Five New Technology Offerings for Aging in Place - Feb 2016

Consider this a heads up about new technology-enabled options for older adults.  Sometimes it is helpful to know about offerings before or just as they are being released, if only to look for their availability in the future.  The five interesting offerings that are noted below are all going to be available within the next six months, possibly sooner.  Each in its own way strives to solve a problem experienced by older adults or those who serve them:

NaturalWare.  “Naturalware is the first-ever ergonomic kitchenware that marries smart design with contextual data analytics, made for those with significant dexterity challenges, their loved ones and the wider medical community.  Naturalware’s shape was designed to fit in and be used by dexterity-challenged hands when eating. Embedded sensors measuring a range of data points provide robust, quantifiable data with every meal. Helping both the person with significant dexterity challenges as well as the wider medical community.” Learn more at Naturalware.co.

Envoy. “Envoy provides a one-to-one concierge with seniors that don’t quite need full-time assistance, but periodically need help with tasks like running errands and for in-home help like plumbing. Our Concierge Desk makes using your membership incredibly fast and easy. Our friendly team can help plan a visit, arrange for service, answer questions and much more.” Launched in 17 markets, Learn more at Helloenvoy.com.

Pills&Beyond with MedMinder. “Our pre-organized medication trays slip into the MedMinder pill dispenser. When the pill dispenser says it’s time to take the medications, simply remove the flashing cup and take the medications! MedMinder flashes the right cup and sounds audio notifications to eliminate missed doses. Alerts to you and your loved ones help the family stay informed and respond to problems. Optional compartment locking helps avoid confusion and increase independence: only the right compartment will unlock at the dosage time.”Learn more at Pills&Beyond.

Mybitat.  “Mybitat offers the most comprehensive protection for elderly individuals with fast and accurate distress detection for the widest range of daily living situations. Mybitat detects distress even when a person cannot press an alarm button due to loss of consciousness, deliriousness or stress.  Mybitat enables seniors to call for help via our unique voice activation technology for situations in which a person does not wear the device. Mybitat offers an integrated combination of caregiver dashboards, wall plug home sensors, family app, smartwatch, and tablet application.” Learn more at Mybitat.

Lively Wearable.  “Available in a choice of white with gold trim or grey with silver, the device tracks the user's steps and features a one-touch button to connect to 5Star service and its team of highly trained agents in emergency situations. The Lively Wearable features an always-on, simple user interface, up to six months of battery life and is waterproof. When worn with the lanyard around the neck, the Lively Wearable's accelerometer provides automatic fall detection by placing a call to 5Star when triggered.” Learn more at GreatCall.