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6 n e w h a v e n B I Z | A p r i l 2 0 2 3 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m S t a r t u p s , T e c h n o l o g y & I n n o v a t i o n By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich A s a trauma surgeon for 15 years, Dr. Shea Gregg has treated his share of elderly pa- tients who've been banged up and bruised from bad falls. Gregg noticed that while many of his patients owned medical alert devices, they oen told him they were too embarrassed to wear them. Some of his patients complained that old-school devices were too bulky. Or they'd trip an unnecessary call to 911, such as if someone stooped down to pet their dog. For many patients, the devices simply made them feel old, according to Gregg. ose concerns, combined with his desire to help older adults live with dignity, be safe and age in place, inspired Gregg to create something better. Aer several years of research, Gregg, a trauma surgeon in the Hartford area, founded and developed FallCall Solutions in 2015. e Trumbull-based startup is behind an app designed for Apple iPhones and Apple smartwatches. e app is geared for older adults and their care- givers, to help people maintain their independence. According to the Centers for Disease Control, millions of people aged 65 and older fall. Of the one out of four older people who fall each year, less than half of them tell their doctor about it. Deaths due to falls have increased 30% from 2007 to 2017 in older adults, according to the CDC. e agency anticipates seven fall deaths happening per hour by the year 2030 if rates continue to rise. Gregg's patients served as his main inspiration to create FallCall Solutions. "More older adults coming into the hospital tended to own mobile phones, and an increasing number of older adults were wearing a smartwatch," Gregg said. ose factors, coupled with the launch of Apple's smart- watch in 2015, led Gregg to de- velop the FallCall app that could be integrated into smartphones and smartwatches. Gregg said the company was the first to bring a complete app-based, 24/7 emergency monitoring sys- tem to Apple Watch, iPhone and Android devices in the U.S. While there are other person- al monitoring devices on the market and have been for years, like the infamous "I've fallen and I can't get up" Life Alert push button pendant, FallCall's products are different, according to Gregg. "Traditional personal emergency response systems, or PERS, are stigmatizing and make people feel old," Surgeon's next-generation tech company aims to protect seniors Shea Gregg, a Hartford-area trauma surgeon, is founder and president of FallCall Solutions. PHOTOS | CONTRIBUTED The FallCall Detect app on Apple iPhone and Apple smartwatch. A t A G l a n c e Company: FallCall Solutions LLC Industry: Healthcare Top Executive: Shea Gregg HQ: Trumbull Website: www.fallcall.com Contact: 203-736-7647

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