Will Technology Cut the Cost of Assisted Living?

It may also offer seniors more one-on-one care.

I am often told that non-profit senior housing organizations as well as state and federally funded housing can be creative in their use of technologies to maintain costs and improve services. Independent living organizations such as SelfHelp, Volunteers of America and NewCourtland have demonstrated and published successful results with remote monitoring technologies that could possibly take the place of on-premise continuous watching by aides.  Read More >>

Whither the Wii for Older Adults

And other Kinect conundrums

This was an interesting week, aside from the mid-term elections, which were as riveting a score-keeping experience as I've watched since the days before the 2004 World Series. But immediately after the election came the arrival and quick store departure of Microsoft's Kinect sensor units: the Target near my home sold out in a single day.  Read More >>

Aging in Place Tech News for October 2010

The cost of long-term care will trend upward

Given rising life expectancy, especially for women, combined with rising rates of diabetes and other chronic diseases, we seem to be approaching a conundrum of longer life and poorer choices and options. Read More >>

Falling Among Seniors: Studied but Not Solved

Fear of falling makes it happen?

Falling among older adults—it's a problem. You would think that with all of the available information and technology, there would simply be fewer falls among older adults each year. But you would be an optimist. According to the CDC, each year 40% of seniors fall (up from 30% ten years ago). I was thinking about this during a few visits to assisted living communities this past week when the tour guide mentioned the personal, carefully designed "chair exercise" program.

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Current Technology to Prevent Wandering

Disappointing so far

I spent the weekend researching various technology offerings that might prevent an able-bodied 87-year-old person with dementia from wandering beyond a specified area in independent or assisted living campuses. I've looked into it and must say I'm disappointed. The hype exceeds at least my research reality.

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PACE: A Team Effort

Holistic care catches any changes in client

The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) provides “one-stop shopping” for seniors’ health care and much of their social well-being as well. Every PACE client has an interdisciplinary team of professionals at the PACE Day Center that oversees the client’s well-being. This team includes a physician, registered nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, home health nurse, personal care assistant, social worker, and dietitian as well as mental health personnel and transportation staff. Read More >>

PACE: An Overview

Program of care helps keep seniors at home

Last week, I attended a seminar for elder law attorneys on an innovative program for senior care. The model has been around for almost 30 years, and Medicare and Medicaid funding has been available for the program since 1992. Yet few of us have our clients in the program. Indeed, only about 15,000 seniors across the country have enrolled. I’m talking about the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE. Read More >>

Effort Beyond Task

We need solutions beyond products

What percentage of senior housing organizations permit and even encourage pets on the premises and in the presence of seniors? If you know the answer to this question, please contact me! I view the presence of a house pet (and not just caged birds) as an indicator of effort beyond task, making me hope that's true of every aspect. Read More >>

The Last Blog Entry

It's time

Mom is doing just fine. As a matter of fact, her diabetes is so stable that the glucose checks are down to once a week for another few weeks; thereafter, they’ll be done every two weeks. The woman is going to live forever, or so it seems. Read More >>

Sons and Mothers

So why should sons get involved in long-term care?

A strange-looking woman, she (I’ll call her Ivy) is tall and lean, with an almost athletic posture. She wears a large neck brace that was probably designed to keep her head from totally flopping over. In fact, without the brace, it looks as if her head might fall off. At one time in her life, Ivy was probably very attractive, but not now. I heard it had something to do with a medication reaction. Read More >>