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The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the joy — and sometimes the challenge — of finding the perfect gift for your loved ones. 

To help spread the cheer among the older adults and caregivers in your life, we present this gift-buying guide highlighting just some of the products and services offered by our many AgeTech Collaborative participants (you can find all the startups here):
 

The Empowered Caregiver

Family members and friends who often do the lion’s share of work caring for loved ones can feel overwhelmed and overburdened. Here are some practical gift ideas that can make their responsibilities a little lighter and lift their spirits.

• eLivelihood: With both an online and mobile platform, eLivelihood eases the burden of caregiving by helping families collaboratively organize and manage caregiving by offering a secure, centralized location to store important documents such as medical records, wills and expense records. The solution also includes a specialized calendar, media sharing and an easy-to-use tablet that empowers the older adult to stay in touch and informed. Optional packages include health monitoring and financial management services.
  
  

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  Eve: Caregiving for a loved one who is not physically nearby is a special kind of stress that Eve aims to alleviate. Eve’s voice-based artificial intelligence (AI)-based companion calls the loved one daily to check in on their well-being, then sends text alerts to keep caregivers — wherever they are — in the loop regarding their loved one’s anxiety, depression, cognitive functioning and more. The care recipient can also chat at length with Eve about virtually any topic of interest, helping reduce social isolation.
  
  

• Livindi: With a range of subscription and hardware packages available, Livindi’s in-home connected care platform helps reduce caregiver stress by centralizing a variety of caregiving components, including reducing social isolation, monitoring health and delivering telehealth services. The core device is the LivindiPad, which supports video calls and other functionalities. Additional offerings include motion and other sensors, a wearable call button, a smart watch and Medicare-covered virtual therapy sessions to help care recipients stay healthy and engaged.
  
  

• Zinnia: Cats at Christmas, picnics, butterflies: These are just some of the many calming videos offered by Zinnia that are designed to reduce stress and support self-care for people with dementia and — importantly — their caregivers. Viewed directly on a TV, the videos create opportunities for meaningful connection, and they can also give caregivers the opportunity to take a break. In addition, a collection of videos featuring people successfully completing activities of daily living such as brushing their teeth and drinking water helps normalize healthy habits and support successful everyday routines.

The Independent Aging Enthusiast

Most older adults want to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible. Here are some giftable products and subscriptions that can help people age in place independently, with dignity and — most importantly — safely.

• ONSCREEN: Reduce the technical barrier of keeping older adults connected by turning their TV into an interactive care platform that simplifies video calls with family, friends and even telehealth providers. When the device detects an incoming call, it can turn the TV on or switch from a TV show to automatically connect the call, then after the call switch back to the show or turn the TV off. The ONSCREEN platform can also facilitate social interaction through virtual classes and groups, and it can turn the TV into an AI companion, Joy, who is always available to chat and who can assess the user’s well-being and alert caregivers as necessary.
  
  

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  Lotus: Improve accessibility in any home without expensive upgrades with the Lotus Ring, a wearable remote control device that can control any switch in the house with a few finger movements. The ring uses infrared technology to communicate directly with simple-to-install wall switch adapters, eliminating the need for apps or internet connectivity. The ring is waterproof, and the whole system is easy to uninstall and reinstall in other locations when traveling. 
  
  

• iGuard Home Solutions: Improve your loved one’s safety with iGuardStove, a proximity sensor platform that integrates with any electric or gas stove to help prevent kitchen fires. By providing round-the-clock smart monitoring, the device detects when a stove has accidentally been left on, then simply shuts it off. The platform also provides caregivers with remote access to the device’s settings, as well as customizable alerts for unusual or concerning activity it detects in the kitchen, giving the entire family peace of mind.
  
  

• VoltSafe: Help prevent accidents with VoltSafe’s innovative product that replaces traditional three-pronged electrical outlets with a simpler, safer and more accessible-friendly magnetic plug design. Besides helping to eliminate the risk of shock and other mishaps, VoltSafe features a Wi-Fi-enabled app that both provides real-time energy monitoring and allows users to manage every outlet.
  

The Lifelong Learner

Learning is a never-ending journey! Check out these solutions that can help loved ones stay sharp while picking up new skills, having fun and expanding their horizons.
 

• Discover Live: Provide the trip of a lifetime with Discover Live’s AI-powered live, virtual, interactive tours. Destinations span the globe, from Egypt and Scotland to India and Peru, and tours are available for individuals, families and groups. Of special interest, Discover Live has partnered with Ancestry® for Ancestry® Discovery Tours, privately-guided excursions that allow virtual travelers to explore the land of their forebears.
  
  

• Effectivate: Gift your game-loving older adults a suite of entertaining digital games, and help keep their minds sharp and agile. Effectivate’s puzzle, strategy and other games are designed to train the brain and enhance memory, focus, and problem-solving skills. Levels of difficulty adjust to a user’s performance, and the app’s dashboard provides insights into a user’s cognitive flexibility and other executive functions.
  
  

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  Bream: Help loved ones continue to expand their horizons from the comfort of home with engaging, informative classes from Bream. Designed to improve both mental and physical health and available as live or on-demand offerings, classes cover a wide range of interests, from meditation and nutrition to art history, story writing and crafting.
  
  

• Candoo: For the tech-curious older adult who might need a little boost, Candoo offers individual and group lessons in working with computers, tablets and smartphones, including installing software and troubleshooting problems — giving everyone the confidence that they “can-doo” it themselves. Lessons can be purchased individually, and memberships that feature unlimited support are also available.

The Memory Keeper

Memories are irreplaceable, but it can be challenging to capture, save and share those stories in an efficient, user-friendly way. Here are some services that make preserving and sharing family lore for current and future generations a breeze.

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  Famileo: Keep grandparents up to date on the family’s latest goings-on with a personalized newspaper! Using the website or app, everyone in the family subscription can upload photos and messages of their adventures, which Famileo assembles into an attractive, full-color weekly, bi-weekly or monthly printed newsletter, which is then mailed directly to your loved one. 
  
  

• Storii: Help your loved ones preserve their life stories for posterity with just a phone call. Set a convenient schedule, and Storii calls your loved one, offers thoughtful prompts (“What’s a favorite childhood memory?” for example), then records the responses. You can then download the recordings in both audio and PDF formats to keep and share.
  
  

• Artifcts: Preserve the stories behind family heirlooms all in one place with Artifcts. Take pictures or video of objects, add some text explaining its history and significance, then save to a collection and share with others. Collections are searchable, and you can even publish your collections as a high-quality printed book.

We on the AgeTech Collaborative team wish you and yours the happiest of holiday seasons!

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