Dear Colleagues,

I would like to take a moment to thank the doctors, nurses, caregivers, first responders, grocery staff, and all of the other essential personnel who are putting their lives on the line for us each day. As John F. Kennedy said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." 

During these trying and uncertain times, our team remains committed to helping you accelerate your business in the longevity market. We are working hard everyday to help with:
  • Business development and go-to-market strategies
  • Fostering connections between businesses and the players and payers in the longevity ecosystem
  • Public relations and positioning
  • Identifying capital resources in the longevity market
  • Providing access to distribution points
  • Amplifying thought leadership
  • Showcasing longevity market products in our store
We are confident that our new website design will allow you to easily access more digital resources, including webinars, and help you stay up-to-date on the latest news in the longevity market.   

Finally, I wanted to share another recipe this month for your time cooking at home: Cider Braised Turnips

Remember that we will get through these difficult times together and emerge stronger, kinder, and with a greater appreciation for each other and the small moments that make life wonderful. 

Warmly,
 
April 2020 Issue
Link-Age Portfolio Companies Address COVID-19

A number of Ziegler Link-Age Funds portfolio companies have taken steps to assist in this time of pandemic:
  • Arena is matching unemployed hospitality workers with jobs in healthcare
  • Caremerge is providing their Broadcast tool to their entire client base for free
  • Embodied Labs launched a COVID-19 webinar series
  • Forefront Telecare is providing HIPAA compliant video technology 
  • LifeSite is upgrading all customers to a free LifeSite Plus subscription

Ageless Innovation and AgingNY Announce Partnership

Ageless Innovation and the Association on Aging in New York State (AgingNY) are partnering to combat social isolation as a result of social distancing. "The unfortunate reality is that the necessary protective measures put in place to protect older adults from the spread of COVID-19 also serve to further isolate them from friends and family," said Ageless Innovation CEO Ted Fischer.  "We are overjoyed to work alongside AgingNY and the New York State Office for the Aging to ensure that hundreds of our aging loved ones can continue to find comfort, companionship, and joy with our Joy for All pets during this critical time." Read the full press release here. 

   

GreatCall Launches New Lively Wearable2

The new Lively Wearable2 device from GreatCall connects directly to a customer's smartphone and a button on the wearable activates the Lively smartphone app for direct access to GreatCall's 24/7 5 Star Urgent Response Service. The launch of this new product was covered in PC Mag, Money and TWICE.

Greatcall    
Family Caregiving News from AARP

AARP will continue to host government and health experts every Thursday at 1pm ET for live Q&As on the coronavirus and resources for family caregivers. Upcoming featured topics include telehealth and remote medicine on April 16 and disparities in impact on multicultural communities on April 23. Recordings and transcripts of prior weeks' tele-town halls are also available. AARP will continue to provide information and resources to help older people, and those caring for them, protect themselves from the virus. Visit www.aarp.org/coronavirus (Spanish: www.aarp.org/elcoronavirus) to find coronavirus resources and to access upcoming expert events. 

To stay up-to-date with all family caregiving news, make sure you've subscribed to AARP's Family Caregiving Insider Newsletter. This new digest is for the policy-makers, practitioners, advocates, leaders of the industry, media, and communities who have the power to change the conditions in which America's family caregivers live, work, and care every day. Email   caregiving@aarp.org   to subscribe. 


Silvernest Creates Coronavirus Resource Library

The Silvernest team has been gathering resources that provide entertainment, useful information, and actionable tips for making the most of the current coronavirus reality. The company was also recently featured in a U.S. News & World Report article as well as in a Kiplinger article on aging in place.

VitalTech Offers Free Telehealth for Senior Living

Senior living and long-term care facilities are now able to have free telehealth access from VitalTech  so that caregivers and their residents can be supported with the  VitalCare platform. The platform enables providers to screen patients for COVID-19 symptoms remotely to determine if further testing is recommended. This initiative is being implemented through a partnership with the Ziegler Link-Age Funds as a joint effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Learn more and sign-up  here. 

   

Assured Allies Launches COVID-19 Support Hotline

Assured Allies has been working to help older adults and their family caregivers navigate these unsettling times. They recently launched a free COVID-19 Support Hotline, staffed by their team of trained aging professionals, to answer any questions on the minds of families as it relates to staying safe, well, and sane during the pandemic. The company also released a free service for caregivers to help them think through the decision to take a parent out of a facility. 

 
   

Creating Meaningful Moments with BikeAround

The Camanio team is following the progress of  COVID-19  closely and they are thinking especially about the products and services that older adults, families and caregivers need. Social distancing has unfortunately increased the impact of distress and loneliness on older adults. It is now especially important to find activities and tools to engage this vulnerable group. At Blomstervägens Dementia Center, in a small town in Sweden, there is a care home for individuals with dementia, with bright, open spaces and a variety of activities. For the Activation Director Mimmi Svärd, staying active during this time is very important. "Everyone is happy and soothed after cycling, no one is worried or anxious afterwards."  Read the full story  here . Learn more about the  BikeAround  and how to keep older adults active and stimulated during these unprecedented times.

 

Neuro Rehab VR Explores Virtual Reality Use for Telehealth

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many physical therapy and rehabilitation businesses are scrambling to find alternate means to treat their patients remotely through telehealth services. Virtual Reality provides a way for patients to continue their therapy remotely. Neuro Rehab VR is sharing some of the potential benefits for all virtual reality users during the current situation.

   

BalanceWear and Remote Patient Monitoring

Older adults are less likely to go to exercise classes during the COVID-19 crisis. They may also be less motivated to exercise on their own thereby increasing chances of falling due to deconditioning. Research in balance training has shown it takes many hours of balance training to improve balance. Research on BalanceWear has shown that in as little as 5-days of wear, there was improvement in mobility disability even without the vest on. Learn more here. 
   
Books, News, and Reports

The biggest news in...
         

On a personal note, my 95 year old Aunt, Sister Mary Leo Wirt, OSB, passed away this month peacefully, surrounded by the Benedictine sisters and the dedicated caregivers she loved. Like so many across the U.S. during the last 44 days, we were not able to be there in person for her final moments but are grateful to the sisters who were there. Read more about her incredible life here.