1. July 2015 09:29
by Nora Super
3 Comments
Every minute of every hour of every day, ordinary Americans are innovating and inventing, breaking new ground and transforming our nation as we know it. Breaking the mold is a classic trait of the Baby Boomer generation, and this week I had a front seat view at the annual Boomer Venture Summit in Silicon Valley. This conference brings together innovators, corporations, and investors discuss the longevity economy – one that capitalizes on the health and wellness associated with longer lives.
Since the last White House Conference on Aging held ten years ago, technology has transformed what it means to age in America. An increasing array of web-based technologies, robotics, and mobile devices help older adults to access and get the services they need, stay connected to family and friends, and remain active and independent. Unfortunately, technology can also make some older adults more vulnerable to financial exploitation as scammers become more and more sophisticated in how they target their victims.
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to hear about innovations in the longevity marketplace, trends in multi-generational living, and new tools to increase financial and cyber-security. In the afternoon, we live streamed a session with investors who discussed what trends will dominate the market in the coming year. The common theme among all the investors on the panel, was how to integrate services and technology to improve outcomes. Investors stressed the need to design products and services for older adults that are intuitive and simple to use. Too often technical "solutions" fail because they aren't designed with the user in mind. They are looking into optimizing bundled payments, portals that provide patients access to their healthcare providers, new ways of designing everything from medication packaging to restaurants, and so much more. We are really on the verge of many great things.
The opportunities are boundless. I can’t even imagine what might be in store for the 2025 White House Conference on Aging!
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