I [Ed. Steve] had to put on my antigobbledygook glasses before the significance – and it is significant – of this press release from Wave Technology Group got through to me. (Why DO they write like that? The website is… Read moreWaveTracker Plus – free GPS tracking app

A very sorry tale indeed: a homecare provider employee fails to make the scheduled visit to a man with dementia who falls and is severely burned. The company makes poor excuses and appears to be disorganised. The man’s daughter commented… Read moreMan with dementia died after burns following homecare company's failure to visit (UK)

UK-based person tracking company buddi that has been making some headway with services for people with dementia, has just sold some equity to raise expansion funds and to bring in new expertise and contacts to the board. All is explained… Read morebuddi prepares for expansion (UK)

One of Japan’s contributions to robotics [see Steve’s roundup 15 Apr], the stuffed PARO baby harp seal, gets the ‘controversial’ treatment from The Wall Street Journal today. Is this $6000 Class II medical device a comforting, interactive emotional support for… Read morePARO robot: ethical or not?

“One in three PCTs [Primary Care Trusts] do not know how they will implement the National Dementia Strategy (NDS) and half cannot account for their share of NDS funding.” The surprise is that anyone is surprised, given the lamentable state… Read morePCTs fail to develop dementia plans (UK)

FierceMobileHealthcare’s Neil Versel muses on the healthcare uses of the Xbox Kinect, the new motion/voice controller for the Xbox gaming system. [Follow above link to ‘see’ what it is.] It eliminates the handheld controller and step platform–a camera follows you… Read moreXbox Kinect for healthcare?

Suddenly and unexpectedly, like a summer shower, FIVE good news items from the UK! No! Editor Steve hasn’t just discovered a pair of rose-tinted specs – read them yourself! 1) From the national paper The Daily Mail, on Portsmouth University’s… Read moreIt's raining telecare and telehealth good news! (UK)

‘GPS shoes’, called Aetrex Ambulators, for people with dementia get a strong pre-release write up in the LA Times. Keeping track of seniors with Alzheimer’s. [Thanks to Laurie Orlov on her blog for the heads-up.]

The California-based Center for Technology and Aging now has the final version of their study, ‘Technologies for Remote Patient Monitoring in Older Adults’, that we previewed earlier this year [TA 22 January], online.  The report covers how remote patient monitoring (RPM) can reduce the cost of patient care, aid in fall prevention (via algorithmically-based detection systems) and highlights the VA Telehealth program.  Their April newsletter also has a short study on a grant used to fund the Philips PMD med dispenser for a non-profit home health in Northern California.  Details of the report and devices covered…