“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”
- Wayne Gretzky
As 76 million baby boomers challenge what it means to grow older in America, technology is paving the way for prolonged independence and the ability to remain home by choice.
The perfect storm
- 76 Million-plus baby boomers soon to retire
- Need for a more cost effective “health care” delivery model
- Emphasis on providing quality care at decreased cost
- A proactive wellness focus vs. reactive “sick care” focus
- Changing locus of care from the clinical setting to the home
- Shifting some responsibility of “formal care” (medical system) to “informal care” (family network) for aging parents and ourselves
Technology to the Rescue: 3 Examples
GrandCare Systems
GrandCare Systems uses the internet and the senior’s TV to communicate, and by using wireless sensors to monitor wellness, including motion, body temperature, door position, blood pressure, weight, and other programmed, customized variables.
The breakthrough technology allows family and caregivers to connect virtually with seniors by sending pictures, videos, reminders, emails, calendar appointments, messages, news and weather updates, all directly to a private channel on the senior’s TV; creating a user friendly “Communication Station.”
In addition, various “smart sensors” strategically placed around the home can assure family members that their loved one is safe and comfortable while enjoying independence at home.
Social Media