by Vera Rulon MS, RHIT, FAHIMA

“There is mounting scientific evidence that people with a purpose in life, who are engaged in the world and have a reason to get up in the morning, not only live longer lives but healthier lives as well.” (Dr. Joe Kvedar, author, The New Mobile Age: How Technology Will Extend the Healthspan and Optimize the Lifespan)

During a standing-room-only workshop, Aging and Technology: A Call to Action, hosted by the Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHAlliance) during the 2018 HIMSS Global Conference and Expo, a new vocabulary was forged. Charlotte Yeh, MD, Chief Medical Officer of AARP Services Inc., kicked off the event with a video, showing where impressions of what it means to be “old” are changing. She challenged the audience to rethink what we believe it means to be "old" and to Disrupt Aging. We need to consider aging not as a limitation but an asset to tap into. Dr. Yeh believes that it’s not about aging in place, it’s about thriving in motion, and that resiliency is key.

Resiliency is comprised of three main factors that indicate if a person will age well:

• A strong sense of purpose
• Optimism and positive view of aging, and
• Social connections that matter

David Harry Stewart of Agei.st confirms this. Ageist profiles 50+ individuals who have found purpose and are “thriving in motion.”  After all, in your fifties, you are only half way through life. How will you live your second half?

And don’t be fooled. These three components of resiliency are exactly where personal connected health technologies can make a real difference -- enabling individuals to remain productive, self-managing diseases and ailments, helping make social connections and more.

During the workshop, our panel discussions also addressed topics related to technology supportive solutions: healthy communities; extending independence; health and wellness at all ages; and caregiving and chronic disease management.

Key takeaways from panel discussions:

• Aging adults who thrive in motion adopt technology when it is useful to them. Utility is paramount, but good design is age-agnostic.
• It is important to include older adults in the design of connected health solutions. For example, speakers expressed frustration at tech companies that make "cool" products without making sure they answer a need or appeal to aging consumers. "Have you asked an older person?"
• Voice technology can improve aging. A perfect example: If someone with cognitive issues is repetitive to a loved one, it can wear down the relationship. But, your very own voice assistant? She doesn't mind at all.
• Monitoring and metrics are critical.  The most successful technology approaches have strong evidence to support them.

To round out the event, Michael Birt, Special Advisor to the President, National Academy of Medicine, announced a major global initiative, the Grand Challenge for Healthy Longevity. The initiative has two components: a series of inducement prizes and awards to stimulate innovation and transform the longevity field; and a comprehensive global roadmap report that will assess the challenges and opportunities of global aging with recommendations for action.

A special thanks to our speakers and panelists, including Charlotte Yeh, MD, AARP Services; Jody Holtzman, Longevity Ventures; David Harry Stewart, Agei.st; Michael Birt, National Academy of Medicine; Amy Bucher, MadPow; Wen Dombrowski, MD, Catalaize; Davis Park, Front Porch Innovation Center, and panelists from CDW, Humana, Orbita, Intuition Robotics, Senior Link and other innovative organizations.

Link to full agenda and speakers: http://www.himssconference.org/program/healthy-longevity-unlocking-aging-market-personal-connected-health

Continue the dialogue and learnings on aging with healthy longevity thought leaders at What's Next Boomer Business Summit on March 28^th in San Francisco. 

Now in its 15th year, the What’s Next Boomer Business Summit, is the nation’s leading conference for companies, experts, and thought leaders in the longevity market to meet and learn from Fortune 100 companies, leading start-ups, and established nonprofit organizations who are successfully targeting the largest and most lucrative consumer demographic in the world. This Summit convenes the country’s top businesses and organizations focused on the baby boomer and senior market for unique networking opportunities, deal-making, and the exploration of the multigenerational effect that shapes Boomer priorities.