Tag Archive for: loneliness

Fight Loneliness With GrandCare Engagement Technology

Isolation is a serious issue, especially as people age. The kids move out, they retire from their careers. They may lose their spouse. They may find themselves living alone with a limited social network. Throw a pandemic on top of that and you have a lot of very isolated and lonely seniors living at home. This kind of isolation is not only unpleasant, it can lead to declining overall health. 

A recent NASEM report found that 25% of the 65+ population feel lonely. The pandemic has only exacerbated these numbers.  According to the CDC, social isolation contributed to a 50% increase in dementia.

Fortunately, GrandCare can help.

Maybe they don’t go out as much as they used to, and have fewer house guests. But that doesn’t mean they are left with just the telephone and TV as their only sources of engagement. GrandCare offers several features for remote family connection, games, local radio and even old time radio programs. Families can add photos, videos and messages right to their touchscreen. They can also send messages and exchange letters. They can even do video calls to the GrandCare touchscreen right from their computers or smartphones, no matter where they are. A recent 12 month pilot with a medicare advantage payer showed an improvement in physical, mental and overall health amongst GrandCare users from month one to month 12. What’s more, GrandCare can help individuals manage their own chronic health conditions.

In much the same way that their adult children might use Facebook, Zoom and other services to keep in touch with family, GrandCare delivers very similar functionality but with two great benefits. First, unlike those other solutions, the GrandCare user doesn’t have to learn how to do anything. There are no usernames or passwords or addresses to remember. It’s even easier than a telephone: you just touch the name and photograph of the person you want to talk to and that’s it. The second great benefit of using GrandCare is that it removes all of the risk that online life normally brings. With GrandCare you never receive spam emails, you can never receive a call from someone you do not know, and malware isn’t even a thing in the GrandCare world. 

Do you know a senior living at home alone? GrandCare is a great way for them to stay connected, even during a pandemic.

All By Myself: GrandCare Combats Social Isolation

Isolation and loneliness are epidemic amongst older people. Your children move away, you retire and lose your work network, and maybe even lose your spouse. Perhaps driving is no longer an option and there are fewer friends to meet out. This type of isolation can have a tremendous impact on happiness and overall health. The problem is even worse for those in rural and remote communities where neighbors are few and far between.

If you can’t move, how do you stay connected and in the loop? GrandCare can help. GrandCare has always believed that technology can play a big role in mitigating the feelings of loneliness and isolation, and actually help to bridge family together using video chat and messaging. And we’re not alone. Just recently Nelson Communications Cooperative received a grant to do just that. With GrandCare as their chosen technology partner, Nelson is hosting a pilot program to alleviate isolation for seniors living in rural Wisconsin.

Do you know any seniors who might be feeling isolated or lonely? Maybe we can help. Here’s a video overview of the various ways to stay connected with GrandCare.

 

Photo by Larry Jacobson