Faces of Technology
Caring for the
Caregiver
If you’ve ever cared for an elderly family
member or a loved one with a disability, you’ve
likely experienced the challenges that come
with being a caregiver. From increased stress
to a lack of sleep, the obstacles faced by
caregivers can have an impact on their quality
of life and even their health. But for Dr. Meredeth
Rowe, her mission is to solve those challenges
using a revolutionary technology she developed
called CareAlert.
The idea to engineer a unique technology for
caregivers came about when Rowe, also a
registered nurse, recognized that a caregiver’s
health often declines while caring for a loved
one with a cognitive impairment, such as
dementia, autism or Alzheimer’s disease. That’s
when she asked herself, “What contributes to this
and how can it be prevented?”
As Rowe discovered, one of the major factors
contributing to poor health among caregivers is
sleep deprivation due to the need for constant
vigilance of the care recipient. But with only
one person serving as the full-time caregiver, it’s
nearly impossible to remain vigilant 24 hours a
day. So, Rowe created a solution.
“I wanted to find a system that would improve
caregiver sleep without worsening the care or
safety of those with cognitive impairments,”
said Rowe. “But I discovered there weren’t any
systems that could be effectively used in this
setting.”
After nearly a decade of research and
development, Rowe’s company, CareGenesis,
created CareAlert, a wireless monitoring system
that uses sensor technology to eliminate the
need for round-the-clock vigilance of care
recipients with cognitive impairments.
Monitoring the location and movements of the
care recipient, a series of sophisticated sensors
are placed throughout the home, including the
bed and each exit door. Designed to perform
constant monitoring, Rowe’s technology reports
in real time, notifying the caregiver as soon as
the care recipient is out of bed or moving into
unsafe areas.
Meredeth Rowe, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer | CareGenesis Corporation,
www.caregenesis.com
Education: h.D. in Nursing/Psychoneuroimmunology, University of
P
Rochester; M.S.N. in Nursing/Cardiovascular Physiology,
California State University; B.S.N. in Nursing, University of
Cincinnati
Company: ased in Tampa, CareGenesis Corporation develops and
B
commercializes technologies that are uniquely focused
on addressing the needs of family caregivers and uses
technology to improve care and reduce the physiologic
consequences of caregiving.
“This technology reduces the need to be vigilant 24/7,” said Rowe, who serves
as chief scientific officer of CareGenesis. “The more technology we can utilize to
unburden caregivers, the more likely we are to reduce the impact that caregiving
has on their physical and mental health.”
With CareAlert now ready to enter the market, Rowe has already seen the effects
this technology can have on caregivers and their loved ones. That impact is seen
not only in the health of the caregiver, but in the effectiveness of the care they
provide as well. During a clinical trial, the use of CareAlert reduced falls and injuries
by 85 percent among individuals who had dementia. Thanks to the technology’s
instantaneous alert system, caregivers were able to provide immediate supervision
as needed before an unattended wandering or potential fall occurred.
“So far, we’ve had very good results in terms of prevention of injuries. And
the response from our users has been amazing,” said Rowe. “That’s what’s so
rewarding—we’ve taken an idea and created a compassionate product that
changes somebody’s life.”
florida.HIGH.TECH 2015
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