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UX and Aging

How older people are embracing technology

by Kay Corry Aubrey

According to AARP, 73% of caregivers are interested in using AgeTech to help them care for their loved ones, but only 7% actually do. Cost, usability issues, lack of familiarity and privacy concerns typically top the list as barriers to adoption. During a recent Connected Health conference Parks Associates described results from a survey that showed caregivers and loved ones want technology that promote safety vs. health. They see the value in emergency pendants that detect falls, alarm systems to warn of fire, water, or gas leaks. They are less interested in fitness trackers, smart watches and other devices that appeal to younger audiences.

But things are changing quickly due to the pandemic. Since March 30% of seniors have taken part in telehealth visits, and they are overwhelmingly pleased with its convenience and quality. Telehealth visits are now covered by Medicare and other insurance which is one positive outcome of our “new normal”. While in quarantine, older people are using zoom to stay connected with their families and friends. So quickly they are developing skills and comfort with technology and learning how to integrate it into their everyday lives.

Big corporations have noticed and are responding with products designed to help older people remain independent as long as possible. Comcast, Alarm.com and Cox Communications have developed services and enhanced home networks. Best Buy Geek Squad now installs and supports smart home and independent living products. Inexpensive and powerful sensing technology leverages machine learning that can separate normal patterns of everyday living from a fall or another emergency requiring immediate response.

ADT’s system, which costs between $40 and $60 a month, provides continuous monitoring with a human support person ready to step in. Their system uses sensors to detect falls and patterns that indicate trouble such as a door that is unlocked or has not been opened. The senior can connect with the support center through a panic button if they need help.

According to Andy Droney, Senior Director of Health, PERS, and Innovation at ADT Health the future of AgeTech will be to provide insights into what’s happening in the person’s home in an unobtrusive way. “When dealing with seniors, high technology is not always the right solution to keeping them safe in their home. With older people providing a relationship is just as important. You always need a live person in the loop who is empathic”. According to Andy the support provided can run the gamut from calling an ambulance for a health emergency to calling a neighbor to help the person get out of their chair. “If our system buys the person an extra year of independence it is a worthwhile investment.”

Even before the pandemic, demographics and need have been driving adoption of age technology. Most people want to remain in their homes as they age and cannot afford long-term care. However, the technology and services to help older people age are advancing at an impressive clip. From this conference I got the sense that we are almost there.

Human-powered Age Tech Rules at the Connected Health Conference

by Kay Corry Aubrey

Earlier this month I attended the Connected Health Conference and was struck not only by how far telemedicine has come, but also by how much humans matter with this new technology. The trend seems especially strong in products and services directed towards older people.

Yuri Quintana of Beth Israel Deaconess gave a presentation on InfoSage, which allows families to coordinate tasks and appointments, oversee their loved one’s medication and treatment plan, and in general check in to make sure they are OK. The elder decides who to let into their network and the data each person can see. The project was developed by Harvard Medical school and is funded by the department of Health and Human Services.

“Papa” is an Uber-like platform that matches college students with an older person for an ongoing relationship. The students earn $15 an hour to run errands and provide in-person and virtual companionship. Applicants are carefully vetted and paired for compatibility– only one out of 8 is hired. Papa is a simple, practical, and cost-effective idea that’s had great success where it is operating. They just received 19 million dollars in a new round of VC funding.

“People Power”, which is funded by a 4.5 million-dollar NIH grant, can connect smart devices from hundreds of IoT vendors to monitor an individual’s well-being. These devices can range from automated PERS devices to smart speakers to door locks and carbon monoxide detectors. The platform uses machine learning to consolidate data from these different sources to detect falls, sleep patterns, medication adherence and wandering. The service is monitored round the clock by home care agency to provide a stronger safety net. People Power also enables group collaboration and connection to alleviate loneliness and help the person stay in touch with loved ones.

While I was at the conference I (virtually) ran into Kendra Seavey of Boston’s own Care.coach. The person communicates with care.coach through voice via an AI-powered avatar installed on a tablet. The avatar is customized to suit the individual’s preferences. While much of the interaction is handled through technology, a support person is always listening and able to respond right away in an emergency or in a conversation. Care.coach provides companionship, coaching, and helps the individual manage chronic conditions. The service provides analytics as well as alerts to caregivers and response teams. Care.coach has been operating for several years and has won many awards. It may soon be covered by Medicare Advantage.

To a large degree Covid is driving adoption of remote services. The field of age technology has been developing quietly for many years, so these technologies are mature and field-tested. Most people want to remain in their home as they age, and these products offer a cost-effective solution to help them do this safely. Most older people cannot afford long-term care and with 11,000 people in the USA turning 65 each day, these products will meet a serious need.

To learn more about these products, please visit
• InfoSAGE https://www.infosagehealth.org
• Papa https://www.joinpapa.com/
• Care.coach https://www.care.coach/
• People Power https://www.peoplepowerco.com/iotsystem/
• The Connected Health Conference typically takes place each fall in Boston. Formerly it was sponsored by Partners Healthcare and is now sponsored by Parks Associates. http://www.parksassociates.com/events/connected-health

Joe Coughlin of the MIT AgeLab – one day we will all look forward to growing old.

by Kay Corry Aubrey

Joe Coughlin is the founder and director of the AgeLab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of The Longevity Economy – Unlocking the World’s Fastest Growing Most Misunderstood Market. This past fall I had the the chance to do a QRCA VIEWS Luminaries interview with him about his work and to visit the AgeLab.

During the 20th century the average lifespan in most developed countries increased by 30 years. In 1900 most people died before they turned 50. Today we live well into our 80s. However, the options for older people to help them stay engaged and live better remain very limited. This has created what Joe calls the longevity paradox “Perhaps the greatest success of humankind is living longer, but now the challenge is what we do with the time we have and the time we continue to gain.” Joe and team of engineers, designers, and researchers work with clients on finding ways to leverage technology to create products and services that give older people independence and help them live better.

Many organizations see aging as “a problem to be solved” vs. the fastest growing market in the world. They create utilitarian products for the disabilities associated with aging such as adult diapers and “help I’ve fallen and can’t get up” type devices, ignoring the wide ranging needs and desires of older people.

Joe described some of the research methods the AgeLab uses to gain a deep, accurate and humane understanding of older adults. Their methods are high tech and high touch leveraging many approaches from field studies, to focus groups to big data. Their Lifestyle Leader panel is comprised of early adopters, many of whom are well north of 90 year old. The panel helps with ideation and product reviews. The AgeLab team developed the “Agnes” simulation suit that helps designers experience how an older body with achy joints limited mobility handles products and navigates the world.

Field researchers wearing “Agnes” simulation suit in a store redesign project .

To learn more:

Here is a link to a print version of my interview with Joe from the QRCA VIEWS Magazine, Winter 2018

Here is a link to the podcast version

And a link to my book review of “The Longevity Economy – Unlocking the World’s Fastest Growing, Most Misunderstood Market”

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