CaringKind on the Cutting Edge
By Edward Cisek, Vice President of Program Evaluation
In April, we were thrilled to host CaringKind’s first annual technology fair! The three-day event, titled “Caring for Today with the Technology of Tomorrow” introduced our community partners and hundreds of family and professional caregivers to products — many of which are brand new — that can help people with dementia and their caregivers. The purpose of the event was to help bring awareness to this growing field.
Lou-Ellen Barkan, Allison Becker, Jed A. Levine, and
Ed Cisek on opening night.
CaringKind’s President and CEO, Lou Ellen Barkan, kicked off the opening night by describing how technology for this population is ripe for innovation. As more products enter the market, and developers are more in tune with the needs of people with dementia and their families, caregivers are getting more comfortable using them. Jed Levine, CaringKind’s Executive Vice President, Director of Programs and Services, added that these products complement our “high touch” programs and have the potential to enhance the social connections that counteract the isolating effects of dementia and ease the burden of caregiving.
Left: Center for Hearing and Communication
Right: Hebrew Home at Riverdale
Allison Becker, from Aging2.0 NY, the keynote speaker for the event, concluded the opening night presentations by revealing Aging2.0’s “grand challenges” for innovators in the aging space. These innovation priorities include: care coordination, daily living, engagement and purpose, family caregiving, medication management, and cognitive impairment.
Products available from The Alzheimer’s Store
Aging2.0’s priorities were well represented at the fair. Products included mechanical pets to provide comfort, devices for the hearing impaired, and iPad apps designed to facilitate communication between family caregivers. Fair attendees commented on how much these products are sorely needed, and appreciated having an event dedicated solely to this theme.
CaringKind would like to thank the following for participating in the fair:
- The Alzheimer’s Store
- Alz You Need
- Antidote
- Balance: for Alzheimer’s Caregiving
- Center for Hearing and Communication
- GreyMatters
- Hasbro’s Joy for All Companion Pets
- LabFinder
- MedicAlert NYC Wanderer’s Safety Program
- Memory Lane
- Music and Memory
- Philips Lighting
- Pratt Institute
- SafeWander
- Technology for Caregiving
Join us at our annual CaringKind Walk in Manhattan on October 15 as we, for the first time, include a Technology Exposition area!