Capitol Hill briefing features technologies that could transform the lives of seniors

PR Newswire, 1/30/08

Abstract:
The Senate's Special Committee on Aging, in conjunction with the Medical Technology Caucus and with the assistance of the Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST), today hosted a briefing and technology demonstration on some of the latest innovations in services for America's seniors.

At the briefing, experts on technology for the aging and current technology consumers discussed technology's potential to facilitate independence and allow older Americans to remain in their own homes. Participants also addressed the need for supportive public policies to help accelerate bringing to the marketplace technologies that could transform the lives of older adults and those who care for them, including S. 908, a bill to establish the Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Services.

"Over the next two decades, the United States is just one of many countries facing a doubling or even tripling of the number of people over the age of 60. This demographic storm will challenge every healthcare system, industry, nation and economy as we face epidemics of chronic disease and skyrocketing healthcare costs," said Darrin Jones, director of business development for Intel's digital health group. "We need to prepare for this storm by exploring how technologies might enable a new paradigm for care — helping one billion retirees by 2050 live healthier and happier lives from wherever they choose."

"The current surge of private technology investment in home health will outfit homes with pervasive motion/location sensors, vital signs monitoring, blood and imaging diagnostics, intelligent analytic software, personalized prompter coaching interfaces, and Internet data transfer to care networks -- functionally bringing the virtual care team and its resources into the home and obviating the need for many office visits and hospitalizations," said Mike Magee, MD, senior fellow at CAST.
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