Excuses, Excuses: Overcoming Barriers to the Adoption of Aging-in-Place Technology

What's the holdup?

Geriatric care managers are cautious and waiting. Last week I spoke about technology for aging in place to a room full of New England geriatric care managers (and a few home care agencies and senior housing folks as well). When I talked about technology, particularly remote monitoring, filling the gap in hours covered by home care aides, they enthusiastically nodded in agreement. But when I ask if any are using this technology, I heard about interest, curiosity, upcoming pilot programs (no vendors picked yet), and the like. Ditto with the home care agencies represented in the exhibit area. I didn't hear about confident or near-term likelihood of advocacy of a specific product.

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Boomers, Seniors, and Tech

Is this really the best of times?

I thought that the excitement of the first boomers turning 65 in January would have waited a few weeks closer to January, but silly me. So one boomer will turn 65 every eight seconds starting in January. Is it the beginning of one of society's great tragic periods—too few jobs, dwindling public funds for safety nets, declining health, and a fundamental recasting of the societal dependency ratio? Or will it be the beginning of a long and joyous "senior boomer" or "booming senior" marketing marathon that rises and then slowly ebbs over 30 or 40 years, when the 46-year-olds run out of money and steam?

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Your Parents Need Protection!

Stand between your parents and con artists

Occasional news stories sadden and disturb me, as elderly, well-meaning people continue to fall victim to clever scams and schemes. About a year ago, I gave my blog readers the following suggestions about protecting our parents and other elderly relatives. Please review these suggestions, and pass this information along to others, so together we can protect our elderly family and friends.

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Aging in Place Technology Watch News for June 2010

What do boomers on opposite ends of the demographic have in common?

I wonder if there is a unified baby boomer market. I know, there's an age range that SOUNDS like a demographic, but do 46-year-olds and 64-year-olds having anything in common besides fitting into the age range? What can a marketer do with this information? Color me skeptical.

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AARP: Baby Boomers Are Uncomfortable with the Internet

Really?

Glass half full or half empty? Surprise! This new AARP study about social media and the Internet overrides previous assumptions about the 50-64 age range and comfort level with the Internet. Let's count just 40% of boomers as a fit with that description: 17% indicate they are extremely comfortable, and 23% are very comfortable. Only 26% access the Internet via a laptop and only 4% through smart phones or cell phones. Fifty-seven percent use a desktop computer. Only 27% are using social media sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter—dominated by Facebook.

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A Boomer’s Guide to Cleaning Out Your Parents’ Estate in 30 Days or Less

Announcing my new book!

More than a how-to guide, A Boomer’s Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Out Your Parents’ House in 30 Days or Less is a “what to do, when, and why” take-along manual packed with meticulously compiled checklists, resources, and information. You are given logical, easy-to-follow steps so that you can literally clean out your parents’ house in less than 30 days. Best of all, you are given advice from a nationally acclaimed expert who has “seen it all” and knows how to do this for your own peace of mind while keeping everyone’s best interests at heart.

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Why No One Wants Grandma’s China

Simply uninterested?

Have you seen the prices of china services lately, outside the retail market? What a nosedive! China services, from my perspective, are low and heading lower. Several reasons explain this. Read More >>

MetLife: Are Boomers in the Middle of Self-Delusion?

Let’s wake up, people!

Baby boomers born between 1952 and 1958 aren’t getting old any time soon. I've often thought that one end of the baby boomer age range has nothing in common with the other end. Okay, that doesn't mean it should be divided into three groups. But so it goes—MetLife released its Boomers in the Middle report about the attitudes of this age range (individuals aged 52 to 58 during 2010). They view themselves, not surprisingly, as healthy and describe “old” as w-a-a-a-y-y-y out there in the future, when they turn 75 (oddly, age 77 for women and age 74 for men, no doubt due to variations in life expectancy after age 50). Read More >>

Pump Up the Boomer Volume on Tech Hype

Where are the tech businesses to help boomers as they age?

CNBC wants to believe boomers represent big business. Tom Brokaw says it is so about “boomer$” in a book and an upcoming CNBC TV special. Since baby boomers are “history's wealthiest and most influential generation,” it must have made sense to send CNBC's Silicon Valley bureau chief Jim Goldman to sniff out boomer tolerance for technology, especially given the Microsoft–AARP 2009 conversational focus group study about boomers and technology (to sum that up, boomers like technology but want it to be more intuitive). Read More >>

Smoke Signals and Caregiving Apps

What should they do?

As one VC executive, Andy Donner of Physic Ventures, noted recently, this is the year of the “care.” There seems to be a growing list of vendors who are trying to offer some sort of “keep in touch” product that connects an older person with family members who may live elsewhere. The basic element is to provide some means to signal “concerned about you” from family members and obtain an “I'm all right” response from the older family—accompanied by the ability to react in the event that a response is not received. Add-ons include devices with environmental sensors, health-related self-care devices, health record tracking, reminders, and communication capabilities. Read More >>