Near
Northwestern University, USA
A service which helps families find personalized monitoring solutions for older adults aging at home when their loved ones live far away.
Q&A with Judges
The judges and finalists will be engaging in Q&A here until April 10. Follow along on each finalist page, and register to find out which team will win the 2021 Longevity Design Challenge on April 13!
Could you please elaborate on the family connection hub?
Is this really to be considered as a replacement for in-home care? There are many aspects in-home care that cannot be addressed with tech/app. May need to reconsider product positioning.
Thank you for the question! The family hub is a part of the app through which family members, especially those far from their loved ones, can communicate with each other and receive updates about their loved ones’ lives. Seniors and their family members would control access levels and privacy settings. No, Near does not intend to replace in-home care. In the short term, Near-recommended technologies will complement in-home care by reducing caregiver burdens. For instance, devices like Luna Lights (automated, motion-triggered lighting) or Apple Watch (with its fall detection capability) can help prevent falls or encourage quick actions after a fall for caregivers. Our long-term goal is… Read more »
How do you get the product to the older consumer? Do you contract instillation and teaching them how to use them? Feels expensive?
Thank you for the question! While we are still refining our pricing model, we anticipate offering a subscription model which covers installation and teaching. Our subscription fee is going to be around $25 per month, with an additional one-time activation fee to offset installation fixed costs. While quick support will be unlimited (30 min or less, handled virtually), future in person visits cost $80, discounted based on subscription level. Based on our experiences with our current customers, we estimate each person to have 10 visits/year. In sum, our services will cost $1,100/year or around $90/month — comparable to currently available services such as HelloTech’s membership at $20/month and $70/in home service.
How many installation/training teams do you have world-wide?
How do you establish them and ensure their quality and consistency?
Thank you for the question! Our pilot installation and training team currently covers the entire Chicago Northshore area. As we scale, we will tap into new labor pools that have unique skill sets in working with older adults through social work programs. These individuals can be taught any additional technical proficiencies while possessing the more critical soft skills that are essential for working with our target. We audit quality by collecting feedback directly from both older adults we serve as well as their family members. We also differentiate ourselves by implementing value-based pricing on our tech coaching where clients pay only… Read more »