Caregiver Tech: ASSISTANCE FOR TODAY...AND TOMORROW

Futuristic technology aims to help with caregiving

BY:ERIC FEIL

Technology is the caregiver’s friend, as scientists continually develop ever more sophisticated yet easy to use devices that provide information, perform tasks or monitor care recipients. VeriChip Personal Identification System—a microchip placed beneath the skin that stores personal medical info accessible to medical staff in an emergency when a patient and/or caregiver is unable to provide info—already is in use in certain areas of the country. For more information on this implanted data device, check out www.verichipcorp.com.

Still in development, are such things as: the Online Medicine Chest, which uses face-recognition technology, “smart” labels on prescription bottles and computer-input personal data, to assist in the proper use of medication while also containing tools to monitor blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol levels and more. For more info, go to www.accenture.com, type Online Medicine Cabinet into the search bar and hit “Enter” on your keyboard.

Pearl the Nursebot has been in development at Carnegie Mellon University for about seven years, and has been used in field tests at nursing homes. This robotic aide, with its friendly facial expressions (still in development as tests determine which result in more positive responses), potentially could provide futuristic companionship while assisting caregivers in the performance of remote checkups and more. To learn more, visit www.carnegiemellontoday.com/article.asp?Aid=155.