Five New Technologies for Caregivers and Older Adults, July, 2016

What are the rules and what are the criteria? Look through these grouped press releases -- all posted here because they (or at least the reminder-to-drink-water concept that is represented) could/should be useful to an older adult or someone who cares for them. It is intriguing that we are at a perceived point in technology utilization for app-to-app communication between an adult child and parent. Also Tochtech is reminiscent of Cookstop, noted here in 2011.  Comments are welcome.

ElderCheckNow. "When an elder and their caregiver install the ElderCheck Now™ app on their mobile devices, they create an innovative electronic relationship that can relay more information than a phone call. A check-in request is initiated by the caregiver and delivered directly onto the elder’s mobile device.  With the press of either a green or red button, the elder responds with their heart rate, location, and a simple status update of "I'm OK" or "Call me!" Additionally, if setup by the caregiver, the elder will see a picture of their caregiver every time they are sent a check-in. De-identification, encryption, password/biometric protection, and assignment of unique identifiers were all used to ensure that only caregivers and their designated elders share information." Learn more at ElderCheckNow.

Tochtech. "Tochtech Inc., a Vancouver-based tech company whose mission is to provide SMART home solutions for safer living, launched its first product, Toch Smarturns on Kickstarter. Utilizing the Internet of Things, motion sensor, wireless and patent-pending technologies, the Toch Smarturns solution transforms existing stoves to SMART stoves, adding intelligence to the kitchen. This first in-class, solution triggers a local alarm and mobile phone notifications to users and family members, providing alerts to the dangers of an unattended stove. Smarturns is an innovative, inexpensive and simple to install." Learn more at Tochtech.

PlantNanny. "Plant Nanny sends occasional push notifications to encourage you to drink water. When you download the app, you input some personal information (height, weight, physical activity level) and then pick out a plant. Plant Nanny tells you how many cups of water you have to drink per day. You can also change the settings to be different sizes of cups, depending on how you drink your water. For every cup of water you drink, you tap the little circle in the bottom right hand corner. The goal is to drink all the cups of water you're supposed to every day." Learn more at Fourdesire.

SentinelCare. "Concordia Systems Inc. announces the pilot release of their flagship offering, SentinelCare™ - a proactive alternative to PERS (Personal Emergency Response Systems). A service that operates in conjunction with alarm systems, SentinelCare™ uses traditional motion and specialty sensors to identify conditions that may indicate deteriorating health and/or a need for intervention. Family members and caregivers can automatically receive alerts and telephone notification when conditions warrant and eliminate the need for the loved one to push any button or wear a pendant." Learn more at Concordia Systems.

Torchlight. "torchlight, creator of the first technology platform to support modern caregivers, announced today the launch of torchlight elder, a solution that guides employees in caring for aging family members with confidence. Designed for innovative employers, torchlight elder provides personalized action plans, easy-to-use digital tools, and expert advice to help the working caregiver balance the demands of work and caring for an elderly family member. torchlight elder provides the modern caregiver with an online navigation platform that can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week from any web-enabled device. By using roadmaps that are built into the caregiving platform, employees are able to develop clear action plans that help them care for their elderly family member." Learn more at Torchlight.