Nineteen days into Older Americans Month (OAM), it is fitting that the May edition of Tech Time should focus on older consumers of aging services.
The theme of the month-long national celebration — “Blaze a Trail” — is particularly fitting for LeadingAge and CAST members because it accurately describes what our member organizations do all year long to improve the lives of older Americans.
CAST wanted to honor these older Americans, while shining a spotlight on the trailblazing fields of aging services, and aging services technologies. So, we chose to highlight a variety of ways in which technology could help providers of aging services in their quest to help older consumers maintain their independence, health, and well-being.
OAM is a good time to remember that these consumers are the focus of our work. They should also be at the center of any discussions we have about electronic health records, remote monitoring technologies, telehealth, health information exchange, and other high-tech solutions.
In that spirit, I hope you will read — and take to heart — the following articles from this month’s Tech Time.
What Kind of Technology Do Family Caregivers Want?
New AARP research suggests that unpaid family caregivers are very interested in technologies that can ease their stress and help them carry out their duties. They’re particularly interested in finding new ways to monitor a loved one’s well-being, manage medications, and facilitate coordination among every member of the caregiving team.
That interest could translate into huge opportunities for technology innovators over the next few years, says the report.
Younger caregivers, who are already using technology twice as much as their aged counterparts, represent a growing market for technology developers, according to the report. We all have a responsibility to meet their growing need for support with innovative ideas and trailblazing action.
Help Low-Income Residents Get Low-Cost Internet
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has made a trailblazing decision to modernize its Lifeline program so it can focus on helping low-income consumers access the Internet.
Consumers need Internet access for full and meaningful participation in society. But many of these consumers — including some of your own residents and clients — simply can’t afford that access.
CAST welcomes the FCC’s decision to support stand-alone broadband service and bundled voice and data service packages, for which we have long called and advocated. I hope you’ll help qualifying residents and clients apply for this new benefit.
How You Can Fight Dementia with Your Thumbs
An exciting new research initiative is asking video gamers around the world to play Sea Hero Quest. The video game is being called “a massive online citizen science experiment” that will help researchers learn more about how people navigate 3D environments. That ability is often one of the first skills lost as people develop the dementia.
Scientists will be mapping how gamers get themselves through all levels of the Sea Hero Quest video game. They’d like to use the data they collect to develop new diagnostic tests that can detect when an individual’s spatial navigation skills are failing.
I hope you will check out our article about Sea Hero Quest — and download the game. Start playing today!
CAST Commission Report
The CAST Commissioners discussed a variety of technology-related topics at their March meeting. You can read about that discussion in our newest report: Technology Trends & Implications on Construction, Expansion, and Update Projects.
The report, described in this issue of Tech Time, outlines 4 ways to support a successful aging services business:
- Outsourcing.
- Engaging with customers.
- Planning for technology.
- Relying on the CIO.
Register Today for the LTPAC Health IT Summit
I hope you have marked your calendar for the 2016 Long-Term and Post-Acute (LTPAC) Health Information Technology (IT) Summit, which takes place June 26-28 in Reston, VA.
Co-sponsored and co-organized by LeadingAge and CAST, the LTPAC Health IT Summit is designed to help providers address challenges and take advantage of opportunities encountered as they deliver technology-enabled services and supports to older adults.
Over the past 12 years, the LTPAC Health IT Summit has become the premiere conference for health IT leaders, key policymakers, providers, representatives of federal and state agencies, and other professionals working in the LTPAC field. You won’t want to miss it! See our article in this issue of Tech Time to learn more about the Summit and how to register.
Also in This Issue
This issue of Tech Time is filled with lots of great news about LeadingAge Partners engaged with CAST, and CAST Business Associates.
We’re pleased to announced that Frost & Sullivan has recognized Philips Lifeline with its annual Strategy Leadership Award. Philips is a LeadingAge Silver Partner and CAST Supporter.
Don’t miss our article about SUMMIT 2016, an annual event sponsored by PointClickCare, a LeadingAge Silver Partner with CAST Focus. The SUMMIT takes place Nov. 6-9.
I also recommend that you read about the good news we’ve been hearing about CAST Business Associates:
- CAST Business Associates Caremerge, MatrixCare, STANLEY Healthcare, and RCare are launching new technology innovations.
- CAST Business Associates LG CNS, Harmony Healthcare International, RF Technologies, and STANLEY Healthcare have gained recognition for their achievements in the field of aging services technologies. In addition, CAST Business Associate MatrixCare is supporting efforts to recognize the achievements of innovators who design programs for people with dementia.
- CAST Business Associates Keystone Technologies and HCS are spreading the word about technology in guidebooks and at conferences.
Feel Free to Contact Me
I hope you enjoy these and other articles in this issue of Tech Time. Please contact me with any questions for comments.