Technology to help care for individuals with dementia

The Early Stage Of Dementia. In the early stages, families will worry. A family member may say or forget things that make them wonder if it’s dementia or just a normal part of aging. They should consider persuading their loved one to get an evaluation from a professional. If their loved one is hesitant, a self-assessment could be used to encourage a visit to a professional. A doctor can help determine the type and stage of dementia and whether it is likely to be Alzheimer’s disease or some other type. If it is Alzheimer’s disease (60-80% of those with dementia), there is typically a slow progression over time. The chances are good that their family member can remain at home through early stages, even continuing to live alone Even after a diagnosis, they'll continue to wonder whether it really is dementia and look for another test they can do at home. But maybe they'll also be concerned with the day-to-day activities of daily living (ADLs), especially if their loved one is living alone. Perhaps there is an unrelated health issue, and they're concerned about whether he/she is taking medications correctly or making it to medical appointments. Issues such as these can be addressed with calendar or reminder technologies.

Tech for the early stage. If their loved one lives with them, they may want to acquire motion sensors or a smart doorbell to know when their loved one is out of bed or near the door. If their family member is still driving, a smart phone app for turn-by-turn directions as well as a “wearable” to help their loved one find his/her way. Finally, families may want to focus on maintaining their loved one's quality of life at home, introducing smart speakers to play music at scheduled times, or even storytelling technology to help their loved one talk about themselves and their lives, which can be a comfort.

Needs of the Early stage	Tech Categories	Examples
Activities of daily living	Motion sensors Medication reminders Smart doorbells Smart thermostats	GreatCall Lively Home MedMinder, PillPack Ring Nest
At home	Smart Speakers Smartphone assistants Memory/Stories Caregiving and Family Support	Amazon Echo, Dot Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa MemoryWell LifePod, SharetheCare, LotsaHelpingHands
Wandering/driving	GPS Tracking Fall detection Driving	Philips GoSafe, MobileHelp Philips Auto Alert, FallCall (Apple Watch) Android Auto, Apple CarPlay

 

The Middle Stage Of Dementia (All Above Plus The Following): 

When dementia progresses to the point where a family member is concerned about their loved one getting lost, it may be time for them to discuss whether or not their loved one should be driving and encourage walking, if it’s an option. Their loved one’s loss of independence is difficult to confront, but for safety, it's critical.At that point, a wearable with location tracking may help keep their loved one safe and reduce worry about getting lost near their home. Home safety needs to be addressed as well. Tools such as an automatic stove shutoff and a home alarm system with water detection for faucets that may be left running can help reduce risks. From a health standpoint, it may make sense to have a medication reminder/dispensing system that both alerts about a dosage and only alerts/releases the appropriate medication at the right time.

 

Needs of the Middle stage	Tech Categories	Examples
Care coordination	Private health websites, managing medications	CaringBridge, CareZone
Wander management	Location tracking tools	iTraq, GPS Smart Sole
Mental stimulation	Music Therapy, Personalized content for Dementia	SingFit, iN2L Focus Tablet
Medication management	Pre-loaded dosages released at specific times	Philips Medication Dispensing, MedMinder Jon
Home safety	When loved one is alone in their home	ADT Water Alarm, Cookstop

 

The Advanced Stage Of Dementia:

In the more advanced stages of dementia, a loved one might need an in-home care worker while you are out or at work. Or a family member may need to hire a round-the-clock caregiver to help their loved one with meals, showers, dressing and other routines. Installing a remote camera may help provide peace of mind. Families can also consider other tools that help comfort and relax their loved one. An adult day center that can provide a full day of activities and interactions for those with dementia is also a resource.

 

Needs of the Advanced stage	Tech Categories	Examples
In-home care services	Home care workers for partial day or full day	Home Instead, RightAtHome, ComfortKeepers
Remote monitoring	Cameras, sensors	Best home security seniors
Engaging seniors	Robotic cats, dogs	Ageless Innovations
Bed/chair exit tools	Alerts when a person gets up	Safe Wandering
Adult day centers	Centers trained in dementia care	About Adult Day Centers
Memory care	Specialized units for those with dementia	About Memory Care

category tags: 

dementia care, cognitive decline

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from Tips For Aging In Place https://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/technology-help-care-individuals-dementia

2020 - What about those Ten Tips for Launching a Product? A Recap

Today or soon you will launch a boomer/senior, home health tech product or service, or maybe a caregiver advisory service.  As your company gets ready to travel into battle or a booth with the sound of pitches all around, it is time to for you to revisit this guidance. Perhaps sometime soon, your new or existing company will officially launch a new product or service, or perhaps a long-awaited, over-described and much-anticipated offering will finally ship. First read existing content and research reports on your particular market segment.  Look over this updated checklist that continues to hold true – with updated links and references. If necessary, refine tactics:

1) Is the website crisp and clear? Start with the home page that has modest and friendly graphics and images (not a ransom note with 27 different font size and colors) to identify what the product or service does or is. Don't lead with fear-generating images or force the viewer to start with a video. Skip paragraphs of narrative-laden terminology to wander through before it is apparent what the product or service does. Nor does the reverse make sense -- a single graphic, with an interface designed only to be viewed on a smartphone. Make sure to specify how it works, for whom, with multiple tabs for multiple markets, and device-appropriate viewing. To encapsulate the impact of a product, videos of actual use are best. 

2) With every new launch, is there a press release? A single release is inexpensive on Business Wire or PRNewsire -- content that will surface on newly-created Google alerts long after the launch date.  Not a PDF file, not a Word file, but a viewable (online) press release with links, kept under 1 page, that is found under your website category of PRESS, MEDIA or NEWS. Descriptive titles are a must -- multi-line titles are ridiculous. To be perceived as an ongoing concern and not have viewers speculate about whether the company is still in business, a press release should be issued for every significant business change, including new executives or customers, moves to new offices, etc., with at least one in the past 3-4 months.

3) Are executives identified in 'About' the company? What's the point of keeping the identities of founders and executives a secret unless there's something to hide? This is as true of offerings that sell through resellers as those that sell direct. (For an example, see an About Us that is not, uh, About Us.)  There is absolutely no reason to have to search Google or send e-mails to Info@XYZ - co.com in order to find out who is running the place or tease out that XYZ- co.com is actually a subsidiary of GIANT - CO.com or to call in order to find out that the real service is provided by another company, not identified on the website. 

4) Pre-brief an industry analyst and the media.  Especially if the product will be launched at a trade show, briefing analysts and reporters enables the firm to refer to the analyst to understand where the offering fits in an industry.  Or the analyst can be used for press quotes that could be included in a launch press release  In addition to pre-briefing, if there is a PR firm (or even if there isn’t), contact a local news site and see if they’d like to learn more about a home town entrepreneur – with a great new offering that they (or their families) need to know about. 

5) Is the actual product or service going to be available near term?  What’s that mean? By the official launch date, some stages of evolution are complete or within a few weeks of completion. For example, there's a working prototype (i.e. no known installation or operational defects); there are identified manufacturers; committed partners; an initial pilot is completed to validate usefulness; the pricing is clear; power requirements are clear; the software works; the product registration and installation processes have been established and validated. It's not okay -- and I would argue a waste of money – if the actual launch date is an unknown. Momentum is lost, especially if the reason for the delay is that the pilot revealed that it doesn’t work yet. 

6) Software vendors -- design with market input (not your grandmother!). Prospective B2B buyers may be jaded -- they've seen many variants of software, for example, for services, senior housing, or non-profit segments. Although it may once have seemed that way, these are not industries ready for 'if we build it, they will come'. And I hear too many entrepreneurs say the following: "In my personal experience, my family had issues with (fill in the blank) with my own (grand)parents, therefore my offering will address those issues by (fill in the blank)." For most participants in the age-or care-related industry, a personal experience underpins enthusiasm to be in this emerging space. If that is a given for your company, shake it off -- validate prospective value through interviews, surveys, and follow with software design or website walkthroughs -- before casting the solution into the concrete of release-ready code. And if you're a smartphone or app vendor, test your offering with the full range of older adults, including people aged 75+.

7) Service providers -- what's different, who will buy, at what price, where do they live?  With an inbox filled with "we are introducing a new service for (pick one -- finding caregivers, housing, helping families, tech support for seniors) that will be the first comprehensive guide/service to (fill in blank)". But really, there is no need to do a nationwide media launch of a service that is initially only available within a single geographic region. On the flip side, if the service is in the process of nationwide expansion, call or stay tuned – maybe your product fits into the service or ecosystem.

8) What's that product or service category, anyway? It helps those who might want to accurately position what you're doing -- and this includes press, analysts, investors, prospective partners and resellers -- to understand the category placement and not have to inquire amid a sea of obfuscation and inappropriate terminology. Is this a home health care service or a companion care service? They are licensed differently -- does the firm offer both, at different prices? Is this a tool for chronic disease management (not exactly 'wellness') or is this one for tracking a fitness regimen (sounds like wellness)?  Finally, as with fall detection, is this product really a feature of other products or is it viable on its own as a solution? As with the new variants of sensor-based home monitoring, is this a category that people seek, even if it is renamed IoT? And if this is the revival of a previous movement, like smart homes, why are new-aged versions less intrusive, more robust and secure than previous home security/automation?

9) PR team, this means you. Before scheduling a briefing, please do the research in case your clients don't tell you much.  In the category of baffling, I've received requests to brief me about a vendor, an offering, a launch that I've already written about or mentioned for months. Just because it's Day One for you, the PR firm, and you're excitedly new to this space, doesn't mean that your client and offerings are heretofore completely unknown. Please search the Internet first. Perhaps you are helping to inform about a new release, and the news is actually new. Or it is not new, just repackaged. Just know what has preceded it -- and build upon prior activity. Anything else reflects poorly on the company that hired you. It can’t hurt to read up on briefing analysts.

10) As for the non-launch launch, what if market interest happens anyway? Can you offer up a customer or user to interview, can you say how your offering fits into the marketplace (current use of your product, who are other players, market size if available, and target audience)?  And most important, can someone in this very needy market actually buy that robotic cat? (Good answer: Yes).  If you're not ready, say you're not ready. You know that there is a gap in capability in your target market and your company is just the right company to fill that gap -- and even better, do it with software on an existing hardware or software platform. No need to rush or launch too early -- because that's the thing about an emerging market to serve an aging population. The customer segment will be around for a long time. Let's not disappoint them.

category tags: 

Boomer-Senior Tech Business, smarthome, Technology - AARP

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from Tips For Aging In Place https://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/2020-what-about-those-ten-tips-launching-product-recap

2020 Technology trends that benefit older adults and caregivers

In 2020, focus sharpens on technology market categories of aging and caregiving.  AARP published a new report that showed growing interest in technology among those aged 70+.  CES 2020 saw several exhibit areas and innovations focused on older adults and what they need. This past week, Cambia Health released a survey of caregivers, 64% of surveyed caregivers use at least one digital tool to help them with caregiving. Samsung,  Best Buy and Amazon now group offerings that could be helpful for older adults and those who care for them. What other changes matter for this market?

Wearables became more visible – on the wrist and in the market.  The Apple Watch Series 4 disrupted the senior wearables market with its built-in ECG and fall detection, as well as Apple’s partnership with insurers. That created revenue growth for Apple, but also more opportunity for Apple watch-based competitors like Fall Call Solutions. Meanwhile, as a result of Apple’s more senior-capable offering, emergency watches (PERS) with call center integration, like MobileHelp and UnaliWear, got a boost.  

Voice first technology – it’s everywhere and in everything.  In 2019, Voice First represented a category of technologies like smart speakers and voice assistants.  Now health organizations and providers are moving forward with voice-enabled interfaces to everything from hospital rooms, appointment scheduling, doctors note-taking, prescription requests, and even discharge instructions. The ability to ask Mayo Clinic a question or get an update on a prescription will be a notable benefit to older adults who own smart speakers or have phone-based assistants.

Amid market disruption, hearables market begins to resonate – and grow. The hearing technology market is seeing disruption from multiple angles.  Smart hearables were news at CES 2020, including AI-enabled hearing aids with fall detection, better and adjustable noise cancellation -- especially interesting for older adults in noisy restaurants. Add integration with voice capabilities like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa and the ability to stream audio content directly to in-ear devices.  With the introduction of Over-the-Counter Hearing aid sales (and recommended guidelines), coupled with the beginnings of insurance reimbursement, those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss are likely to benefit from many of these changes.

Smartphone market saturates – and some prices drop. Only 2 major vendors, Samsung and Apple, compete in the US smartphone market and the overall space is clearly saturated. So there is a motive for Apple’s attempts move further into services, as well as price reductions on older models. The top smartphone apps in 2020 cross platforms – those used by more than 50% of smartphone users include YouTube, Facebook, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Facebook Messenger and Google Play.  But for the general consumer marketplace, there is some optimism about flip phones and the potential comeback. In addition, consumers are owning smartphones far longer, than 2 years – and may not see a reason to upgrade to a pricier device.

Standards for consumer tech benefit older adults. Across all consumer devices, wireless charging pads and stands have made coping with the technology easier.  Connections are less likely to wear out before the device is retired. For most devices, assistive features (for vision and hearing limitations) are built-in to the product, reducing the need for specialty senior technology. Older adults would benefit greatly if stores selling devices (or providing training) spent more time introducing them to those features.

[This material is drawn from the 2020 Market Overview of Technology for Older Adults, to be published in March]

category tags: 

wearables, smart watch, smartphones, cell phones, hearables/hearing technology, Voice First/AI/Voice Assistants

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from Tips For Aging In Place https://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/2020-technology-trends-benefit-older-adults-and-caregivers

Audiologists can help combat social isolation

The hearing loss statistics are daunting. The number is sizable – 38 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. But probably the most startling one is related to older adults – half of those age 75+ difficulty hearing. Of those age 70 and older with hearing loss, only 30% have hearing aids.  How is this the status quo?  Even though age is the single greatest predictor of hearing loss, many people wait 7 or more years before attempting to address it. That could include purchasing a sound amplification product (PSAP), hearing aid, or the newest amplification category, hearables. The consequences of untreated hearing loss include social isolation, which itself is related to poorer health outcomes.  

Why do older adults wait to address hearing loss?  Experts cite denial as the primary reason, followed by perceived stigma of wearing hearing aids, but price may be a factor. Half of those age 75+ have hearing loss typically occurring in both ears, and more likely in men than in women. The median income of households aged 75+ is $32K. Contrast that with the average price (private pay) of today’s best hearing aids is upwards of $2,400/ear. New features like fall detection and artificial intelligence makes these devices differentiated and perhaps appealing for older adults. But at close to $5,000 or more for a sophisticated pair of hearing aids, it’s no wonder that seniors may delay or seek low-cost alternatives. There remains a patchwork of options to help fund the expense. But delay worsens the isolation – and possibly contributes to risk from poorer health outcomes.

Hearing aids are just a piece of the puzzle at overcoming social isolation.  For seniors who have delayed acquiring hearing aids – and as a result have become increasingly isolated–  the new experience of using hearing aids can be a shock. A positive shock in regard to reconnecting with close family members, but also a shock in understanding what the devices do – and do not – fix. Moving from little or no sound to the noisy environment of stores, restaurants, office buildings and streets requires adjustment, not just the device itself, but also user training and personal expectation setting and accommodation.

Audiologists and hearing care professionals can help mitigate social isolation. Although hearing aids are not covered by Medicare, as of 2017, Medicare Advantage plans, held by 30% of seniors – expected to grow to 47% by 2029 – are beginning to contribute a portion of the cost of hearing aids. Therefore there will be more seniors eligible (and hopefully leveraging) benefits from hearing aids. Further, the initial satisfaction level for hearing aid recipients can be problematic. The role of hearing care professionals is changing and when dealing with older adults, it will involve more work and consideration of the whole person, and the degree to which they have been isolated from others as a result of their hearing loss.

category tags: 

hearables/hearing technology, hearing loss

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from Tips For Aging In Place https://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/audiologists-can-help-combat-social-isolation