Technology for Aging in Place
Laurie M. Orlov
Aging in Place Technology Watch
January, 2012
Technology change can be daunting
Source: The New Yorker
Does engagement dwindle along
with mobility or memory?
Isolated from:
-Family
-Friends
-Church
-Volunteering
-Hobbies
-Work
-Learning…
Engaged with:
-Family
-Friends
-Church
-Volunteering
-Hobbies
-Work
-Learning
Age
Time
Context: Internet, social
networking, cell phones
 58% of US 65+ population has a cell phone (average 3
calls per day, 34% sleep with their cell phones)
 31% of the 65+ population has a ‘broadband’ connection,
up 1% from 2009 (Pew Research)
 Only 42% of the 65+, 30% of the 75+ population goes
online
 Only 15% of iPad buyers are over the age of
56…(NielsenWire)
 …But baby boomers are the fastest growing age segment
of Facebook’s 800 million members
 The fastest growing age demographic -- the 85+
Older adults and Internet
technology (Pew)
Category
All
Boomers (5064)
Seniors
(65+)
Comment/
Example
Online
79%
78%
42%
% of all adults
Use search
daily
59%
52%
37%
% adults
w/Internet
Use video
sharing site
71%
54%
31%
View YouTube, %
adults use of
video
Seek Health
info
59%
58%
29%
% adults
w/Internet
Social
network
61%
47%
26%
% adults
w/Internet
Older adults and online
technology (Pew)
Category
All
Boomers (5064)
Seniors
(65+)
Comment/
Example
Have cell
phone
85%
85%
58%
% all adults
…Smart
phone
35%
24%
11%
% all adults
Internet calls
24%
19%
18%
% all adults
Have EReader
12%
13%
6%
% all adults
Have a tablet 8%
8%
2%
% all adults
Have mobile
health app
6%
5%
% adult cell
phone users
9%
Four aging in place technology categories
Email, Chat,
Games, Video,
Cell phone,
Smart phone,
Tablet,
PC, Mac
Safety and
Security
Communication
and Engagement
Learning and
Contribution
Security,
PERS,
Webcam,
Fall detection,
Home monitor
Health and Wellness
Legacy,
Education and
learning
Volunteer, work
mHealth apps,
Telehealth,
Medication mgmt,
Disease mgmt,
Fitness
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
Aging status changes vary
an individual’s needs over time
Home
Safety
Alarm system
Personal
Status
E-mail, phone,
Video, chat
Personal
Safety
PERS,
Fall
Detection,
Home
Monitor
Personal
Medical
Status
Personal
Health
Medication
Reminders,
Wellness
Guides
Chronic
disease monitors
Time
Independent
Frailer
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
Aging in Place depends on connected
relationships…
Seniors
Family &
Caregivers
Providers
…Not well connected today
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
The looming crisis of care
$51K/year
Assisted
Living**
Growth Rate
$42K/year for
Assisted
Living 2011*
> 40 million seniors 65+
2011
2015
Population growth projection from US Census
*Source:
2011 MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted
Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs
Time
2020
**Source Amer. Association LTC & MetLife
***Source National Clearinghouse Direct Care Workforce
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2011
Four aging in place technology categories
Email, Chat,
Games, Video,
Cell phone,
Smart phone,
Tablet,
PC, Mac
Safety and
Security
Communication
and Engagement
Security,
PERS,
Webcam,
Fall detection,
Home monitor
Caregiving
Learning and
Contribution
Health and Wellness
Legacy,
Education and
learning
Volunteer, work
mHealth apps,
Telehealth,
Medication mgmt,
Disease mgmt,
Fitness
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
Proportion of 65+ Who Use
Personal Health & Wellness Tech?
Source: AARP Healthy@Home 2.0, April 2011
(Base = 940 responders age 65+)
Proportion of 65+ Who Currently
Use Home Safety Devices
An alarm that could tell you w hen a door or w indow has
been opened or closed w hen not expected
17%
Small electronic devices that can turn off appliances
11%
Sensors that can be placed throughout your home to detect if
someone falls and, if so, calls for emergency help
5%
A device that tracks w here you are in preparing food and
can remind you of steps you completed
An electronic system that let's a family member or friend
know if you ae okay, or if your daily rouine changes
suggesting you might need help
3%
2%
0%
Source: AARP Healthy@Home 2.0, April 2011
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Overall willingness to pay, total per
month, all devices:
Source: AARP Healthy@Home 2.0, April 2011
Helpfulness (% very or somewhat helpful)
100%
Greatest Potential
(Helpful, Low Barriers)
Moderate Potential
(Helpful, High Barriers)
Personal health record tracking
75%
Symptom monitor and transmitter
Caregiving coordination system
Medication support system
Interactive system for physical, mental, and leisure activities
Caregiver training simulations
50%
Video phone system
Caregiving decision support tool
Passive movement
monitoring system
Caregiving coaching software
Transportation display
Caregiver mentor matching service
25%
Least Potential
(Less Helpful, High Barriers)
0%
25%
50%
Barriers (% prevented from trying by any barrier )
Source: National Alliance for Caregiving, “Caregiving and Technology 2010”
75%
A day in the life: Tech-enabled
relationships – meet Margaret
Long-distance
Family
Senior living at home
•Passes doorway motion sensor
•Puts on wearable fall detector
•Receives reminder to take meds
•Gets a video call from grandkids
•Requests a transportation pickup
•Participates in online hobby forum
•Attends online learning course
•Makes the video call
•Shares trip photos
•Sets up family tree
Healthcare
Providers
Family/Caregivers
•Updates personal health record
•Preloads medication canister
•Sets med reminder schedule
•Configures notification phone list
•Receives home-related alerts
•Enters daily activity onto portal
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
•Updates personal
health record
•Writes ePrescription
•Checks downloaded data
from wearable blood pressure
cuff
•Answers e-mail question
•Provides a video consultation
A wave of technology to help Margaret
and her family
GrandCare
Optelec
MobileHelp
Microsoft Kinect
Telikin
What if Margaret had dementia?
SentryGPSid
CoroHealth
Example report – sleep disturbance
Hubs – national, neighborhood
- offer a lens to find services
Role-based Hub-and-spoke model
(Caregiver - Senior)
Devices
Example sites:
Example sites:
Alz.org
Caring.com
Shared
Information
AARP.org/
caregving
Products
Guidance
DiabetesMine.com
Alzheimerstore.com
MayoClinic.com
Services
Need-based hub-and-spoke model
(Rehab at home)
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2009
Role- and Need-based hubs will
emerge and grow – who will provide?
 Providing a lens to serving
aging-related roles
 Powering a community of
shared interests
 Serving caregiver family and
professionals
 Spanning the distance and
disconnect in relationships
 Building upon today’s social
networks
 Simple to use and intuitive
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
Fewer boxes, less data, more
information
 Referral channels should be critical
Identifying and marketing to common
needs
» Health and home care provider
» Social services
» Geriatric care managers
 Who goes into the home? Tablets,
TVs, smart phones, wireless, with
sensors and cameras in and around
the home, easily switched on and off
 Who connects the home and the
individual?
» ISP Network provider
» Cable company
» Security dealer or PERS reseller
» Cell or smart phone provider
Applications will meet social needs:








Subscription-based services –
opt-in
Systems to link home to
outside – for health-related
monitoring or for sharing
information
Wearable inside and outside
Passive without intrusion
Discovery and finding people
with common interests
Opt-in information and
connecting to services (health,
safety, work)
Blurred life stages – available
as needed independent of age
Mobile – applications will follow
the person from home or away
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
Aging in place market silos have begun to
overlap – in a down economy
Home Services*
Home
Automation
Healthcare
Home Design
Assistive
Technology
Communication
* Example services include: Home care, transportation,
geriatric care management, social services
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2011
Aging in place market silos will
overlap – it’s already happening
 Home automation bundles as a service
will become a feature – 20% of CE
vendors are now interested in aging
 Security vendors will provide interfaces
for healthcare devices
 Carriers will offer health-apps through
partners, layered on discount bundles
 Remote healthcare services will
partner with security and home
monitoring
 Vendors will band together – see
AgeTek Alliance
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2010
Barriers and disconnects
 Only incremental growth in tech access of oldest adults,
hamstrung by current economy
 U.S. adults living with chronic disease are significantly less
likely than healthy adults to have access to the internet (62%
vs. 81%) (Pew)
 Monitoring tech and chronic disease invite the
reimbursement debate and consumer distraction
 New tech niches are interesting, but rarely marketed as
solutions
 Mainstream tech like smart phone shuts out seniors
 Referral channels are interested, but not fully engaged
 Resellers are engaged, but not necessarily selling through
 VCs are intrigued, but not necessarily funding the small and
the weak
How large is the market?
$20 billion…
•Games/Fitness
•Computers/TVs
•Web cameras
•Smart phones
•Chronic disease mgmt
•Caregiving
•Home automation
•Mobility aids
•Fall detection
•Fall prevention
•Car safety technology
•???
Growth Rate $
$2 billion
2008
2010
2015
Time
Copyright Aging in Place Technology Watch 2009
2020
Thank you!
Laurie M. Orlov
Aging in Place Technology Watch
www.ageinplacetech.com
laurie.orlov@gmail.com
772-345-3725