Kanishka Acharya, Founder & CEO of Welldercare, discusses the transformation of senior healthcare through agetech, emphasizing the importance of empowering seniors for joyful and independent lives. Welldercare’s cutting-edge solutions, including AI-powered fall prevention systems and smart lamps, are reshaping traditional assisted living and enhancing the safety and well-being of seniors.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: What inspired your shift to agetech and the creation of Welldercare, and how has your personal experience motivated this venture?
Mr. Kanishka: Keeping in mind the rise in elderly population and the endless amount of troubles they face on a regular basis, Welldercare was founded with the vision to build an organisation that is at the forefront of technology to empower seniors to live joyful independent lives with a complete control of their health. At Welldercare, we believe that the long term solution is to ensure healthier ageing journeys that will keep seniors away from the nursing & care homes thereby reducing the burden on healthcare systems world over.
TimesTech: How is agetech revolutionizing healthcare for seniors, and what unique contributions does Welldercare bring to this transformation?
Mr. Kanishka: With the help of agetech, seniors no longer need to live in a state of constant fear and hence agetech plays a significant role in revolutionizing healthcare for seniors. While AI powered fall prevention systems help detect and prevent falls at an earlier stage, Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) systems constantly monitor vitals and update seniors as well as their families on a regular basis.
Welldercare is an end to end technology & services company that aims to fill the gaps in senior care addressing current pain points and leverage technology to aid and promote independent senior living.
Welldercare has come up with a wide range of fall detections, smart lamps & portraits. These AI powered devices are aesthetically designed to add to the living environment of the seniors. We are also developing smart mirrors that can detect all vitals – blood pressure, heart rate / heart rate variability (HRV) Spo2 levels, temperature without any external devices. The Iksana platform is first of its kind and is designed specifically for older adults and their families that integrates all technology devices and services and needs of daily living on to one easy to use platform.
Furthermore, through these devices family members can get a health dashboard of daily, weekly & monthly health parameters of their loved ones, doctors are aided by dashboards that offer deeper insights into health and can aid better clinical interventions.
TimesTech: Could you explain the role of technology in fall prevention among seniors and provide examples of how Welldercare’s solutions contribute to this effort?
Mr. Kanishka: With every passing day, falls are becoming a major concern amongst seniors. AI has come up with devices and systems that can prevent as well as detect falls at a much earlier stage.
Welldercare in order to prevent and detect falls has partnered with Nobi to introduce Nobi smart lamps designed to assist seniors wherever they live: independently supported by home care, in assisted living or nursing homes, even in geriatric departments of hospitals. These innovative devices can detect falls, monitor activities of daily living, and notify caregivers in case of emergencies. These devices also integrate with other smart home devices, offering seniors and caregivers the ability to control their environment and live more independently.
TimesTech: In what ways is Welldercare redefining traditional assisted living through agetech, and what benefits does this innovative approach offer seniors and their families?
Mr. Kanishka: Welldercare has recently launched the ‘Nobi Smart Lamp’ in the Indian market in collaboration with the Belgian age-tech company Nobi. This AI-powered smart lamp is designed to enhance the safety of elderly individuals by detecting as well as preventing falls.
Our Ambient technology at Welldercare can capture all vital parameters non-invasively to provide detailed health dashboards to older adults, their children, and doctors.
Trends are constantly being monitored and anomalies are immediately flagged to ensure timely intervention before any condition turns symptomatic and severe.
TimesTech: How does AI enhance safety through fall risk assessment, and how does Welldercare use AI in this context?
Mr. Kanishka: AI-enabled fall prevention systems could be a game-changer as they use predictive analytics to identify and mitigate fall risks in advance, preventing accidents. AI can help healthcare professionals anticipate falls in seniors, which is crucial for both the elderly and their families to take necessary preventive measures and for healthcare staff to be prepared to prevent such incidents. By continually monitoring seniors’ movements and behaviors in a non-intrusive manner, smart technology has the potential to reduce the average number of falls among senior citizens by up to 30% annually.
Through its partnership with Nobi, Welldercare has introduced Nobi smart lamps that assist seniors in multiple living settings, from independent homes to care facilities. These devices detect falls, monitor daily activities, and alert caregivers during emergencies. With their unobtrusive design and user-friendly interface, they seamlessly integrate into seniors’ homes and can connect with other smart devices, promoting independence. They serve as robust technological support for care platforms and offer peace of mind for seniors and their families.
TimesTech: Can you share how Welldercare addresses the digital divide and empowers seniors through agetech, ensuring inclusivity in your services?
Mr. Kanishka: Certainly, Welldercare has come up with devices and applications that are extremely easy to use and do not require seniors to go through much effort. Welldercare has come up with user-friendly designs, provides thorough training, offers remote support, incorporates accessibility features, maintains affordability, encourages community engagement. Our aim is to make agetech accessible and empowering for seniors, enabling them to lead more connected and independent lives in a digital world that caters to their needs.
