Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/992084
79 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 2018 2018 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 79 Saving Lives New smart apps alert caregivers and first responders when seniors fall By Taryn Plumb It just kept happening over and over again—and it was only getting worse. Every day, Dr. Shea Gregg was seeing men and women over age 65 coming into the trauma center he headed after they had suffered a serious fall. As medical staff tended to them, they continually asked patients: Why weren't they wearing their Life Alert bracelets or another notification device? And the recurring answer: Because it embarrassed them; it made them feel old, weak, stigmatized. Dr. Gregg knew there had to be an alternative – and it finally came along in April 2015 with the release of the Apple Watch. A techie by nature (he was doing basic coding in the fourth grade) he was an early adopter, and his elder patients immediately began to take notice of his unique new timepiece. "Maybe this is the secret," he thought. And thus FallCall Solutions LLC was born. He teamed up with his wife, Kristin Gregg, an emergency room doctor, and the couple began designing apps exclusively for the Apple Watch that can help detect falls, alert caregivers when they happen – and ultimately help to prevent them. Starting out in July 2015 and based out of Trumbull, their first offering was ElderCheck Now. The free app facilitaties communication between elders and their caregivers and allows for the exchange of information such as location and heart rate, and quickly transmitted check-ins via the tap of a button. FallCall Lite, set for release in May, is a free download that will allow users to call for help and contact caregivers. A paid version will enable elders to call emergency dispatch directly from their wrists, while at the same time notifying caregivers and providing real-time updates on their whereabouts and vitals. Meanwhile, a full version of the app, called FallCall Now, will be enhanced with fall detection based on proprietary algorithms. It will offer both a manual "call for help" button connecting the wearer to a central monitoring agency, and a background fall detector that can call for help when the wearer is unable to do so. It will be one of the first "smart" fall detectors ever created. The company has received funding from Connecticut Innovations as well as crowdfunding support through Kickstarter and MedStartr. Dr. Gregg, who has practiced trauma medicine for the last 10 years, sees FallCall as a game-changer, considering that falls are a significant cause of death for those over age 65. "I think we can really have an impact on this population," he said. What's more, he added, "We really hope to help give dignity back." For more information, visit fallcall.com. PROFILE FallCall founders Dr. Kristin Gregg and Dr. Shea Gregg " " "I think we can really have an impact on this population." - Dr. Shea Gregg