Too much or not enough? I dropped in for at least a few minutes of most of Laurie Orlov’s seven(!) sessions at the American Society on Aging – 2011 Aging in America Conference and the What’s Next Boomer Summit in San Francisco a couple of weeks back. Last but not least was the session that she had invited me to participate in, “Technology for Seniors at Home: Who and What Makes it Work“ (there must be interest in this, it was attended by Gail Sheehy, the latest poster-woman for family caregiving and recipient of the ASA award for the individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of aging). Part I describing my session is the subject of my 5/7 guest blog on Laurie’s Aging in Place Technology Watch. Today’s is devoted to Laurie’s recurring and emphatic message which resonated to me like marching orders. Her message was also repeated in her Aging in Place Technology Watch piece on 5/1.
The recurring message was that those in the room (every single room) are responsible for turning the technology for aging in place industry from a task oriented “cottage” industry to a “cathedral-builder’s” industry of innovation and creativity (think flying buttresses). This analogy was put forth in 2006 in the inspiring article by Joseph Coughlin of MIT’s Age-Lab’s article, Cathedral Builders Wanted: Constructing a New Vision of Technology for Old Age. The message is that the aging and technology business is made up of a bunch of cottage industries fulfilling some basic task or need that need to develop vision and think bigger, beyond the basic health and safety requirements and towards a “comprehensive approach to longevity”.
Get the word out. Orlov said that not enough is being done to get the word out that there are tech products for the home. Aging service professionals are seeing the potential of these products for their parents, not their elderly constituents. She encouraged them to get their organizations to start thinking more creatively about how to accomplish this. I completely agree with her, change needs to come from within the aging services industry, and the vendors (such as those in the Aging Technology Alliance – AGETEK) need to support making it easy to get products out there. Her message brings to mind the Center for Aging Services Technologies (now known as LeadingAge CAST) “Imagine – the Future of Aging – Vision Video Discussion Guide” from 2008 that prophetically laid out a strategy for professionals to get their organizations to start adopting technology. I wonder who read that report (aside from myself) and used those recommendations? It’s worth checking out. Being naïve, I referenced the CAST report in my own publications and at professional conferences including the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers and the Professional Fiduciary Association of California. Back then, the eldercare professionals who I spoke to were excited about this message, but I was told by leaders in the field that I was “ahead of my time”. It is now starting to make sense. Most aging professionals are waiting to be told what products truly work before they recommend them to their clients.
Back to Orlov’s mantra. She repeatedly described the “digital divide” and emphasized the need to focus on the 75+ market, not the 65+ market because this population doesn’t have broadband or video, they’re not looking at apps on their smartphones and they are sadly not Skyping. Connections between seniors and providers need to be tightened and the caregiving world needs to have an overlay of technology. Products should be simple to use and intuitive. She went on to make the following recommendations to providers of aging services:
- The home security system is the most basic type of technology that all homes should have.
- Find the cheapest internet service plan and get it for your client.
- Make friends with a good IT person (or a technology integrator).
- Get a computer for your client, a simple one with a touchscreen (e.g. the Telekin Touch or Pointerware) with video calling, email, and internet capability.
Little by little. All of this being said, it may be easier for the professionals in the aging field to start with task-oriented products that are easy to install such as the Presto Printing Mailbox or MyCelery for email without a computer, a senior friendly cell phone such as Jitterbug or the Doro Phone Easy, a wifi-enabled Photo Frame, motion sensor systems such as BeClose and SimplyHome, finder devices such as EmFinders or the Alzheimers Association Comfort Zone, fall detection/plus devices such as MyHalo or AFrame Digital, or what about putting a tablet (iPad or other) into a client’s home for the care provider to use…(there are so many possibilties…)
OK folks, we have our orders, so let’s put our best foot forward and MARCH!
21st Century Care Solutions 