By Rick Banas of BMA Management, Ltd.
As Andrew Carle spoke about “Nana technology” during his keynote address earlier this month at the Life Services Network 2010 Senior Living Conference, I couldn’t help but think about one of the cartoons I watched growing up.
The theme song that begins “Meet George Jetson . . . his boy, Elroy” began playing in my head and scenes from the Jetsons began racing through my mind.
The Jetsons originally aired on a Sunday night in September 1962, a few weeks after my 11th birthday. It was, says Wikipedia, Hanna-Barbera’s space-age counterpart to The Flintstones.
George, Jane, Judy and Elroy comprise a middle class family living in a “futuristic utopia” filled with robotic contraptions, aliens and whimsical inventions. The year is 2062.
The first episode featured Rosey the Robot, a used robot maid. The first scene has Jane, George’s wife, standing in front of a 3D-TV, watching Modern Mother Muscle Tone Exercises on the Air.
Andy, who is the Director of the Assisted Living & Senior Housing Administration program at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, is a wonderful and highly insightful speaker. The focus of his keynote address was on global aging, innovative technology and the future of senior housing.
He coined the term “Nana” technology in 2004 to cover micro-chip-based technology that can be used to improve the quality of life for older adults.
He talked about robotics, smart appliances, and being able to enjoy a “virtual dinner” with an older adult parent through the use of plasma screen technology.
Others examples included . . .
“Magic Medicine Cabinet” being developed by the Accenture Corp. that uses face and voice recognition software. This medicine cabinet could remind older adults to take their medications and provide an alert if they are reaching for the wrong medications or about to take a medication at the wrong time. Information on the Accenture website also indicates that the medicine cabinet could monitor vital signs and suggest making an appointment with the doctor, if the vital signs so indicate.
“Smart Shoes” being developed by Afferent Corp. that would give 73-year-olds the same balance as 23-year-old.
“Smart Shirt” that would monitor vital signs and call 911 if there is a problem. Further technological developments could even enable the shirt to perform CPR until the paramedics arrived, Carle predicted.
Both global aging and “Nana” technology will have a major impact on the future of senior housing, Carle noted. We will see new forms of retirement and new forms of senior housing.
What are your predictions for the future? What new shapes and flavors of retirement and senior housing do you see on the horizon?
All affordable assisted living communities managed by BMA Management, Ltd. are certified and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. All assisted living communities are licensed and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“BMA Management, Ltd. is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
