When young people think of age-tech, they may picture mostly clinical solutions. Growing older has more than a physical component. Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the issue of isolation during the Pandemic. Older people still have to manage their finances, not just plan wills.
In its virtual presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show, the incubator program, AARP Innovation Labs, highlights the many aspects of aging, including community, clinic, health, financial services and housing.
Three companies that are helping aging populations better manage finances and budgets, and effectively plan for the future were included in the program. Goalsetter is expanding its reach to more people with savings and investment management tools because it was originally created to teach kids and teenagers financial literacy. Genivity shows users how many years they might need to work before retiring and what point they may need extended care based on their health and lifestyle habits. It's easy for families to create wills and trusts with Trust & Will.
Goalsetter raises $15 million to help children with financial literacy.
The Pandemic has made loneliness worse for older adults. The problem is addressed by the selection of community startups by AARP Innovation. Kinoo wants to tailor the experience for families with elderly relatives living away from them. Kids can play games and do projects with their grandparents and other family members through the Kinoo app.
Gameboard is a gaming system that lets family members enjoy time together instead of just chatting. It has hundreds of games, including role-playing games. Beeyonder is a marketplace for live virtual expert-led tours around the world, and can help alleviate the boredom of staying at home during the Pandemic.
Many of the startups in the incubator focus on helping older people stay in their homes instead of moving into a care facility. Three companies focused on personal mobility were included in the housing section. The e-rollators, or smart walkers, are being created by Camino Robotics with features that help people walk over slopes and even surfaces, and fold into compact mode for navigating tight spaces. Braze Mobility says it can turn any wheelchair into a smart wheelchair with patent-pending blind spot sensors that warn about obstacles through lights, sounds and vibrations. De Oro Devices has created a small device that can be attached to canes and walkers that can help people with Parkinson's overcome freezing episodes.
Tellus is a startup that helps people live on their own with small wall-mounted sensors that can track their heart rate, breathing, sleep and falls from up to five meters away, and send notifications to caregivers and family members through an app.
Three startups focused on overall health and well-being were presented by AARP Innovation. The line-up of last year's Consumer Electronics Show included Zibrio. A person's balance and fall risk are measured on the scale called the Zibrio. The company says that the balance scale can be used to predict if you are at risk of falling within the next year. While many people use apps like MyFitnessPal or Noom to track their nutrition and exercise, Mighty Health was developed for people over 50 years old. It connects users with a health coach and has workout plans for older adults.
Older adults are top of mind when it comes to health.
Mental wellbeing is important. Ompractice was started to help people who experience geographic, economic and inclusivity barriers get access to health, wellbeing andMindfulness features by partnering with fitness studios and working with large organizations.
Improving healthcare and the delivery of health services for older adults in the United States is very important. Patients can answer multiple choice questions each day, when they are then reviewed by their providers to help with diagnostic and care plans. It can be used to communicate with multiple care providers. Telemedicine startup Tembo allows senior care communities to provide remote medical services to their residents or clients. Embleema was created to make it easier to conduct pharmaceutical studies.
Two startup were included in the clinic section for individuals. MindMics are earbuds that analyze and send data to an app. JoyLux addresses menopause with a range of products, including cooling pads, lubricants, supplements, and devices for Pelvic Floor exercises.
Hormonal health is a huge opportunity.
