For this episode of CABHI’s Community of Innovation Podcast, Drs. Allison Sekuler and Rosanne Aleong sit down with agetech experts Keren Etkin and Ron Beleno to explore emerging technology trends shaking up the longevity sector. Our guests also share their projections for the future of agetech (think flying cars and the Jetsons), while reminding us that great technology should only exist to help us do more of what we love – whether that’s enjoying our favourite hobbies or staying in touch with our families as we age.
Listen as our guests explore the following themes:
- Key agetech trends impacting the lives of older adults and caregivers
- Must-have features of great agetech solutions
- The importance of person-centred design
- How our value systems determine the way we select and use agetech solutions, a concept better known as a Return on Numbers (or RONS)
Learn more about our guests
Keren Etkin
Keren is the author of The Age Tech Revolution: a Book About the Intersection of Technology and Aging (set to be published in December 2021) and the creator of TheGerontechnologist.com, a media platform that covers the global agetech ecosystem and offers online courses through the Age Tech Academy. Named one of the most influential people in aging, Keren is a sought-after public speaker and advisor for agetech startups, investors in the longevity economy, care providers, and organizations who work on innovation in aging. Previously, Keren was the first employee at Intuition Robotics, a CABHI-supported startup behind ElliQ, the world’s first social robot designed with and for older adults, and co-founder & VP of Product at Sensi.Ai, a startup that developed the first and only artificial intelligence solution for remote care monitoring. She holds a M.A. in Gerontology and a B.Sc. in Life Sciences.
Ron Beleno
Ron is an experienced family caregiver to his late father who lived well with Alzheimer’s disease for over 10 years. He is an advocate in the dementia and aging community, with expertise in technology, aging in place, caregiving, and patient engagement. Ron is especially interested in dementia and age-friendly communities, living safely, remote caring, and research.
Ron is also the co-chair for AGE-WELL NCE’s Older Adults and Caregiver Advisory Committee; advisor and presenter for Alzheimer’s societies and dementia organizations locally and internationally; a member of the City of Toronto’s Senior Strategy Accountability Table, and a collaborator/advisor to many research, industry, and startup organizations. In current and past endeavors, Ron has successfully started non-profit and commercial enterprises, worked in collaboration with federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and is constantly networking in various communities to bring key stakeholders together.
Check-out the resources shared by our guests
