Jul 22, 2020
The importance of staying connected, especially when you’re not there – Part 1

One of the biggest concerns we hear from family caregivers is knowing how a loved one is doing when they’re not with them. We may just be in the next room, at work, a quick errand, or even three states away, but the concern is still the same. Is my mom, dad, spouse, partner, child, or “Aunt Wanda” who lives alone all right? Did they get up today, go to their exercise class, out for their usual walk, or even to work? Or worse, are they somewhere they shouldn’t be, or need help and can’t contact me? Many of the people we speak with have relatives with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Autism, some form of cognitive memory loss or who simply live alone. The truth is, many family caregivers cannot be with loved ones all of the time, so have relied on a GPS location tracking wearable to  know location, and even receive alerts if a loved one should leave a safe area. But knowing the location of a loved one is only part of the solution.

Dick Tracy here: Quik Connect is the magic in our wearable technology

We’re continually told by family caregivers that our Quik Connect to their loved one’s wearable is a favorite must-have “Dick Tracy” feature (as many refer to it). When a family member calls our watch from their smartphone app, the wearer doesn’t have to press any buttons to answer the call, the watch automatically answers for them. All the wearer has to do is listen for their family member’s familiar voice coming through the watch. Being able to quickly connect with a loved one is very important, especially when our family member can’t answer themselves because of confusion, wandering or forgetfulness. A “just right” solution for monitoring and communication to keep families connected!

Connected Caregivers! Quik Connect in Action

We are continually reaching out and learning from our family of customers, who love sharing their stories, especially if it will help others. Here are just a few examples of how some of our wonderful customers use the Theora Connect wearable with Quik Connect:

• In this time, we have heard multiple stories from families who cannot visit their loved ones in assisted living or retirement homes. These families find the one-tap communications on the wearable a quick and easy way for them to check in on their loved ones, easier than FaceTime or Skype calls. And, the overworked staff love that this happens without additional intervention or help from them.
• An extraordinary young man on the Autism spectrum enjoys his independence being gainfully employed as a certified pastry chef. He also loves his wristwatch-style wearable, puts it on as soon as he gets up in the morning. He lives at home with his family, who can enjoy their professional lives with more peace of mind because they can check-in with him, anytime, and keep an eye on him virtually, rather than in person.
• A daughter in Texas stays connected with her Mom in Oregon and can call the wearable just to chat, and has pre-set Safe Zones just in case her Mom should wander. Her mother loves wearing the cool, non-medical looking device, unlike the separate cell phone and lanyard that she would not use. You can read more here about their story.

“I wish we had done this sooner”

There’s another use case that comes to mind, and in fact our customers frequently tell us, “I wish we had done this sooner.” Often, it is that first scary incident that brings families to find us, and not only it is very upsetting, it can also be costly if a loved one ends up in emergency. We want to help prevent this. We have the opportunity to be proactive and prepared before an incident occurs, with easy to use, affordable technology that can keep the entire family connected.

At 57, I think about my own living situation and that of my older siblings. We “feel” young most of the time, we certainly act like children when we’re together (smile), and at least half of us have already lived longer than our parents. Several of us don’t have children. We have actually had a good run since the late 1980s, but there have been a few health hiccups as we’ve gotten older and undoubtedly there will be more to come. Like everyone’s beloved “Aunt Wanda”, we are great candidates for the Theora Connect wearable and in fact my husband and I have it now. I have a brother who will be 73 this year, lives in the country and LOVES wristwatches! I think it might just be someone’s birthday present!

Below: One of our amazing customer families. See their story here.