Tag Archive for: Long term care

smart technology for seniors

Smart technology for seniors? Yes, it does exist.

Proactive versus reactive care is something that unfortunately too often becomes a hindsight 20/20 revelation for some elderly patients and their families. “If only we had known…” they would say. The truth is technology these days is not just good, it’s really good.  Better than it was even just a few short years ago. The thing about technology is that it is always changing, evolving, and getting more sophisticated. That’s not to say that it is getting more complicated necessarily, in fact, in many cases the technology is actually getting easier to use. More hands free. Requiring even less for the user to do manually, with the advent of voice recognition, smart watches, and even artificially intelligent computers.

I mean, just a few years ago, it would have seemed unfathomable to think that you could talk into your phone, tablet, or computer to ask it a simple question and actually expect to get an intelligent response. Today, we can ask something as simple as “do I need an umbrella today?” and our technology device will actually give us a resonable answer related to our local weather report.

The same holds true for technology advancements in healthcare with virtual care services, and personal health/fitness monitoring devices. But did you know that there is even more advanced technology out there that is designed to help prevent hospitalizations, manage chronic conditions, and track daily activities, all to keep the elderly and disabled living independently for as long as possible in order to postpone the need for long-term care?

 

Introducing the grandCARE system. We provide a technology solution that benefits seniors, family caregivers, and professional senior care workers alike. It starts with our innovative touchscreen interface which has been carefully designed with the end-user in mind. It features large, easy-to-read icons and can be fully customized to include as few or as many menu options as desired. The platform is so intuitive to use, that no previous computer experience is required to enjoy.
The touchscreen can be use as key source of socialization, entertainment, and communication for the senior user with our integrated family Facebook photo sharing, video chatting, games, websites, news, weather and more available options.

Next, our passive activity and motion monitoring is an effective and unintrusive way to analyze patterns of behavior to become more aware when something isn’t quite right. Our sensors can detect when there is too much, too little or no motion, and alert when something out of the ordinary occurs. The alert rules can be established to send out a message by phone call, text, or email to one or multiple designated parties.

At grandCARE, we believe in not only helping seniors stay independent, but strive to enable them the ability to proactively manage their own health and wellness too. This is why we have available digital medical devices to take important health vital readings digitally using our innovative system. The data is captured on the system, and stored on our secure servers making the information accessible at anytime to a family member or professional care manager using our online based care portal. The information can be reviewed in report or chart format, and even exported as a PDF to send to a professional health care provider as well.

A recent article by Maryalene LaPonsie, featured in the U.S. News and World Report provides more support for the benefits that technology can have with seniors, families, and those in the long-term care industry.

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.”

The article goes on to show how virtual care services are having an impact with both cost savings and patient outcomes:

“We save over $4,000 per patient per year and avoid hospital visits and readmissions,” Herzog says. From 2013 to 2014, Banner Health tracked the outcomes of newly enrolled Banner iCare members and compared that to claims data from the year before their enrollment. They found the program resulted in an overall 27 percent cost savings of $788 per patient per month. Hospitalizations also dropped from 11.5 per 100 patients per month in the year prior to enrollment to 6.3 per 100 patients per month six months after enrollment.

So, going back to where we started…”if only we had known.” Well, now you do.

Leading Age Minnesota describes why they chose GrandCare for their members!

Aging Services Group Offers Solutions on a “Grand” Scale

As an owner or operator of a senior care community or home care company, have you ever asked yourself any of these questions:

  • What can we do to positively impact hospital readmissions and capture data to demonstrate our positive outcomes?
  • How can we maximize our care team’s efforts?
  • What is my competitive advantage in our market?
  • What options exist for developing new revenue streams within our care model?

As we confront the challenges of Affordable Care Organizations (ACOs) and data management, workforce shortages, and market differentiation, these – and more questions – have probably crossed your mind. There is one common thread that consistently shows up in the solutions to these challenges – technology.

Aging Services Group is excited to announce a new partnership with GrandCare Systems that will change and enhance the way traditional caregiving services are deployed for older adults in the state.

GrandCare Systems utilizes digital health and socialization technology to reduce health care costs and improve outcomes by enabling designated family members, caregivers and healthcare professionals to remotely care for individuals in their home, regardless of location. A large, easy-to-read touchscreen placed into the client’s residence provides medication prompts, family communications, one touch HIPAA compliant video chat, messaging, patient assessments, discharge information, scheduling, care plans and more.

GrandCare Systems is designed to empower and engage the resident, while providing information to improve health and outcomes. A series of optional wireless telehealth sensors can be used to automatically report and graph vital readings, and even notify a staff member if readings are outside of designated thresholds. Click here to see the system in action.

Knute Nelson in Alexandria is using GrandCare Systems and received a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services earlier this year to expand use of this system in its service area. See the July 9 article in Advantage for more details.

To learn more about the program features and discounts available through Aging Services Group’s GrandCare program, contact Rick Lazzari atrlazzari@leadingagemn.org or 651.659.1470 or Laura Mitchell atlaura@grandcare.com or 262.338.6147.

GrandCare Cocktail Mixer and showcase at booth 325 at Leading Age Wisconsin

GrandCare Systems will be showcased in BOOTH 325 at LeadingAge Wisconsin on Wednesday October 1st, 2014 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Stick around and join GrandCare at the Hyatt pub from 830 – 10pm on Wed Oct 1st.
Capture Leading Age Invite 2014

GrandCare will be providing a free drink ticket for individuals that visit the GrandCare booth. Stop by booth 325 anytime during exhibit hours to pick up your free drink card.

Exhibit Hours:
Wednesday October 1st :30 – 730p

GrandCare will be sharing their innovative, comprehensive caregiving technology platform, designed for professional caregivers and long term care organizations to provide better, more efficient, proactive and cost-effective care, while encouraging the resident to continually engage with family using the one touch video chat and video/photo/message sharing features.

“GrandCare has made our staff more efficient, while improving the quality of care. Our residents love it. Connecting them to family has reduced isolation and made residents happier to be at Evergreen. GrandCare gives us a game-changing advantage over our competitors.”
– Evergreen Assisted Living Admin, Martha Brewer and Esmeralda Coronado

GrandCare Systems is a complementary caregiving technology that arms senior living providers with tools to monitor an entire community at one glance, improve resident experience with on-going family interaction and socialization, allow additional service revenue opportunities, improve staff productivity, and secure a significant advantage over competitors. The large GrandCare touchscreen appliance and selected wireless sensors are placed in resident rooms throughout the community, encouraging family engagement, and enabling community-wide remote monitoring capabilities.

[RE]Defining Age
The LeadingAge Wisconsin 2014 Fall Conference and 34th Annual Exhibitors Forum will be held October 1-3, 2014 at the Hyatt on Main & KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

GrandCare slated to speak at LeadingAge Missouri May 2nd

May 2nd 2014
From 8:00 AM until 6:30 PM

Hampton Inn & Suites
1225 Fellows Place
Columbia, MO 65201

2014 LeadingAge Missouri’s first-ever Technology Summit. Let us help you get up to speed on new technology, innovations and emerging trends to help you in the Long Term Care realm.

Contact: Christy Stretz
christystretz@leadingagemissouri.org
Phone: 573-635-6244

“The Empowered Caregiver: Long Term Care goes Digital” Presented by Laura Mitchell, VP of Business Development, GrandCare Systems

Laura Mitchell, VP Business Development, GrandCare Systems

Laura Mitchell, VP Business Development, GrandCare Systems

Digital health, social engagement and remote monitoring technologies are designed to not only create a better care experience for seniors and their families, but perhaps more importantly, to enhance the way professionals can manage the daily care needs of their clients. The aging population is continuing to rise while the number of care providers and brick and mortar cannot keep up. Armed with enabling remote monitoring technology tools, professional caregiving staff will be turned into “SUPER CAREGIVERS”, being privy to more predictive, proactive and preventative information for clients within a community or beyond, in their own homes. In this session, you will learn about available technology solutions, best practices for better client outcomes and new revenue opportunities!

More Information …

Laura Mitchell interviewed by Senior Care Corner

Technology To Help Seniors Stay Safe & Healthy at Home

Click here to listen to the Podcast

We stay on the lookout for technology that improves the lives of both seniors and their families as a key part of our mission at Senior Care Corner.  When we encountered GrandCare Systems at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, we knew this was a solution about which we wanted to learn more.  In this episode of our podcast we learn together.

We are pleased to welcome Laura Mitchell, GrandCare’s Vice President of Marketing, to join us for a chat at Senior Care Corner.  Laura told us about the personal story behind the founding of the company and GrandCare Systems’ technology and how it helps seniors to stay safe and healthy at home while bringing them closer to their families.

We found it particularly interesting that some have used the GrandCare solution to increase the independence of senior loved ones by linking them via internet to distant family members and other caregivers, which allows at least some to transition from full time to part time in-home care.

In addition to our conversation with Laura, Kathy brings us several news items of interest to seniors and their families and Barry introduces us to the Senior Care Corner Bookstore.

Links Mentioned in this Senior Care Corner Episode

Take a look at Senior Care Corner on the web for additional information and Podcasts.

GrandCare UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Want to see how GrandCare works? View this 30 minute overview led by GrandCare Systems’ Laura Mitchell: https://my.dimdim.com/view/reco/all/grandcare/default/c2a49632-8b93-4352-aa65-1fe2232d470c

An overview of the need for a system like GrandCare, the various models and a quick look at the interface from the LOVED ONE side as well as from the CAREGIVER side!

Building a Continuum of Care

Today’s GrandCare Aging & Technology Industry Call – sponsored by Dakim!

Special thanks to Art Carr from Progressive Retirement for offering an insightful look at the current Continuum of Care and how this is changing as we add enabling services (including technologies) into the mix. This changes our entire concept of a Continuum of Care. If you could not make today’s presentation, please simply email info(at)grandcare.com to receive a copy of the recording!

GrandCare Systems offers industry-wide aging & technology conference call/webinars. GrandCare has been selling into private homes & facilities since 2006 and has opportunities for new dealers & providers. For more info, contact GrandCare directly. These weekly calls are open to anyone and everyone in the aging & technology industry each week and designed for us to learn from each other, network, and together help the industry grow as a whole! Like we always say: The Aging Tsunami will float all boats! Let’s all work together to build up this brand new aging/technology category!

Thanks for joining us today (Over 65 joined us on the web and/or dial in number)

George Mason University Establishes Nation’s First Degree in Senior Housing Administration

I posted the below press release, because this is a very telling sign for times to come, and I do believe that GMU is very forward-thinking in this industry!!!

George Mason University Establishes Nation’s First Degree in Senior Housing Administration

Master’s in Senior Housing Administration Targets Need for Executives in Assisted Living and Related Communities as Population Ages FAIRFAX, Va.—Building on its reputation as a pioneer in the senior housing field, and in recognition of National Careers in Aging Week (April 4-10), George Mason University has announced the launch of the nation’s first degree for executives seeking to manage the country’s nearly 50,000 active adult, assisted living, continuingcare retirement, and related senior housing communities. As approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the new Master of Science in Senior Housing Administration (MSHA) will begin in the fall 2010 semester.“The first of 78 million baby boomers will turn 65 next year, and their interest and expectations for retirementhousing will be high,” says Andrew Carle, a former senior housing executive and director of the Program inAssisted Living/Senior Housing Administration. “Just as the Cornell School of Hotel Administration set the standard for the hospitality industry, we want to set the standard moving forward for senior housing.” Administered through the College of Health and Human Services, the degree will offer coursework in senior housing and health care administration, as well as an interdisciplinary range of topics including business administration, aging, ethics, health policy, assistive technology, therapeutic recreation, and Alzheimer’s disease. For the university, the degree expands its existing Assisted Living/Senior Housing Administration curriculawhich, when launched in 2001, was the first in the nation to offer both undergraduate and graduate concentrations dedicated exclusively to the field. More than 300 students have completed coursework within the Program to date, including internships within more than 60 senior housing communities. A cottage industry through the 1980’s, senior housing today is represented by a host of national and regional providers, with up to 400 communities each. Assisted living communities typically combine housing, hospitality and basic health care under one roof. Continuing care retirement communities, which include independent as well as assisted living and skilled nursing services, may house more than 2,000 seniors, employ more than 1,000 staff and manage real estate valued at more than $500 million. In addition to community administrators, large companies require regional, divisional and corporate executives. Administrator positions in current communities are typically filled by individuals with degrees in business, health care or nursing, but with the National Institute on Aging estimating that one of every five people in the U.S. will be over the age of 65 by 2030, demand for executives trained in the unique aspects of senior housing will grow. “The industry is projected to double to more than 100,000 communities housing 5 million seniors in the next two decades,” says P.J. Maddox, chair of Mason’s Department of Health Administration and Policy. “We expect executive positions in the field to be among the fastest growing career paths in the U.S.” Applications for admission for the new degree will be accepted through the College of Health and Human Services beginning April 1, 2010. The deadline to apply for Fall study is July 1, 2010. Additional information, including degree requirements, is available at http://assistedliving.gmu.edu, or by calling the Program in Assisted Living/Senior Housing Administration at 703-993-9131.

About George Mason UniversityNamed the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreakingresearch in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university. ####