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A Message from HelloEd to AARP
There are the most extraordinary opportunities as we age, giving us and our families choices, independence, and a chance to be doing what we love.
The Opportunity
AARP has the purpose to strive for all people being able to age with dignity and respect, and live with purpose. So do we.
As you know, this is an amazing time for people over 50 with significant opportunities to live longer, work flexibly to contribute for longer, and benefit from advances in medicine and technology.
As you also know, there are challenges too. These include an increase in the incidence of conditions like dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and chronic diseases like heart and diabetes, as well as loneliness and isolation as 1 in 4 American households live alone. Waitlists grow, as does the pressure on the health system and individual financial stress. In many cases, people 50+ also take the role of carers for their parents and partners.
As AARP continues to innovate and transform aging, health technology must play a part. More than $US57b was invested by venture capital in new health-related technologies, just last year. Up 79% from 2021 - aimed at just that. Helping people stay well, be independent, improve care and reduce costs.
AARP has the opportunity to be a guide for members in finding better outcomes through the health, home, and assistive technology available. Helping them be inspired, informed, and empowered with choices. As you'll see, despite that it would have been enough of a driver to do so - this is not just about the benefit to your members, it's also about their opportunity to maybe help society get back what we need - their time, wellbeing and wisdom to connect back through the generation's who need it.
The Problem
We can't work harder, or care more deeply, so the challenge of providing better choices, more personal 24/7 care, preventing illness, and caring for each other, friends, and family at home - needs a different approach.
Technology exists, but it's hard to know what's possible, to find it across hundreds of sources, to trust what's good, and to weave the technology and human routines together.
Figuratively, 95% of what happens, happens at home. This is where we are motivated to be active, where we prevent conditions (up to 40% of cancers and 70% of chronic diseases are considered by the World Health Organisation to be preventable).
At home is where we manage health conditions, take medication (50% don't take it as prescribed), fall (60% over 65's will do this), where cardiac arrests occur (90%), where people wander (70% of dementia suffers and those with memory loss), carers visit and symptoms occur that we will try to capture or remember to share with our health professionals to improve insights and diagnosis.
Home is where we connect each night with remote family and friends. Where we see and hear each others facial expressions, delight, concern and movement from afar - to help with making the right decisions, and most importantly, to share news, love, and connect across the generations.
So let's scan the world to let people know what's possible, what's good, and how to use it to help get back to doing what they love. It's never the answer, but if there's health, home, and assistive technology available to make a small, or life-changing difference, would it make sense not to use it?
The Solution & HelloEd
We're driven by a vision for the world to think differently about what's possible for every one of us, regardless of age or health challenges.
We're a team of health, mental health, and technology specialists who have our own stories. You'll see our story, our why and how, here.
We are a digital health technology company that uses artificial intelligence to continuously scan the world, find, assess and turn it into 'technology that cares'. We provide an inspiring marketplace of products, tips, ideas, and inspiration. Once we've explained what's possible in human terms, here you'll click through to the provider's buy page to get the best and latest price. Here's how we're different.
We're independent. You get the best for you, not us.
For example, we don't offer any products of our own, nor do we let companies pay to list.
We bring together products that don't usually exist together. To save you time.
For example, you'll find products for health, home, and assistive help together. We put them into Spotify-like playlists so you can find things you may not have thought about. If you look after someone with memory loss or dementia, you'll find help in one place for communication, reminders, location, monitoring health, safety at home, and products for delight and getting around (like if you're not driving anymore).
We assess what's good.
We use 10+ indicators including brand, reviews, time on the market, approvals, clinical trials, endorsements, the technology used, battery life, and functionality. We don't get it right every time,
We keep it updated.
Because technology changes, across regions, versions, features, and prices. Companies get bought, merge or cease production. We track hundred of sources, review thousands of products, and have around 450 on the marketplace currently.
We make it human and focus on outcomes.
We remove intimation, enabling you to browse, search or see visual stories and collections. The words, pictures, tips, flash-cards are designed to help you think and feel inspired to bring new experiences and routines to life, combined with your family, friends or health professionals. We call it 'technology that cares'.
How Can Technology Help
Technology can assist with a range of needs and goals. Such as:
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Communication that makes it easier to talk, hear, dial and see those closest. Products like home phones, seniors phones, video phones, smartphones, watches and voice assistants. Seeing the time, date, news and getting information.
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Reminders to do what keeps you well. Products like medication, drinking water or visits and appointments.
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Getting help, detecting falls & being found. Products such as watches, sos personal alarms, GPS and geofence location and two-way talk and home sensors.
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Measuring and monitoring health, motivating activity, tracking symptoms, notifications and remote monitoring or sharing with your doctor. Products that take temperature, ECG, heart rate, breathing and oxygen, track sleep and apnea, blood glucose and stress.
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Daily living at home to check movement, security, visits, smoke, taps, and turn on lights automatically or with just your voice. Products like door and window sensors, smoke and CO alarms, smart locks, cameras and smart plugs and appliances.
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Special needs relating to Parkinson's, Stroke rehab, mobility, speaking, dressing and eating.
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Grow, Relax and delight. Products like special tablets, stands and cases, home hubs, music, electric trikes, photos, entertainment and gig economy services
Supported by experts & the community
Sylvie, Daughter
Hear how she's helping her aging parents stay at home, which products she uses and why, and how, after they went missing for 2 days sparking a statewide search, she's changed the way she thinks about what's possible with help from technology and helloEd.
This story has resonance for the 50m people in the world challenged by dementia & Alzheimer's, an increasingly aging population living at home, and the 63m caregivers across the world.
Peta Slocombe, Psychologist
M. Psych. a sought-after speaker, and global Mental Health Specialist. Founder Australia's Biggest Mental Health Checkin, Co-Founder 'One Million Lives' (UK), and CEO Performance Story.
Here Peta talks about the choices often being taken away from people as they age or become unwell, and how helloEd is removing the barriers and giving those choices back.
She shares her advice on the 3 things she looks for to help people move forward, and what she finds most valuable about helloEd.
Dr Michael Nilsson, Physician
Michael Nilsson, Professor, Physician, and Medical Doctor Registered in Sweden & Australia. During the course of his career, Michael has implemented new models of care for stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson's rehabilitation.
Here Michael talks about the need for better in-home care, the next phase of medicine, and the opportunity with technology.
Jeff Cole, Digital Disruption Advisor & Expert
Jeff Cole, Director UCLA Center for the Digital Future, Speaker, Researcher, Investor and storyteller who has been an advisor to CEO's, Governments, Corporations and Venture Funds.
Here Jeff talks about the transition to telemedicine, the uptake and higher than anticipated levels of customer satisfaction (89%), the future of health and the relevance of helloEd.
An Option for AARP
We have the potential to support you and your members however you believe adds value.
Some of our options to see if the curated world's top health-related technology can add value include the following.
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Article
Compose an article for your members, for example Top 50 Choices to be Safe & Independent at Home. You can see examples here.
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Branded, Interactive Experience
A custom, interactive experience with AARP logo, with additional features to view, print, or share with family. Examples like a visual story, by room in the home, Heart collection eg for national heart awareness day, or an Aging Collection.
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Curated Experience.
Packaging and bundling, with help to deliver and set up. A great experience including flashcards (quick guides) for how they and their family share with a doctor, set reminders remotely or talk to a voice assistant, what to say, and the most relevant features.
See example.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does helloEd work in the US?
Yes. 80% of the current visits to helloEd and time on site, is from people in the USA.
2 Can I trust you?
We hope so. We're experienced professionals, who have worked internationally for some of the world's largest and most reputable brands including Ericsson, AT&T, PwC.
Credibility and trust is everything. We're trained in data privacy and protection, we never share your data, and we don't offer any kind of paid ads. See our privacy statement. Registered Company Australia ACN 639878532)
3. How does helloEd money? What are the costs?
The service is free to use, as we want people to be aware of their choices. Once we've identified the top products and list them, if there's a partnership agreement, we sign up. This makes the service free for visitors, and we may be paid as a channel partner of the technology provider. At this stage, we have agreements with approximately 10% of the total (450) products listed.
For Partnerships like that with AARP, there are options from free, to paid customised services by AARP, to paid by the customer. We can discuss our ideas and hear yours. We generally like to test value by offering value to customers, and learning about their engagement, before moving quickly to a deeper partnership and alliance.
4. How long has helloEd been around?
We're a small, strong team, Founded in 2019, headquartered in Australia. We've been featured in 40 (mostly US) publications, awarded the APAC Top 10 Digital Health Companies to Watch, and international speakers eg World Parkinson's Day Living Brave 2022 (UK, US & Australia).