Buddy Check Network Blog

You Can Use a Medical Alert Device without a Land Line!

2011-02-26T21:49:00.004-05:00

Medical Alert devices are an essential part of keeping seniors safe and independent in their own homes. The peace of mind that senior and their family caregivers experience is well worth the price of the device and service.

While it is recommended that individuals use a standard line phone to connect the system to the call center many households see an advantage in using a mobile phone as a primary means of contact. Mobile phones give seniors greater freedom and cost savings in that they can use a single phone number for all calling. A Harris Interactive poll report shows that 1 in 5 adults don’t have a land line and 1 in 7 adults only use a cell phone.

Caryl Technologies has developed technology that enables you to:

- Use any mobile or Smartphone to connect to a Medial Alert base station*
- Use remote alert button pendants or watches
- Custom one button contact to family and friends
- Connect your mobile phone to regular home phone units which enable you to use features like speakerphone, large button dialing, etc.
- Never worry about your mobile phone running out of battery power when using it at home
- Receive proactive reminder calls to check on your status
- Schedule medication reminders
- Track medical readings and wellness electronically

We are able to offer all these additional services for the same monthly price you are probably paying for your Medial Alert devices alone!

This solution now opens up this valuable homecare option for an underserved and growing market of not only seniors but all individuals who want to stay safe, healthy, and connected.

Contact us for more information.

* Bluetooth enabled

New Funding For Home Care Approved

2011-02-26T21:29:00.003-05:00

Nationally, $4.3 Billion in New Funds Announced to Help Establish and Expand Community-based Alternatives to Institutional Long Term Care

Some States will see significant new federal support in their efforts to help move Medicaid beneficiaries out of institutions and into their own homes or other community settings now and in the near future, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced on Feb. 22, 2011.

The MFP program provides individuals living in a nursing home or other institution new opportunities to live in the community with the services and supports they need. Groups benefiting from these home-and-community based programs include the elderly, persons with intellectual, developmental and/or physical disabilities, mental illness or those diagnosed with several of these conditions. To date, these programs have helped 12,000 individuals move out of institutions and back into their communities. Today’s grants are expected to help an additional 13,000 people.

To see full press release and list of participating States click here.

IT’S NOT “THEM” IT’S “US” – THE COMING AGE TSUNAMI!

2011-02-26T21:22:00.002-05:00

There was a great, PBS special report called “Real Housewives of Roseville: A Blueprint America Special Report”, as part of their popular Need to Know series. This was reported on by the Seniors For Living web site.

This report highlighted the issues faced by a quiet Northern town, which is just one of many across the country who are as yet unprepared for the “age tsunami”.
According to the report, 1 in 5 suburbanites will be a senior by 2030, just 19 years from now. Schoolchildren are soon to be outnumbered by this elder population, and without major changes to transportation, housing, and infrastructure, many of these 65+ers may find themselves trapped in the suburbs.

With more people moving to/settling in the suburbs, fewer families having children, and federal/state/local funding streams drying up, we truly have a crisis on our hands, considering the massive numbers of folks needing services in the immediate future, not to mention the increasing complexity of care required by these older adults (i.e. Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, disability, etc.).

This underscores the need for services like My Buddy Check to help senior and their families deal with this coming current “age tsunami”.

You can find the video link on Seniors For Living and PBS web sites:

Seniors For Living
PBS

BCN Working With "At Risk Infants"

2011-02-21T12:44:00.003-05:00

Imagine that you are a parent of one of the approximately 32,000 babies are born with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) each year in the United States. And after heroic work by a leading Children’s Hospital, teams of dedicated doctors, and caring nurses your child is finally able to come home.

There are few more stressful times for parents than during the home recovery period of children diagnosed with complex CHD. The stress of caring for these infants is unrelenting, and the anxiety often peaks in the days and weeks after intensive care discharge as families do not have immediate access to nursing and medical staff. This is especially true for families from rural areas or living long distances from the treating cardiac center.

Dr. Barbara Medoff-Cooper PhD, RN, FAAN of the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Nursing is heading a study that will create a supportive, Transitional TeleHealth Home Care: REACH program that will pioneer a new approach to home monitoring. It integrates an evidence-based APN Transitional Care model with the innovative use of the Buddy Check Network’s voice, SMS, email, and internet monitoring technology.

REACH partners with parents to individualize care and assist them in recognizing early changes in infant health status before an infant is in crisis.

Check back often to stay updated on the study’s progress.

Losing Options

2011-02-18T22:54:00.002-05:00

One of the subjects that often comes up when talking to family members that have loved ones with declining health is how hard it is to get them to accept some help. Even after a fall or serious health episode many seniors will decline to accept even the smallest device, professional help, or a consider a move to a supportive residence.

Often they do not want to be a burden or are concerned about cost, but many have expressed that even when cost is not an issue they still resist admitting to need or accepting any help with the ubiquitous “I’m fine”.

It may be that seniors feel that once they start down that path of accepting help it will never end, short of a nursing home or hospital. While this may be true for some cases most would greatly improve their quality of life by exploring options while they have the opportunity. Many family caregivers fear that an unexpected medical emergency will force them to pick from a reduced option list if they have choices at all.

I would love to hear from you as to how you have or would deal with these situations.

Cell Phone 'Telemonitoring' May Help Control Blood Pressure

2010-11-19T18:15:00.003-05:00

There was a great article that reported on a study done by Dr. Alexander G. Logan, from the University of Toronto, and is slated to discuss the experimental monitoring system Wednesday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Chicago.

One expert said the technology can provide a valuable service.

"Telemonitoring provides information regarding a patient's progress and condition between physician visits, and assists clinicians in identifying patients who have early symptoms of a more serious condition that, if left untreated, may require acute care, like hospitalization," explained Dr. Peter Rutherford, medical director at Wenatchee Valley Medical Center in Wenatchee, Wash.

"In the end," he said, "the patient's engagement in the program, coupled with the case manager's involvement in the patient's care and the physician's practice, is a vital piece of the disease management puzzle."

In the preliminary study, Logan and his colleagues have found that after using the cell phone-based device for a year, patients with uncontrolled systolic hypertension dramatically improved their ability to control their blood pressure. In that time frame, systolic blood pressure readings among patients using the system dropped by 9.1 mm Hg, compared with just a 1.6 mm Hg decrease observed among their counterparts with uncontrolled systolic hypertension who relied on standard blood pressure monitoring equipment.

More than a third of the patients (37 percent) using the cell phone system were able to get their blood pressure under control, compared with just 14.2 percent of those using standard equipment.

"This study shows how simple interactive technology may help revolutionize preventive care, which relies on the synergy of the physician and the patient," added another expert, Dr. Tara Narula, a clinical cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

She believes the research, "highlights the future of medicine by a dual approach whereby physicians can reach beyond the confines of the clinic setting and patients are empowered to take control of their own health."

Link to article:

Radio Interview With President of My Buddy Check

2010-10-31T22:13:00.004-04:00

I recently had the chance to be on a great radio program the Executive Leaders Radio (www.executiveleadersradio.com) with on-air host, Herb Cohen. The thing that most impressed me about the show is that, unlike most business shows, they focused on the personal aspect of companies and their owners. I had the opportunity to listen to other CEO's, Presidents or Chairmen of companies talk about how they got started in business and the influence their families and experiences in their life that help mold them into the individuals they became.

My segment will air on...
Saturday, November 6th on WHAT/1340AM at 11am (www.am1340what.com to hear it streamed live from their website)
Sunday, November 7th on WCHE/1520AM at 2pm (www.wche1520.com for a live stream) &
Tuesday, November 9th on WFYL/1180AM at 11am.....

I think you will enjoy the various interviews.

New glucose meter that uses light may stop the pain!

2010-08-19T20:38:00.003-04:00

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing a device that monitors glucose using light pulses rather than finger pricks. This would enable people to measure their blood sugar without the normal bloodletting.

Link to article

One in five hospitals stays involve diabetes!

2010-08-19T20:25:00.004-04:00

There was a great article in FireceHealthcare about how diabetes contributes to increaced healthcare cost and decreased quality of life. The problem seems to be growing out of control. With all the attention given on the recent flu scare we seem to be ignoring the larger problem right in fornt of us.

Here are some of the stats:

Between 2004 and 2007, the number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes rose 22 percent to 17.9 million. Here are some other findings from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project on hospital use by patients with diabetes in 2008:

• Hospital stays for patients with diabetes were longer, more expensive, and more likely to originate in the ED than stays for patients without diabetes.

• Medicare covered almost 60 percent of total hospital costs for patients with diabetes, followed by private health insurance which covered 23 percent of total diabetes-related hospital costs.

• The South had the highest rate of hospital stays for patients with diabetes (2,829 stays per 100,000 persons in the region), while the West had the lowest rate (1,866 stays per 100,000 persons in the region).

• Sixty-one percent of patients with diabetes who stayed in the hospital were admitted through the ED.

• The top three most common principal reasons for hospitalization among patients with diabetes were diabetes, congestive heart failure, and coronary atherosclerosis.

• The rate of hospitalization was highest for patients with diabetes the lower their income.

Link to report

Do You Know Your HbA1c?

2010-03-16T22:52:00.003-04:00

HbA1c levels can determine if you are one of the about 6.2 million people in the US that have diabetes and do not know it. Scary....

I just read a report that showed, if you have diabetes, how lowering your A1c levels by 1-2% can reduce you chance of stroke, kidney and eye disease by over 70%. I know many friends that have it or are borderline so I wanted to do something that would help.

There is an old saying that “what gets measured gets done” This underscores that the first step to controlling and lowering your A1c levels is knowing it. In this case, ignorance is NOT bliss! All of us need to become more aware of our own medical conditions, whatever they may be, and face the fact that unless we decide to change nothing positive will happen magically al by its self.

There have been a number of studies done like the (Diabetes Control and Complication Study) that prove that even moderate monitoring programs can improve outcomes. If you need help controlling and monitoring your diabetes at home or remotely I created two (2) options that might help.

1. If you do not have access to technology (internet/mobile), or are nor comfortable using it, we use an automated voice calling system that can capture your reading by just speaking it. We convert to digital and save it for you so that it is available for review at anytime (doctor visits).

2. For techies there is a Free text message (SMS) and email based option that allows individuals to save their readings using SMS from their mobile phone or computer email.

Each option provides the ability to see a report of saved data by web/SMS/Email at anytime 24/7. There is also the ability to set alert levels that will immediately alert you, caregivers or family if readings are outside preset safe limits.

Contact me and I can show you how you can try it free right from your mobile phone. 888-804-3622 info@caryltech.com

New My Buddy Check video

2010-01-22T20:44:00.005-05:00

Learn about the My Buddy Check senior care network from this new video.

Don't Forget the caregivers

2010-01-19T22:14:00.003-05:00

I came across a great article that highlights many the sometimes forgotten caregivers that are so critical to improved and continued healthcare for senior family members. Many technology solutions leave out this group in their models. I have always made caregivers the center of our solutions and this article echoes my thoughts on this subject. I would love to hear what you think.

View Complete AdWeek Article

Great New Resource for Homecare Funding

2010-01-11T17:27:00.002-05:00

Not sure how many know about a great resource for funding if you are a veteran or spouse of a veteran. I found this great web site (www.veteranAid.org) that explains how veterans are entitled to $1,949 a month in funds that can be used to help with homecare and health related expenses if you qualify. You will have to prove eligibility and have the necessary paper work but it is well worth the effort.

Seems like it is not a well known resource even by the Veterans Administration call centers so you may have to press them to get the necessary information. There are income limits but it could be helpful for some.

Do you have a WEP for seniors that live alone?

2009-12-23T21:58:00.002-05:00

The recent weather reports from around the country reminds me of the reason that I created the WEPs. What is a WEP?

A WEP is a 30 day Weather Emergency Program (WEP) subscription that can be activated whenever there is a severe weather condition that could present a danger to seniors who live alone. It creates an in-home monitoring system that automatically checks on loved ones using their own home phone. WEP enables notification even if the senior’s power or phone lines are disrupted.

Family members, caregivers, or seniors can register for a 30 day My Buddy Check WEP membership and not activate it until there is a weather emergency. At that time, you simply call/email/SMS My Buddy Check to activate your registered WEP and for the next 30 days your loved ones will receive the full services of My Buddy Check’s daily monitoring system with status updates to their family and friends.

I don't know how many times I have heard of seniors trapped in their homes in bad weather and find themselves cut-off from family and friends for an extended period? They run out of needed medications, household supplies, suffer from hypothermia due to cold weather conditions, or hyperthermia in heat waves. In this age of technology, there really is no reason for this to be happening.

The cost start at less than $10 so that anyone can have peace of mind from knowing that this safety net is in place and ready for immediate use when needed.

We have set aside a limited number of Free WEPs for selected areas so call today to apply or for more information.

888-804-3622 info@caryltech.com

Mobile phone technology addresses unmet needs of parents of children with diabetes

2009-12-17T13:58:00.004-05:00

The Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare in Boston has published an article that highlights a need I have been trying to publicize for years. They conducted a study that showed how Mobile phone technology might address unmet needs of parents of children with diabetes, sending blood sugar readings via text, to help manage child's illness.

In a recent study, new data revealed that parents of children with diabetes were receptive to using novel health technology - such as a mobile phone that could collect and transmit the child's blood sugar readings to a doctor - to help manage their child's diabetes. This study published in the November issue of the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. You can read the whole article here:

Read Complete Article

This is one of the driving reason we created the Buddy Check Network so that new and innovative technology can be used to improve health out-comes. Using technology that allows them to monitor and report compliance using their mobile phone provides high interactivity and privacy. This gives them a level of control while following their plan of care that encourages compliance. This report highlights that acceptance of teens and parents to using SMS technology for controlling outcomes. Acceptance is the first step to improvement.

What Do Boomers Want From Technology

2009-12-09T00:26:00.004-05:00

Great article, What Do Baby Boomers Want From Technology, posted by Robin Raff.

I have seen some of the same results in our service offering. There seems to be a demarcation line at about 70 yrs old and above and those below when it come to technology adoption. This will change in the future but Boomers like me have decreased tolerance with beta products and learning complex new system. We just want to get things done and for them to work simply.

56% Re-hospitalizations rate Among Medicare Patients Cost $17.4 Billion (with a B)

2009-11-25T18:02:00.002-05:00

There was a recent study published by about re-hospitalization of Medicare members that underscore the reason we started the Buddy Check Network.

This study of Medicare fee-for-service claims data for nearly 12 million Medicare beneficiaries discharged from a hospital in 2003 and 2004 found that one of five patients was readmitted within 30 days, and half of nonsurgical patients were re-hospitalized without having seen an outpatient doctor in follow-up.

The estimated cost of unplanned hospital readmissions in 2004 accounted for $17.4 billion of the $102.6 billion total hospital payments made by Medicare that same year.

To address the problem, the researchers recommend intervention at the time of discharge, reliable and prompt follow-up care by primary care physicians, and aggressive management of chronic illnesses.

This study focused on the enormous cost associated with re-hospitalizations but I have always been concerned with the effect on the quality of life issues. Family members have to get more involved in this because the study showed that half of the patients readmitted in the first 30 days did not receive any follow-up form their Doctor or medical provider.

Additional studies have shown that re-hospitalizations have been reduces by as much as 39% by instituting a basic follow-up program with the patients. This is something we can do on our own and not wait for Government efforts.

Please Read Complete Report and let me know your thoughts.

Text Message To Keep You Healthy

2009-11-22T22:37:00.004-05:00

There ia a great article on Textually.org ( http://www.textually.org ) blog about how text messaging is being used to help keep people healthy. This is something we have been focused on over the last few years. There is a report noted in the article: ( http://sites.mckesson.com/mprs/images/page/pc_mckesson_reprint_7-21.pdf )
That outlines the problem.

Do you think this is effective? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Will we ever be able to share medical data easily?

2009-11-17T00:16:00.004-05:00

There was a great article about this subject posted on the FierceHealth Blog. It relates an article about Dr. Mark Smith.

He laments about how reluctant many health care professionals are to adopt simple advances in data sharing that are available today and how out of date they are. He made the comment "You can walk into the hospital where you were born and the first thing they will ask you is, 'Are you on any medications? Do you have any conditions.'"

Great read.
http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/amia-09-chcf-president-calls-more-kaiserness-connect-information/2009-11-16?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

Why Caregiver Support Is Needed.

2009-11-06T13:52:00.000-05:00

The United States as a nation is getting older. The population aged 65 and over is expected to double in size within the next 25 years according the report “65+ in the United States:2005” published by the National Institute on Aging.

As the county’s population grows, and ages, there are likely to be greater numbers of older people living alone. The first baby boomers will turn 65 in 2011, and by 2030, almost 1 out of every 5 Americans, some 72 million people, will be 65 years or older. Who will help care for them?

Most that find themselves alone in later years are women; in fact, three-quarters of the 10.5 million older Americans living alone in 2003 were women. An alarming fact about this is that according to census reports older women were more likely than older men to be living in poverty (13 percent compared with 7 percent). Especially hard-hit are minority groups with older Blacks (24 percent) and older Hispanics (20 percent) reported to be living in poverty in 2003.

Add to this fact that many of the women in this aging population were themselves caregivers for husbands, and other family members. They now find themselves in the position of needing a little help. Having that role reversed is difficult to accept, especially when coupled with the desire of many older people to maintain their independence. For example there are nearly 17,000 households in Lancaster County in which a person older than 65 lives alone, according to census data.

Much of the care and support of seniors is lovingly being carried by the “Sandwich” group, those sandwiched between aging parents who need care and/or help and their own children. Yet this group needs help in maintaining their dual roles. Many are looking to social agencies for funding and technology for workable solutions to the growing problem.

What do you think?

Will Healthcare reform ever pass?

2009-11-04T11:48:00.002-05:00

For many of us that are caregivers we are keenly affected by proposed legislation. I Found this interesting article on the subject which gives some insight into the issues involved and likelihood of passage this year. While not promoting this one way or the next I felt it contained some interesting comments.

http://blog.corporateresearchgroup.com/2009/11/03/status-of-healthcare-reform-per-fried/

Looking to quit smoking - SMS can help

2009-10-08T00:08:00.002-04:00

Recent studies have shown that a program that includes SMS reminder messages can improve success:
See article:
http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINTRE5963ZP20091007

Build your own BCN smoke enders program. also visit one of my my favorite sites:
http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/10/024682.htm

Time to take control of your healthcare!

2009-10-07T19:14:00.002-04:00

Consumers are facing an ever-rising tide of healthcare cost and number of preventable health conditions every day. We have all read the articles that say we should take better care of ourselves eat right, watch our weight, etc.. the list goes on and on. When we visit our doctor, for that 5-7 minutes, they tells us to lose weight, watch your blood pressure, and lower for sugar. But how to do it and getting help that we could use is harder to come by.

After you make the decision to make a change remember the simple rule that: “What gets measured gets done”. To change behavior we need something that is easy to do every day and fits into our current lifestyles. These changes will help improve our health and save us money. Many of the changes to healthcare being proposed carry a level of personal responsibility for all of us to make changes in the way we think about healthcare. If you are like me then we could use some help!

There are a number of technology tools on the market that will help us track our health conditions (i.e. Microsoft HealthVault, Google Health, etc..) but many are time intensive and if you are like me have little time every day to logon and update multiple profiles and databases. And what if you are not computer savvy? How do you take advantage of all the power of the internet to help track and manage your health?

Empowering you to take control of these issues is why we created The Buddycheck Network (BCN). You setup yours or a loved one’s personal BCN and then let us do all the work of reminding you, by phone, email, or SMS, to take your blood pressure, glucose readings, weight, medications, etc.. AND we can automatically upload the information to your personal health record (PHR) in the HealthVault so that you can see your progress along with any early warning signs. You then have a permanent record to keep and share with your medical doctor if you wish.

Remember: “What gets measured gets done!

Using Mobile Technology in Developing countries

2009-10-07T18:35:00.001-04:00

Our company (www.MyBuddyCheck.com ) is starting to work on a project that will enable developing countries to use mobile and voice technology to access medical information from remote areas using their mobile phones. This article shows the ingenuity of the people in those areas to overcome problems.It always amazes me to see what people can accomplish with little resources but great ideas.

Link. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/science/06uganda.html?_r=3&ref=science

Stay Connected to the Buddy Check Network with Your iPhone

2009-05-21T16:31:00.004-04:00

Starting May 30, 2009 you will be able to tap into the Apple iTunes App Store and download this FREE application and stay connected to your "Buddy" right on your iPhone.

Ease of Use— Personalized one time setup means you are connected and able to access BCN Call Statuses anytime you launch the app.

Immediate Updates— Receive instant SMS and email messages when help is needed with ability to call them with the touch of the screen.

Detailed Call Statuses— Access detailed real-time call status summaries and detailed information about your loved one right from your iPhone.

Appointment Reminders– Never forget a Doctor’s appointment or errand again. Now you can schedule daily, weekly, or custom one-time SMS reminders to be sent to your iPhone whenever you wish.

FREE Download– All registered caregivers in the BCN will receive free activation for this new iPhone app.