A leading authority on the role of technology in caregiving and better living for seniors says that the recent finding of the Center for Aging Technologies (CAST) that Boomers are willing to invest in technology allowing them and family members to live better is a validation of the growing recognition of the contribution technology can make to independent living for seniors and others.
Richard Blackwell says that the study, which reveals that Boomers are willing to pay up to $100 monthly for technology that assists and improves monitoring for family caregivers and for more accurate medical records providing greater information, acts as an additional impetus by his not-for-profit SafeHome organization and its educational outreach and program development with the Congress of California Seniors (CCS) for whom he acts as special advisor on technology on seniors and aging issues.
Blackwell (www.SafeHome.net) has gained a national reputation for his leadership in developing a number of no-fee, user-friendly technological innovations including a better smoke detector, personal security alert systems, and Emergency Medical System alerts, all based on his patented NeighborLink ™ technology that alerts family members, neighbors, or emergency services such as police or fire protection.
Based on the reception of the products and the high degree of interest among seniors and family members, Blackwell expanded the scope of www.SafeHome.net to further identify and apply the role of technology to real-life issues facing Boomers and the elderly. This led to his role with the Congress of California Seniors, which has hundreds of thousands of members. He also acts as a consultant and speaker for businesses interested in expanding their role in technology involving aging and caregiving issues.
A specific area being developed includes identifying a greater role for technology in family caregiving issues, Blackwell explains. He notes that National Family Caregiver Month is observed each November.
« This observance pays tribute to the tremendous contribution of family caregivers, » he continues.
« It also offers a tremendous opportunity to further empower caregivers by identifying the ways technology can be applied to their needs and challenges. There is a potential for empowerment of Boomers and an aging population enabling them to age successfully in their homes, and it is increasingly evident that technology has a role to play in strengthening American families.
« We aid this process by identifying the ways that technology helps to extend the family, enhance the effectiveness of caregiving and not only by reducing the cost of , but actually improving the quality of the services offered, » Blackwell concludes.
Gary Passmore, executive director of the Congress of California Seniors, notes that his organization »s relationship with Blackwell is a natural extension of the state »s technological leadership, and the CCS stance as a leading advocacy group on seniors » issues.
All of the above text is a press release provided by the quoted organization. globalagingtimes.com accepts no responsibility for their accuracy.