2013 Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit is where the most promising entrepreneurs and investors meet to launch and discover innovative products and services for the global boomer and beyond market.

  • NETWORK in a unique setting comprised of leading investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, analysts and marketers addressing the needs and wants of the 50+ demographic.
  • MEET key members of the media who report on aging, health, finance, technology and care giving.
  • HEAR about the latest trends in the field of aging from key strategic partners in the non-profit sector.

At the Boomer Venture Summit and Business Plan Competition, meet at the crossroads of market opportunity, entrepreneurial talent and leading investors, and discover the power of the 45+ market. Whether you are an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, corporate strategist, marketing expert, industry analyst, age beat reporter or boomer-oriented organization, the Boomer Venture Summit will give you an inside look at the trends and talent that will become an integral part of the aging marketplace, and to connect with other leaders in this field.

The culmination of the Boomer Venture Summit is the Business Plan Competition, which offers a $10,000 prize to the team with the best business plan for tapping into the burgeoning 45+ market. Since the first Boomer Venture Summit in 2004, this competition has fostered a cutting edge community to explore, share and design products and services that will dominate this market in coming years.

Register for the 2013 Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit and learn how to make these facts work for your brand.

Grand News for GrandCare this April

Front Page! Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

“A Time To Build – Why entrepreneurs are key to jump-starting the Milwaukee area’s economic rebirth”

By Rick Romell

“Or consider the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where in January Hillman climbed onto a step stool in front of GrandCare’s booth and told scores of invited media and other guests, virtually all of them sipping free beer from the company, that the little West Bend firm had signed its biggest contract ever.”

Read More

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiXTbBhCBH4&w=560&h=315]

Midland Daily News:

“GrandCare Systems provides seniors peace of mind”

Congratulations to David and Becky Schmelzer of Reassure Resources for their appearance in the Midland Daily News!

“The goal is to keep people in their homes for their enjoyment and for caregivers to stay in contact,” said Dave Schmelzer, owner of Reassure Resources and area distributor for GrandCare. “A lot of these people are lonely and don’t have any socialization.”

Read More on why his organization chose to partner with GrandCare Systems.

Aging in America 2013: conference report

Now Available: Joop Koopman’s, report for Bayard Presse on the annual conference of the American Society on Aging, March 12-15th in Chicago.

Commentary on presentations by: Aging in Place Technology Watch’s Laurie Orlov, gerontologist Ken Dychtwald, Mary Furlong’s What’s Next Summit preceding ASA, AARP, Scott Collins of Link-age Connect, Caring.com and Louis Tenenbaum.

Technologies: Care Innovations, GrandCare Systems and Philips.

Communities: On Lok Lifeways, Avenidas (virtual).

“The reality remains startling: between 2010 and 2050 the US population of 65 and older will have doubled to close to 80M. There are 40M Americans over 65 today; already there are 5M people older than 85, half of whom are still at home and almost half of whom suffer from some form of dementia. Worldwide, 15 percent of the population is 65-plus—a figure that will increase exponentially. Nearly 40 percent of the developed world will be over 55 by 2050.”

System Comp TRANS HR03-13

… “Key players in the realm of software and hardware that are making Aging-in-Place a reality are, to name but a handful, are Philips’ Healthcare at Home (prominently present at ASA with a large display in the exhibit hall and through sponsorship of general sessions); CareInnovations, a partnership of General Electric and Intel—the partnership forged precisely because the Aging-in-Place market remains scattered and unfocused and thus hard to penetrate; and GrandCare Systems, whose VP of Business Development [Laura] Mitchell elaborated on a major deal with Saga in the UK, that country’s counterpart to AARP, for the sale and distribution of a computer-like device capable of comprehensive health, security, and movement monitoring in the home. The company is pursuing sales elsewhere in Europe as well…”

Joop Koopman is an experienced writer/journalist, with a background in Catholic media (as editor and publisher), baby boomer-oriented marketing, as well as public relations serving both commercial and non-profit clients and causes. He currently provides a stable of European magazines catering to the 50-plus audience with information on US marketing trends. He is fluent in Dutch and French.

GrandCare Systems: Winner, Finalist and Nominee

2013 Best Senior Living Awards Winner

GrandCare Systems was voted Most Innovative Senior Living Product

Best Senior Award 2013Seattle, WA – Feb. 20, 2013 – SeniorHomes.com, an online directory and resource for seniors and their families searching for senior care or senior housing, announces winners for the SeniorHomes.com 2013 Best Senior Living Awards, in the Websites, Blogs, and People categories..

The SeniorHomes.com 2013 Best Senior Living Awards is a program designed to identify the top resources, providers and organizations in a variety of senior living categories. A panel of 21 leading senior living industry experts has completed ratings for the finalists in each category , and winners have been identified based on cumulative average ratings.

Official Press Release
SeniorHomes.com

Other Consumer Resources Winners by category include:

 

WegoHealth 2012 Trailblazer Award Finalist

GrandCare’s VP of Business Development, Laura Mitchell has been chosen as 1 of 5, 2012 Trailblazer Award finalists

Laura Mitchell“Laura was a pioneer in the aging/technology space, starting in early 2005 with digital health technology leader, GrandCare Systems. Laura is one of the core founders whose initial role was to educate the market on the capabilities of technology and how it could help to improve caregiving, health, safety and self-care.”

Official Nomination

Nominated as the City of West Bend’s Growing Local Business of the month for March 2013

“The Department of Development implemented the Growing Local Business program to recognize businesses that are important to the community. GrandCare Systems is a business that most of the community has not likely heard of, but has a large international reach and is doing really advanced things. I was really impressed with GrandCare Systems ever since we met with you in December, and have selected GrandCare for Business of the Month for exactly that reason. I have followed you through our twitter page and have seen never ending positive accomplishments and awards from GrandCare.”

-Amanda Knack, Economic Development Specialist

Live Interview with Laura Mitchell, A Young Turk of CE

GrandCare’s, VP Business Development, Laura Mitchell has been named one of this year’s Young Turks of CE by Custom Retailer, for her leadership role and enthusiasm in the digital health field.

Blazing trails in all facets of our industry’s businesses, these rising professionals share the passion, drive and distinction of Young Turks.

-CustomRetailer

While attending the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Laura was interviewed on GrandCare Systems’ ground breaking approach to the use of digital technology in health care by Tony Messina and Barb Beach of GAB Radio. Barb shares with us her own personal story on how a system like GrandCare could have prevented the loss of a loved one for her family.

LISTEN  TO THE INTERVIEW

UK Home Care Provider, Saga at Home, Partners with GrandCare Systems to power home care services

CES Las Vegas, NV – (January 8, 2013) – GrandCare Systems® announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today, a partnership agreement under which Saga, the UK’s largest in-home care provider, will incorporate GrandCare’s touch-based digital health monitoring and socialization technology into their care service offerings.

This is a giant step for the remote monitoring industry as international player, Saga, shows the world how digital health technology could complement domiciliary care services for the over 50s.

“We are honored to have been chosen by Saga as their go-to-market technology for enhancing the 50+ services in the UK,” said GrandCare Founder Charlie Hillman, “the GrandCare technology takes away distance as a barrier to communication and care, benefiting our aging population with familial socialization and the connectivity of the Internet.”

Read more

CES 2013: GrandCare In-Booth Gala Tuesday, January 8th 3:30 – 5:30

Gala copy

CES In-Booth Event 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

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