Courtesy of Laurie Orlov

Articles I Would Like to Read

So here are some articles I would like to read in the WSJ, CNN Money, Smart Money, and the NY Times.
Okay, let's close the journalistic gap on tech -- here are some questions and topics that would inform investors and venture capitalists (so young and male) and even provide advertising opportunities for newspapers -- a medium that is dying daily. Rather than fawning over Silicon Valley T-shirted programmers, let's see an article interviewing tech product developers to find out what they know (or don't know) about older adults -- who make up the newspaper audience and -- who knew -- a growing percentage of the Facebook fans. Let's read an article that spells out the ten most useful apps for a 50+ population that are NOT in the market today. Instead of sneering at Grandpa and Grandma, let's see a headline that shouts about tech investors and vendors who are breaking away from 'me-too' social networking websites, maybe even targeting the well-heeled 50-60 age range with tech products that could really make a difference in caring about their 70-80-year old long-distance parents.

Let's read about unspent venture capital -- why not pour more into tech for home care?

Wouldn't it be good to know what investors know about the growing home care market? And what do they know about any aspect of the older population, whether it’s family caregiving, senior housing, or technology gaps that need to be filled? For example, let's read more about in-home care and why more tech isn't used to monitor workers or help with medication dispensing -- where mistakes can be made. Let's see journalists find surveys that compare discounts in data plans so that webcams might be more easily distributed and adopted or training of workers improved? The sad thing -- everyone knows a parent, a grandparent, or a friend who is or about to become older or (really!) old. Why, even venture capitalists and Silicon Valley programmers will eventually grow old. So journalists, please help the marketplace help you, me, and everybody else find the tech they need, not just those gadgets that are trendy.

Rant off.

Laurie Orlov