Elderly, handicapped and chronically ill people are often forced into staffed facilities before they require full-time care, simply because their caregivers cannot look after them adequately. Dramatically higher care expenses add to the burden of guilt often felt by family and friends. And the problem has reached global proportions as the world's "baby boom" generation ages.
Healthcare organizations and society in general have responded to this crisis by fundamentally changing the way care is provided in two ways: First, by using services and technology to keep people living in their homes for as long as possible, and second, by shifting more of the care burden from professional caregivers to family and friends.
We offer a way to help municipalities, family and friends provide more frequent and consistent care. The Giraff is a device that allows caregivers with no prior computer experience to virtually enter a home and conduct a natural, secure visit just as if they were physically there, and with no technical requirement whatsoever on the part of the resident.
The Giraff is placed in a home and allows a caregiver to virtually visit the residents there, move about and freely interact with them (talk and listen, see and be seen). The Giraff includes a camera, display, speaker and microphone, and is powered by motors that can propel and turn the device in any direction, even backwards.
People who have a Giraff in their home like the fact that they can control who visits and when, and never have to deal with a computer or other user interface. They feel their integrity is assured because they always know who is visiting, and that the Giraff is off and facing the wall when not in use.
Caregivers who visit with the Giraff say it is easy, convenient and fun. They don’t need any special equipment like a video game steering device.
Everyone who uses the Giraff quickly forgets about the device, and sees only their trusted caregivers who can now visit them more frequently and consistently.