Care workers – it’s not a shortage – it’s a crisis. People who need care workers will tell you – the media will tell you, and the industry will tell you. From the national home care associations, a report in March: “The workforce shortage in home-based care has reached crisis proportions. Despite the best efforts of industry leadership and management, the gap between the numbers of patients and families seeking assistance and the availability of workers to provide that care is accelerating at an unsustainable pace. Home health care providers currently report turning away over 25% of referred patients due to staff shortages.”
An optimistic view of home care’s future as seen from 2012. Several times in the past decade, interviews were conducted with experts that lead to some reports about the home care industry.This chart came from a report, The Future of Home Care Technology 2012 that was sponsored by Microsoft, Verizon and LivHome, in 2012. And represents a visionfor home care and what technology should support.To build this chart, interviews were conducted that included senior execs from Philips, the VA, Visiting Nurse Services, home care associations, Home Instead, Volunteers of America, and several home care organizations. As seen in 2012, the future of home care would transform, supported by software. Some of these changes occurred, particularly care delivery in the home, the growing adoption of health-related portals:
ROSEVILLE, California— Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, announced the launch of a 24/7 artificial intelligence (AI) virtual care agent available to its franchisees nationwide. This audio-based AI technology developed specifically for in-home non-medical care environments analyzes physical, cognitive and emotional events and trends around-the-clock, providing data-based insights and recommendations on the health and safety of Always Best Care clients.
Chatbots can be helpful to older adults and families. As part of research on the Future of AI and Older Adults, interviewees are talking about the potential role of chatbots – and why they should matter. Not surprisingly, a search for ‘chatbots and older adults’ reveals research studies targeting those aged 60+, startup investment, for example, Lena, which evolved into Lena Health for scheduling appointments, and a small study about what makes a compelling chatbot. But for older adults or families who hesitant about searching for information or frustrated with online sites or call trees, chatbots can be the ideal solution. They can also boost tech confidence and user self-sufficiency. Although the real purpose of chatbots is to save response center labor and boost efficiency – they should help the user get what they need.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Honor Technology, Inc., the world's largest home care network for older adults with the most-advanced Care Platform technology, today announced that executives will be leading three panel discussions at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2023 in Austin, Texas. Set for March 11 as part of the SXSW 2023 Health & MedTech Track, the panels will explore a variety of topics touching on the need for infrastructure and communities to support seniors aging in place and the technology and investment opportunities.
September brings falling leaves, rising and falling hopes. Turns out that VCs are waking up to the opportunity in the longevity economy. Recognizing that people may live a lot longer, perhaps even to 100. How do you prepare for such a long life? Behold the rise of the active adult lifestyle, now enabled with a boom in 55+ rental communities. Combine that change with the ‘Forgotten Middle Market’ of senior living. Consider the Chicago Tribune article about tech for aging in place. Now add in the shortage of workers in home care, health care, and nursing homes. If there was a time to look at the role of monitoring and engagement technologies that augment and assist the worker in the care of older adults – it would seem that this is the time. Here are four Sept blog posts on these and related topics: