Caregiving and Technology

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

For caregivers, technology offers powerful solutions to even the most challenging obstacles for people who both give and receive care.

In this episode, we learn about how technology allowed Harry Wittenberg to maintain his autonomy and independence even while fighting ALS, and how it affected his wife and primary caregiver, Mary Ann Wittenberg.

Later, we are joined by Ken Smith of the Stanford Center on Longevity and Kari Olson of Front Porch, who discuss how technology can revolutionize caregiving.

CAREGIVER: MARY ANN WHITTENBERG / HARRY WHITTENBERG

EXPERTS: KEN SMITH, KARI OLSON

KEN SMITH is a research scholar and is Director of the Stanford Center on Longevity’s Mobility Division. Smith joined SCL in July of 2009 as a Senior Research Scholar and Director of Academic and Research Support. He currently is Director of the Center’s Mobility Division. He works closely with SCL’s faculty colleagues to determine where Stanford expertise can best be used to drive change. He brings a broad background of over 20 years of management and engineering experience to his role, including positions in the computing, aerospace, and solar energy industries. He developed a special expertise in working closely with university faculty to develop projects while at Intel, where he was deeply involved in the creation and management of their network of university research labs.  He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois with an M.S. from the University of Washington.

KARI OLSON is Founder and President of the Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing, an award winning innovation accelerator and eco-system developer. Architect of Front Porch Humanly Possible, a unique approach to workforce engagement and culture change designed to help individuals and organizations transform through innovation, engagement and co-creation.