Aging In Place Technology Watch

AAHSA 2009 -- Wide windows, Bright 'Idea House', Same-old industry

Laurie Orlov — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:25:49 +0000

I was compelled to attend. AAHSA 2009 "Changing Lives" Conference -- 9000 people, 425 exhibitors. This was a beautiful (and may soon be gone) venue -- McCormick Place Lakeside Center. Gorgeous multi-story windows facing the 180 degree panorama of nearly boat-free Lake Michigan. Turn the other way, and you faced the AAHSA Idea House, an attractive and interesting layout of cool design ideas and enabling technologies for the home. >>> Read more . . .

Here we go again -- Intel, Oregon promote research -- but products exist

Laurie Orlov — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:41:38 +0000

Another day, another misleading article. Call me amazed reading today's NY Times article on Oregon Health and Science University research (funded by Intel) about fall prevention promoting their work. The implication: there are no sensor-based monitoring products already in the market. Interviewees observed that a research project was beginning to make progress in this area, noting motion sensing and pattern detection to help alert to changes in walking patterns (for example, frequency of bathroom visits) and that this research was helping the cause of preventing falls among seniors. The article quotes Intel's Eric Dishman: “The independent-living industry could have a huge payoff in innovation, jobs and competitiveness,” said Eric Dishman, an Intel research fellow and director of strategy for the company’s digital health group." >>> Read more . . .

Elderly, senior, baby boomer, old, aged -- say what?

Laurie Orlov — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:22:17 +0000

Okay -- it's another rant. Last week at a UCLA panel I was on, an exasperated audience member asked for a definition of 'senior', annoyed at what sounded like stereotypical patronizing about technology use. I stupidly responded that it was a census definition of age 65+. Actually the census categorizes percentages multiple ways: 60-plus, 62-plus, 65-plus, and 75-plus. Wish everyone did that. Sixty-five is the year of Medicare eligibility, it was once the year for pensions and mandatory retirement and for many it is the year of full Social Security eligibility. It has been used as a political demographic, synonymous with 'seniors' as in the example of the $250 stimulus check to seniors. >>> Read more . . .

Internet use cuts depression in 55+ elderly -- what's it mean?

Laurie Orlov — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:46:53 +0000

Internet use reduces depression in the elderly by 20%. Whew. I've got to read those news alerts more carefully -- looks like I missed quite a bit of press about the October 15 announcement of a Phoenix Center Policy Paper of data analysis and conclusion by George Ford and Sherry Ford. The news articles about the study are quite confusing -- mixing up terminology (elderly? seniors?) so let's look more closely at the process that produced the conclusion. >>> Read more . . .

Aging drivers -- seniors need tech; caregivers need to provide it

Laurie Orlov — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:03:51 +0000

The truth about cars. As a society, we're not getting any younger. And our driving is going to imperil us, sooner or later, as this Times article painfully illustrates. On the 'positive' side, older drivers are not responsible for the bulk of traffic accidents (adults age 20-34 have that distinction) and they experience fewer fatal crashes per licensed driver. Okay -- so that's the good news. >>> Read more . . .

Aging in Place Technology Watch October Newsletter

Laurie Orlov — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:27:31 +0000

It's October and pumpkins and conferences all around. And where I have spent most of the month, it seems is wandering from conference to conference glimpsing leaves and pumpkins en route. First Connected Health Symposium in Boston, then NYU Wagner Global Health Aging in NYC, and tomorrow, Technology and Aging at UCLA. The implications of an aging society are top of mind at all three. Intersecting agendas have overlapping themes -- aging begets chronic disease, which requires technology in the home to drive down cost and improve outcomes; boomers are aging and global society won't be able to deal with the onslaught; technology can help improve the lives of seniors today. >>> Read more . . .

The oldest and technology access -- getting it right

Laurie Orlov — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:38:07 +0000

Woohoo -- Internet usage is up. Those of us who are technology enthusiasts get all excited with this sort of data (from Pew Research, January, 2009): "The biggest increase in internet use since 2005 can be seen in the 70-75 year-old age group. While just over one-fourth (26%) of 70-75 year olds were online in 2005, 45% of that age group is currently online." And 24% of those age 75-84 are online. And of course, there's my favorite broadband statistic about broadband access among 65+ rising from 19% in 2008 to 30% in 2009.

>>> Read more . . .

Connected Health Symposium -- Patients, Doctors -- People and Aging

Laurie Orlov — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:28:38 +0000

Reimbursement pain is so last-year. The 2008 Connected Health Symposium was, I thought, a somewhat gloomy affair -- gnashing of teeth and hand wringing over government and insurer footdragging, limited market penetration, and still no reimbursement for remote monitoring and other telehealth technologies. This year, despite a worsening economy, the mood was much perkier. >>> Read more . . .

The MMI report on retirees and working -- let's move on

Laurie Orlov — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:10:40 +0000

Another rant. So you have to read the report but you don't have to like it. That's the MetLife Mature Market Institute (MMI) report on retirees and the gap between wanting to work and actually finding work. Not-so-charmingly titled Buddy can you spare a job?, the implications are of a current and worsening depression-style gap between the 75% of those age 55-70 who, perhaps unrealistically, need to keep working and expect to keep working -- and the 35% of them who have jobs. Doomsayers in the report assert that a) this gap is going to widen between now and 2016, and b) how the problem worsens as boomers age into the 60's and beyond. >>> Read more . . .

Training value chain participants to incorporate technology into their work

Laurie Orlov — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:33:13 +0000

In the previous blog post, I talked about process and systems (versus gadget) approaches to promoting technologies for aging in place -- the example used was 'alerting' technologies. Marketing any system, however, must overcome the twin barriers of lack of awareness and inexperience with: >>> Read more . . .

Senior value chain -- revisited

Laurie Orlov — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:55:02 +0000

"The more things change the more they remain the same." It's been over a year since I posted a criticism of the 'gadget' approach to technologies for aging in place. Rather than randomly selected gadgets and gizmos, I suggested a more structured way of thinking about the market -- I referred to as 'the senior value chain'. Let's recap from 9/23/08 with a few additions: >>> Read more . . .

The FloH Club -- Tech support for older adults (Yay)

Laurie Orlov — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:47:38 +0000

You know and I know that all older adults do not love and relate to their computers. And their computers are not loveable. I will spare you a rant this time and not count the ways. For those who are uncomfortable with their computers, there are a host of imperfect alternatives to 'help.' >>> Read more . . .

Classifying caregiver portals is a challenge

Laurie Orlov — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:53:40 +0000

At least with directory sites -- you basically know where you stand -- somewhere in them is a business model for listing long-term care housing and service directory entries, referring and being compensated for leads about those entries, and advertising. Not so with caregiving portals. Here, if there is a business motive, it's about advertising and a cut of the commerce, if any, on the site. >>> Read more . . .

What's it mean -- Caring.com acquires Gilbert Guide?

Laurie Orlov — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:14:56 +0000

Recently Caring.com (targeting family caregivers) acquired Gilbert Guide (a senior care directory, also aimed at family caregivers) -- combined firm gets more critical mass and content than either had separately. What happens now and is it significant? I talked with Caring.com's CEO Andy Cohen and Gilbert Guide's CEO Jill Gilbert to try to figure it out. >>> Read more . . .

Senior care directories -- so many, so confusing

Laurie Orlov — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:05:22 +0000

Years ago when I was searching for a nursing home for my mother, I was amazed at how few websites there were that help in finding senior housing. That was then. Now there are oodles -- almost impossible to keep straight and the business models may not be obvious, the value even less so. Today I will attempt to clarify types, offer a few examples, and attempt to explain the busines model. As with every other web-based initiative, consolidation and shakeout in this world is inevitable and appropriate. >>> Read more . . .