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 >>

Is the iPad for Boomers and Seniors?

Could be!

So much iHoopla about the iPad. But as the famous saying goes, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Folks at Apple must be having a great time with this. The geeks have weighed in, and plenty of snippy negative commentary has been spewed about the Apple iPad (including lots of sophomoric humor about the product name). 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 >>

Where Are You When You Need Help?

A Panasonic pilot error

Another day, another idea from Japan on how to help seniors be and feel safe(r)—this time from Panasonic. The aging wave, or “silver market” in Japan (22% are 65+) is the fastest-growing segment and has prompted numerous corporate experiments on how to care for (or at least keep tabs on) people who have no nearby family. Read More >>

Caregiving in the US 2009 Report Offers Material for Tech Marketers

Caregivers and recipients face challenges--and opportunities

The new report Caregiving in the U.S. 2009, sponsored by the National Alliance for Caregiving, AARP, and MetLife (and funded by MetLife), is a comprehensive survey of 1,480 caregivers, defined as those age 18 and over who provide unpaid help to another person. The most intriguing aspect of the study is the comparison to the last published version from 2004. Seventy percent of those surveyed care for someone over the age of 50; of these, 66% of the caregivers are female, and their average age has increased from 46 to 49, with the average age of care recipients who are age 75 and older up from 43% to 51%. Average time in the caregiving role is 4.6 years. Read More >>

Starting Your Own Business to Serve Boomers and Seniors

Do your homework first

What types of businesses are we discussing? I have heard about and see opportunity in home care services, home renovation and remodeling, financial advisory services, portable health records, life planning, home activity monitoring, move and organizing services, personal concierge services, adaptive and assistive services, home assessments, bathroom-specific remodeling, and companion services. In addition to the aforementioned, I would like to see more private transportation service businesses started in areas where the business model makes sense. Read More >>

Elder Abuse: Sexual

The real motive is power and control

Sexual abuse is any sexual contact without consent of both people. Sexual abuse may also include indecent exposure, sexual harassment, incest, and unwanted viewing of pornography. State laws may differ in the details, but all jurisdictions hold that only persons with mental capacity can give consent to sexual conduct. Severe mental illness or dementia would preclude consent in most cases. Read More >>

Elder Abuse: Physical and Emotional

Recognize the telltale signs

Caregiver stress may indeed be real, but this does not negate the criminal nature of the offense. After all, society would not tolerate similar actions against children or pets. The victim’s rights and care should be paramount, not the caregiver’s. Read More >>

Elder Abuse: Neglect

Help is just a phone call away

The most common form of elder abuse is neglect. Your state’s criminal statutes likely prohibit a pattern of conduct that deprives someone of some necessity for physical or mental health. We all need food, water, shelter, appropriate heating or cooling, and medical services to maintain health. Caregivers who consistently fail to deliver these things are abusers. Read More >>

Elder Abuse: An Overview

First, what is it?

Last year, I was privileged to attend a training course on elder abuse with some of Colorado Springs’ finest. Under a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, 50 or so police officers, detectives, and I spent two days of intense immersion into the social crisis of elder abuse. The statistics were grim; the videos horrific. We left with an increased awareness and recognition of the tactics that abusers use to victimize those over 60 years of age. My next several blogs will convey some of what I learned. Read More >>