By 2034, America will have more seniors aged 65 and older instead of children under 18, according to a U.S. Census Bureau projection, with older adults accounting for 77 million and minors numbering 76.5 million.
Given the demographic shift, it is imperative to reimagine senior care. San Francisco-based Honor is aiming to do just that. The company that bills itself as the largest senior care network and technology platform announced recently that it is launching Honor Expert, an online tool that can help seniors as well as their family members find answers to their questions about senior care, all in one location. The pandemic caused a disruption in how family, caregivers, and seniors themselves could get answers for age-related issues for a loved one and Honor Expert seeks to address that.
Users can either call a toll-free number of chat online to get support on care planning, home management, as well as health and wellness. In particular, Honor Expert connects caregivers and the elderly to a professional social worker to answer their questions. The goal is to decrease the frustration they can often face with getting answers for elderly care.
“Now, more than ever, seniors and their loved ones are looking for guidance on how to navigate aging-related concerns,” said Seth Sternberg, CEO and co-founder of Honor in a news release. “We’re answering the call, literally, and partnering with some of the best in the business to address obstacles to care and deliver real, tangible solutions.”
Honor Expert aims to connect gerontologists, aging advocates, services, and social workers directly with seniors and their caregivers on a national scale. Users are directed to educational resources, tools, and products and services from the partners that address whatever aging issue they are facing.
“Navigating health issues and solutions as people age is a massive pain point for our clients around the world, and through the Honor Expert service, we’re enabling seniors and their loved ones to more quickly and easily identify aging-related challenges and find solutions before they escalate into larger problems,” Sternberg said.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
The news comes on the heels of Honor acquiring Home Instead in August 2021 with the combined organization vowing to transform the professional caregiver and client experience as well as reimagine care for older adults. In the fall, Honor announced that it had raised $370 million in funding that pushed it to unicorn status. The company has used the funds to grow its technology to assist the elderly with care access.
Honor’s partners believe that the online platform for caregivers, seniors and families will help in empowering this population.
“By working together, Aloe Care and Honor will be able to help more aging adults maintain their independence, and bring their families the peace of mind that comes with better communication, personalized tech solutions, and the knowledge that help is available at a moment’s notice,” said Ray Spoljaric, co-founder and CEO of Aloe Care Health in a news release.
Aloe Care Health is a medical alert service that uses hardware and software to keep seniors safe at home while monitoring for falls and connecting to seniors to a 24/7 emergency call center.
Photo: delihayat, Getty Images
