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Interactive State of Technology Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -
January 9, 2009
As part of CAST’s efforts to provide information about technologies related to aging, CAST released an interactive version of their "State of Technology in Aging Services Report" that lays out the categories of technologies that exist and are under development to meet the needs of aging consumers and highlights what companies are doing to serve this growing market segment.
The report includes links to the numerous corporations, universities and aging-services providers that are advancing technologies to help older people stay healthy and independent longer. The types of technology include:
• Sensors that can detect and notify a caregiver if a person is potentially unsafe (e.g. have fallen, did not get out of his chair or turn off the stove).
• Health technologies that monitor blood pressure, respiration and other conditions in real time while the person is at home. This reduces the need for doctor's visits and notifying caregivers immediately of significant changes.
• Medication dispensers that provide the appropriate medicines at the appropriate time and remind a person to take them.
• Computer games that provide social networking, promote brain stimulation and even use diagnostic games to monitor a person's cognitive abilities.
The report also includes interviews with expert researchers, who concluded that factors ranging from interconnectivity between different systems to usability, affordability and the availability of technical support and training will determine how widespread these technologies will become.
All three reports are included:
The first report, State of Technology in Aging Services, presents definitions of aging-services technologies, the caregiver network and stakeholders in the care process. The report presents a vision for technology-enabled care along with a review of available and under development safety, health and wellness and social connectedness technologies and their value to different stakeholders. Finally, the report presents the barriers outlined to the proliferation of these technologies.
The second report, State of Technology in Aging Services According to Field Experts and Thought Leaders, features the results of expert interviews with thought leaders about opportunities for aging-services technologies, barriers to their proliferation and suggestions for overcoming these barriers. It also presents gaps in awareness, technical uncertainties, consensus on value and business and operating models and suggestions from thought leaders on ways to bridge these gaps. Finally, the report presents experts opinions on promising aspects of existing business models and forcing functions that would drive the adoption of these technologies.
The third report, State of Technology in Aging Services: Summary, presents an executive summary and highlights the main findings presented in the two previous reports in an issue brief format.
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