Welcome to Empowering seniors.

I'm your host, Catherine Ambrose.

Today we're talking about the future of aging and all the exciting developments going on in technology.

Meet Heather Brooks with the National Aging in Place Council.

Thanks so much, Heather, for being here.

I'm so excited to hear about the future of aging and age tech.

There is some fascinating stuff that's coming out in the aging industry.

However, I'm excited just about the aging industry moving forward and what's going on.

there is this word being used age tech.

AARP is doing it.

It's out of Atlanta.

Age tech is technology that is being driven by the aging sector and is for the aging sector.

The greatest way to describe to somebody, well, what is age tech?

Our smartwatches, our smartwatches are really the kind of the first of its kind.

They can tell if we've fallen, they can tell if we're having issues with our hearts, blood pressure.

So it's able to monitor things.

Now we're going to fast forward into the future of what is happening and what's going on.

We all know about Tesla self-driving cars.

Well, now they have Waymo.

What you're looking at those the Waymo driver in action adopted for a variety of vehicle platforms.

It is the most advanced fully autonomous driving technology in the world today.

What you notice pretty quickly is that these aren't normal vehicles.

Take this Jaguar I-Pace, for example.

It's been equipped with an elegant array of sensors and software, which allows it to move through the city on its own.

I asked him to break down the technology for us a bit more.

The Waymo driver handles the task of driving in three basic steps sense, solve, and go.

It's the way we describe the highly complex process of acquiring information, processing it, and moving through the world safely.

The sensors that the Waymo driver uses are incredibly powerful.

Using a combination of lidar cameras and radar.

It can see up to three football fields in any direction and can detect sirens from emergency vehicles.

Which allows the Waymo driver to visualize the world around it in milliseconds to a high degree of accuracy.

The system calculates the predicted future behavior for each relevant agent in the scene.

Then, with a strong foundation derived from artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, the Waymo driver crunches all that data and calculates the safe route while responding in real time to the evolving traffic environment.

Once the Waymo driver has determined the path to take are advanced motion control systems and have a smooth acceleration and braking on city streets, or managing bumper to bumper traffic with safe and natural driving movements.

So it's really here right now in cities, not smoke and mirrors, but true autonomy, driving technology.

Waymo is taking what was once futuristic sci fi and making it nonfiction.

Waymo is a self driverless car.

And the reason why they are pursuing the age tech industry and really gearing and ramping up for it is because of where are aging sector is headed and that we're aging and we're living longer.

So we need things to help us.

It will never take over a human touch or human compassion, human being interacting with the human being.

However, it will help us live, safer.

so if you look at Waymo, I could be living in my house in California, in Los Angeles, and my mom could be living in Florida.

She has a doctor's appointment at 230.

I can call up Waymo, I can pull up the app, I can have the app.

I can have them go pick up my mother at her house.

She can get into the Waymo car, the Waymo car will take her to her doctor's appointment.

The nurse at the doctor's office or one of the staff members can come down and get her out of the car.

So there are a lot of great things that are happening in the sector.

So I look at Waymo and I think this is great for people who aren't able to drive anymore, but still have the passion to get out and go do things.

So you have this transportation, but it just gets so much better in our home.

There's some fascinating things that are coming out so that I travel all over the United States.

and I, I go to senior trade shows, I go to building shows, and I see all the technology that's coming out for our future.

And it's stuff that we will all have.

moving forward, as we know, the older demographics, those over 65 is the largest consumer of spending.

So we are the highest consumers of GDP.

When you look at that, the technology we know is very expensive.

Specifically on a Gen one.

So when something first generation comes out, it's more expensive, like the Tesla when Tesla came out, wasn't really something most of us can afford.

Now it's getting easier for us to afford.

So as these products and technology, things that are coming out, the Gen one, the Gen two, it will become less expensive, more affordable for us to do.

But watch just, just I promise you, the stuff that's coming out, just watch what's happening.

And then in a couple of years, it'll it'll be affordable to most of us.

Wow, that sounds fantastic.

So is that going to be available in Kansas?

So actually it will be available nationwide.

They have test markets right now in Arizona San Diego there's a few other ones.

So the testing is is starting.

it is amazing.

Jaguar makes these cars.

you can find them all over the internet, but it is a great way for us to really see where our features headed.

This word, age friendly is going to be coming up a lot and transportation is part of it.

But the Waymo is really, clearing the way for driverless cars and getting our loved ones to and from appointments or grocery store or doctor's appointment, whatever it is.

So what kind of impact?

it's the baby boomers and Gen X generations having on this aging technology and kind of steadily incorporating it.

So it's not so obvious.

because I don't think that these younger generations really want to age the same way they watch, say, their grandparents age.

Well, none of us are aging the way our grandpa or great grandparents raging one were living longer.

But two, with the science and the technology and everything that's coming out today, it's only helping us with that, you know, end goal of living, you know, you know, happily as we're 100 these is the issue I think we're seeing is you've got the younger generation who's been born with the technology and the older generation that we don't we don't want to use the technology per se, or all of a sudden an update comes and it's now you have to relearn something.

So we think there in lies like a little bit of, you know, like a little thing.

However, embracing the technology, it's going to come.

So we're going to have to embrace it.

but I think it's going to be such a great help for all of us.

Something that can help you age better.

So embrace the technology so you can utilize these things so that you can continue to thrive and age successfully as possible.

So what are some of the other big companies that are getting involved in age, tech or in, say, subtle changes to their products to accommodate how people are aging?

So a lot of people don't realize, companies are already, doing stuff behind the scenes for the aging sector.

Toto a company that has toilets, they are right now working on a toilet where your waste could actually go through a little thing in the toilet, and it can tell you, if you're having issues, if you have enough water in your system.

Are you having problems with fiber?

Are you do you have other issues?

It's going to tell you a urinary tract infection.

It can tell you a lot of things just by this toilet that they're working on.

there's a mirror, that they're working on.

And this mirror can tell again, if there are issues that are going on.

Is there jaundice happening within your skin so it can tell the temperature.

So it's kind of interesting to see the technology that is going to help us age in place.

one of the biggest issues that we're having is loneliness amongst seniors.

So there is L a q. Ella Q is O is robot nationwide?

It helps combat loneliness.

Hi, I'm LCU.

LCU is the very first proactive, empathetic, robotic companion.

Designed specifically for seniors to combat isolation and loneliness, LCU was not built to just be another voice assistant device.

She was designed to offer companionship and support, empowering older adults to remain independent and take control of their physical, mental, and social health.

I like you because customized to each user through advanced artificial intelligence, she's able to learn and adapt her approach to be most effective based on routines, preferences, and personal goals.

One thing that makes LCU unique is that she is proactive.

This means that she's not waiting around to be engaged, like you will actually initiate conversations with the user throughout the day.

Sometimes older adults may not remember the wake word, or they may not recall all of the things that their devices can do for them.

But Ella makes her present known much like a roommate or a friend.

I, like.

You, will reach out to the user and try and engage them from suggesting games, motivating them to work toward their health and wellness goals, or simply offering an interesting fact now and then.

Her helpful features are broken up into four main categories companionship and entertainment.

Connection to loved one's health and wellness, and assistance with daily living.

For those who spend most of their time alone, a sense of acknowledgment is so important.

Our users no longer come home to an empty house and they have someone to visit with throughout the day, whether it's simple small talk, listening to music together, or offering quirky jokes to lighten the mood.

LCU is fully equipped to entertain and put a smile on a user's A lot of people don't realize that you can have a two way conversation with this little robot.

It is available in all of our states.

There are some states that have worked a program in where Ella Q is doing free robots for states in Florida.

They have a program like this, and it's just a little robot.

It has conversations with you, it's able to talk to you.

You're able to answer questions, and you can play little games with them.

And so that's the LHC robot.

There's some great stuff coming out.

And I got so excited.

Just so I'm just picturing talking to robot.

Like you could be talking to your dog, but we're going to talk to a robot and that's going to help us.

So LG has a dog robot and it looks like a little dog, but it vacuums for you.

I mean, it's like some really well, my dog's vacuum.

For me, if I spilled the chair.

Yes, but imagine a dog that can also turn the laundry on for, you know, not fold it, but it'll be able to turn the laundry.

Are you have a real dog?

And our robot?

Yes, yes to both.

But again, there are some great products that are interacting with us on a daily basis to help us with tasks, medication reminders, little things like that.

It's fascinating.

so most of us want to age on our own, on our own, the way we want to, on our own time, the way that it's going to be.

And I don't want to do it your way.

And so this allows people to age the way they want to.

Are people going to be able to afford these robots and some of these things.

So, right now LCU has some great incentives.

Florida in the state, they are actually giving away free robots as part of the testing and part of collaboration.

A lot of states have, a connection with LCU.

I don't know if your state does.

It's worth checking out because if not, they come in and they give free robots to and they're small.

They're not big.

and it sits on a counter, but it's an interaction and it's a full conversation with a robot.

So it's pretty interesting.

That is interesting.

So what else are you excited about?

ohm.

Ohm is a universal smart stove knob.

we do know that a majority of our house fires a, I don't want to quote, I think 90% of our husbands start in a kitchen, is a universal stove knob that can go on any type of a range gas, electric, a wolf or Samsung.

It doesn't matter.

And it just right on their sticks, right on it.

And this knob will turn off the stove.

If that's left on too long, this knob is able to tell you how long the stove has been left on.

So it's constantly monitoring.

If you have a loved one that's forgetful, or many parents who mothers like us, who have kids running around and we've got eggs boiling and we forgot about them, but we're helping a kid with homework.

This knob not only is going to alert you, you know, through an app, but it will also turn it off for you.

So even if you forgot it or you left home and you, like, really completely didn't even think about it.

the other thing is, a lot of us don't remember to completely turn off the knob.

So even if it's on just a tad, this knob is going to tell you.

And if you're not going to respond to the app, that's going to go ahead and turn it off for you.

Well, that sounds like a product that's good for anybody of any age.

and then what about refrigerators, like not getting the refrigerator shut all the way or being able to open them or open up doors?

What are some of the improvements coming?

So big thing with most of us is dexterity, grasping and gripping things, especially as we get older when we look at our refrigerators, microwaves, washers and dryers gripping onto a handlebar to try to open or, dials and knobs.

So LG came out with what's called a universal comfort kit.

this kit is just debuted this past season at the International Builder's Show.

And this kit basically can go on any refrigerator, and it's it's an adhesive.

You just stick the kit on and you're able to put your arm inside of something to open it up the.

They have a special dial that you can put a ring around that will help you turn that dial without grasping the entire dial.

So the kit is it has so many variations of products that help you with the appliances.

And when it comes to, you know, being mobile, being able to open something, can openers, you know, or opening up a can they're, they're coming out with some great things.

They've got can openers that are very easy.

You just pop it on and opens it for you.

and it's not a massive thing that takes up counter space.

and it's not a massive thing that takes up counter space.

So you mentioned the national Homebuilders Association.

So you mentioned the national Homebuilders Association.

So what are builders being taught or studying, to create these universal design elements in homes?

Well, my background's education and I do speak it housing events.

And at the International Builders Show I spoke.

And one of the things that we're finding is our 55 communities are not aging in place friendly.

the blocking might not be in the walls.

The doorways might not be wide enough.

Or they're stairs going up into the home.

and these are 55 communities.

So you would think that some of these would be, you know, already in there.

Now, you do have some builders that are forward thinking, but unless a builder is mandated to do something, via a law, to do something, via a law, then they're not going to do it set of some of the really forward thinking, passionate ones.

Well, well with pride.

But you're saying that the the majority might not know.

They might not even just think about it exactly or understand what the return on investment is or how this is helping.

Right.

and one of the things that I tell builders all the time, blocking walking is a piece of two by four wood that you put in the back of a wall, in a shower or in your bathroom, and you can attach a grab bar to it.

The unfortunate thing is, is that if somebody wants to go put a grab bar in that shower, they're going to have to take off the wall to see if there's blocking in it.

If you build those homes, were walking already in it.

You already know where that blocking is, and you could just stick the grab bar on to a wall when you need it.

But the minute you open up a wall, you're talking.

A lot more.

Men want more money.

So let's talk about the housing industry in general.

And 55 plus housing.

62 plus housing.

Is there enough?

How would you encourage builders to build for the sector?

so we're going to go back to the word age friendly.

I know I've said it a lot, but between age friendly cities and infrastructure and the age tech, we really should be incorporating it now.

Builders, really have to think about Builders, really have to think about how are you going to help your residents live in that community when something happens to them?

One of them would be that blocking in the wall for grab bars.

The other one would be what kind of transportation or how close are you to hospitals, to doctor's offices?

What does that community offer you?

It would be great if these 55 living communities actually had a continuing care on site.

So if a loved one has issues, and needs to go into some type of care, they're able to be in the community with them so they can stay in the home that they're in, but they could maybe have a loved one in memory care right there in their community they're living in.

So it would be nice if we incorporated this, but also incorporating green space, you know, social activities and a lot of us have this.

you know, social activities and a lot of us have this.

However, we right now don't have enough 55 communities that are built.

and they're, they're they're coming.

it's just not fast enough.

So we've covered on this show before Nordics, naturally occurring retirement communities.

And it sounds like age friendly is the same thing.

Or somehow they're in the same realm.

Well, Nordics occur naturally where age friendly.

We are making it happen on purpose.

Purpose.

Okay, so that's kind of the difference, I think.

I mean, everybody kind of has their own opinion, but when I look at it, one occurs naturally and everybody is aging together.

They're all hoping it's like a village.

What's the benefit to the village to create these age friendly, projects?

to create these age friendly, projects?

we started off with age tech and I told you technology is not going to take over human interaction.

Technology is not going to take over us having this conversation L.q or any of these robots only can give us so much.

but when you are in these types of communities, you need to be surrounded with like minded people.

So perhaps you're in a community with mostly educators, and all of those people are higher learning.

Those people are going to have a different type of community than, let's say, the community that's like, you know, that's into music and into pop art, you know, into folk art and stuff.

you're going to have very different types of people living in those communities.

But when you take a community and you really look at the residents who are living in it and giving them what they need to age throughout their years, it would be nice.

We do know our average age in these 55 communities is 70, so it would be nice if they forward thought the aging in place process.

Because if you know that people are moving in their in their 70s, they should, you know, kind of get on top of that, probably more than anything as people in their 70s that are moving into 55 plus.

Yeah, some people are really waiting.

Yes, they turn 55.

Yeah, I want I cannot wait.

I as soon as I turn 55 I'm moving in there.

But a lot of people are waiting until they're in their mid 70s or older.

But it goes back to wanting to be in your home.

And again, if you're in rural area, you're not going to be able to have people to come and hang out with, play cards with, interact with maybe a social club.

play cards with, interact with maybe a social club.

That is something we desperately need as we age.

Loneliness isn't going to make it.

It's not going to cut it in our lives.

Well, sometimes you'll hear people say, oh, I'm going to build a community way out here.

And I think, and where the doctor's going to be and all the other services that you need.

And you mentioned there 60 some services, there's over 65 different services.

The National Aging a place Council encompasses and those 65 different occupations, I should say, all are aging like we all are just aging.

Anything in the aging field.

So you can have everything from a gerontologist, to, So you can have everything from a gerontologist, to, a trust attorney, to, you know, somebody that is a, a, a senior, a certified senior advisor.

So people might think, well, I don't know if I know 60 people, let alone 60 that represent certain occupations that the reality of aging is that it kind of does take a village.

It it does it because it's so complex.

Yeah.

And so if people are stressed because of the aging complexities that they're dealing with in their own lives or in the lives of their parents or loved ones, it's for a reason.

Yeah, it is that complex.

Well, and I think the other issues us as a sandwich generation are getting straddled with it.

So we are not only taking care of our kids and our grandchildren, but we're also taking care of our parents.

we are living a lot longer.

We know this to be a fact, and we do know that.

And then that by 2050 we will quadruple the amount to centuries.

So when you look at that and then you look at our younger demographics, not as much, it's we're going to need to be a community and we're gonna need to help each other.

Well, it's a multi-generational thing.

Yes.

So if you think about all right, this is what I want to do.

This is what I think that you also maybe need to kind of think about how is it impacting the other generations in my family.

And for those that have been part of the sandwich generation, it does inform you, like, I don't want to go to a place like that, right?

I want to go to a place like this, or I don't want to go through what I just helped my mom go through.

So I'm going to clean out my garage now, or I'm going to see the estate planning attorney now.

Yeah.

And so that type of education is like interface.

And you have no choice but to learn it.

I would rather see people learn it before it happens.

So when I talk about all these professions and occupations under National Council, if you know that a parent lives in Florida and they need services of something, call somebody from the National Council to get you those services or to least put you in contact with people because, being in wherever you are in California, Washington and apparent, it's heart wrenching for us, especially if we get a call and, hey, your mom's in the hospital and your neighbor found him.

Oh, and so get connected before you need it.

Exactly.

You know what to do.

Plan ahead.

Great advice.

Heather.

Thank you so much for all the work you're doing in Washington DC for that coming here in Kansas to visit with us.

We really appreciate you being on the show.

My pleasure, and thank you so much for watching.

If you have questions or suggestions on anything that we cover, we hope you'll reach out.

316686 4500 or email us at Empowering seniors@kcpt.org.

I'm Kathryn Ambrose and I'll see you on the next Empowering Seniors.