For homebound people, smarter speakers to track their health - STAT

Boston-based LifePod makes a speaker that lets caregivers write up questions and timely reminders to seniors and people with disabilities.

Lifepod Smart Speaker

The ubiquity of smart devices and smart speakers have added a whole new method of caregiving.  Time should tell if the adoption rate is significant.  The potential for savings is significant because fewer home visits will be necessary and family caregivers will have a means of checking on their loved ones. The cost of the system is very low compared to home health services and to family members who have otherwise involved in-home and/or work duties.
 Every day, Kathleen McVicar of Cotuit, Mass., has a few simple questions for her 85-year-old mother in Virginia. How well did she sleep? Did she remember to eat breakfast, to take her meds, to check her voicemails?

McVicar could get the answers by making an endless series of phone calls throughout the day. Instead, she just checks her email every morning. The previous day’s answers are there, rounded up and compiled by her mother’s voice-activated personal assistant, a device called LifePod which is programmed to ask questions instead of just answering them.

The LifePod team is comprised of experienced voice and health technology veterans who are on a mission to use an advanced smart speaker and voice technologies to improve the quality of life for seniors managed care patients and their caregivers.

The smart speaker provides a multifunction digital reminder and schedule for users.

Proactive-Voice

LifePod initiates pre-scheduled routines, which are spoken aloud through the LifePod-Powered smart speaker. No need for your Care Recipient to remember anything – he or she simply listens to LifePod questions and reminders … and responds, naturally by voice!

Care Plan Adherence

Reinforce medical care plans with voice prompts for medication, behavioral therapies, hydration, or appointment reminders. Confirmations that each activity has been completed provides all members of the Care Team with greater peace of mind.

Personalized Routines

Using the LifePod Caregiver Portal, caregivers can personalize voice-first routines to support a healthy, independent and engaging lifestyle – proactively engaging your Care Recipient, via voice,  with the information they need whenever they need it.

Social Companionship

LifePod has been shown to play an important role in reducing social isolation through access to engaging online content as well as voice-first routines that helps care recipients to feel more connected with their caregivers and to participate in social events.

Care Team Support

Ease the minds of your Care Recipient’s loved ones and professional care providers by adding them to the Care Team.  LifePod Care Team members receive daily email reports and can opt-in to receive real-time, text alerts based on your Care Recipient’s interactions with LifePod.

Personal Emergency Response Service (PERS)

With the addition of a MobileHelp emergency response service, care recipients can summon the help they need – from a family member or an emergency response service – if and when they need it.



Smart Home Integration

LifePod’s unique proactive-voice capability to command your voice-activated smart home to do things for your Care Recipient. Even turning the lights on/off by voice can help older adults by saving them from having to walk across their room or apartment.

Text Alerts

Configure instant text message alerts to notify you about the status of high priority routines during your Care Recipient’s day, such as wellness check-ins and medication reminders. Or, get the answer to one question every day texted to you so you know they’re up and about and okay!For homebound people, smarter speakers to track their health -