The best monitoring may begin with 'hello'

While long-term care providers appropriately advance the next generation of "Nana" technologies for monitoring the health and well-being of older adults, several less complicated and affordable technologies for this purpose are available today. Best of all many of these focus on what is likely the most effective and humanistic approach to monitoring by providing access to direct communication between older adults, their families, and caregiver staff. To address this, many companies are looking for ways to bridge the communication gap between "geeks and grans." Designed with large buttons, a bright screen, and a cushioned ear test, the Jitterbug Cell Phone by GreatCall doesn't include ringtones, a camera, or any other features that are sometimes confusing for older adults. Beamer Videophones use a standard phone and phone line to transmit video images during a call, either to a countertop "slim" unit with a 3.5" LCD screen or to an existing television.