Aging In Place Wednesday

Each Wednesday, Laurie Orlov, tech industry veteran, writer, speaker, elder care advocate and Faculty Advisor for the Aging in Place Technology Department at Computer School for Seniors will be sharing her insightful research on how seniors can safely and successfully live independent lives in the home of their choice.

We are thrilled and honored to have Laurie's continued contributions to our Computer School for Seniors campus and to our Blog.

Laurie Orlov grew up in the corporate high-tech world, working for 30 years as an information technology executive and later as an analyst for Forrester Research, the respected technology research company. More recently, she has been applying her knowledge to a pressing question facing baby boomers and seniors: how to age in place safely and successfully.

“Eighty percent of older people today live in their own homes,” said Laurie. Not surprisingly, 90% of you would like to stay there – and if you move, according to the AARP, it will be to another private home. In fact, one survey of seniors revealed that they fear nursing homes worse than death.

Within that context, aging in place reflects the ability to successfully age and remain in one’s home of choice, whether it is a private home, condo, apartment, or group home. So why is the technology to enable this, important now – versus years from now? Because successful aging means independence.

When asked what’s important for successful aging, seniors rank as the most important:

Being in good health

Having the ability to do things for myself

Having friends and family there for me

Feeling safe and secure.

"Aging in Place" is the ability to live in one's own home - wherever that might be - for as long, as confidently and comfortably as possible. Livability can be extended through the incorporation of universal design principles, telecare and other assistive technologies and services.

“I have a passion for this subject and that is why I started Aging in Place Technology Watch. It is a market research and analysis consultancy focused on technology for aging in place. My mission is to understand, categorize and advise technology vendors and their constituents in this important area. By helping them select and offer the best products possible, it will enable seniors to remain in their home of choice.”

“Through my website, www.ageinplacetech.com, this Blog and others and my Computer School for Seniors Aging in Place Technology Department, I will share my research findings with you, your family, caregivers and technology vendors in order to help improve your quality of life.”

For more information, visit Laurie at http://www.ageinplacetech.comand at the Aging in Place Technology Department at www.cs4seniors.com