Many adult children take on the responsibility of caring for aging parents, and there’s a lot of technology out there to help them stay connected. The only problem is many seniors are intimidated to use it.
Now a new digital tablet system may change that. The Claris Companion is designed with larger buttons, huge text and amplified sound. It's also a way to monitor a senior's well-being.
Each device can be completely personalized by family members. You can program in health checks, events and medication reminders. The device will beep when a medication should be taken. If it's skipped, a family member's Smartphone is alerted.
“It allows family to know how their loved one is doing without having to phone them everyday or check in repeatedly. They can just keep an eye on what they are doing, or whether they have missed medications or missed treatments or not responding,” said Geof Auchinleck, creator of the Claris Companion.
The device can also be used for emails, text messages and photos, but there are no confusing passwords or complicated logins.
“Everything is pushed to the device. So rather than having to log onto a computer and launch a web browser or go to Gmail and put in your password to receive a message for example, an email for example, you just receive it. It appears on the screen and you read it,” said Auchinleck.
With one touch on the device, you can also connect directly with a pharmacist and in the near future, you will be able to connect with a physician for a video consultation.
Each device costs $549, and there is a $39 a month fee for the services. Or, for a limited time, you can pay a one-time fee of $995, which will get you the device and a lifetime of service.
