ALL ABOUT AGING AND AI with LAWRENCE KOSICK – GET SET UP and DOR SKULER – INTUITION ROBOTICS & ELLIQ; Caregiver Stress & Cortisol Face; Parkinson’s Clusters & 1^st Ever Study on Parkinson’s Caregivers from Michael J. Fox & NAC Research

We are kicking off April with what is top of mind for everyone – how AI (artificial intelligence) is affecting and changing aging and caregiving.

We have two experts in this area: Lawrence Kosick, Co-Founder of Get Set Up and Dor Skuler, Founder and CEO of Intuition Robotics, makers of ElliQ. They talk about how they are using AI to help both older adults and caregivers make managing health easier and more personalized.

(17:46)– Sherri talks to Lawrence Kosick about Get Set Up’s latest tool, the AI Assistant Helen. You will learn how Helen can makes navigating the fragmented health care system easier and faster but also personalizes the data you are seeking for yourself or your loved one. This is the second appearance for Lawrence on our podcast – you can check out our first conversation where we take a deep dive into how Get Set Up offers a comprehensive spectrum of classes for those age 50+ taught by those age 50+ and how it is about more than learning – it is also a social gathering place for older adults. Check out our Season 2, Episode 15 conversation with Lawrence.

(53:26) – Sherri’s second interview with a leader in AI and aging, caregiving is Dor Skuler, Founder & CEO of Intuition Robotics, makers of the carebot, ElliQ. Dor explains how ElliQ improves the health and well-being of an older loved one using AI to personalize their habits, behaviors and needs. He also talks about the recently announced Caregiver App making it even easier for family members to stay connected and have ElliQ as their partner in caring for an older loved one.

Caregiver Wellness News

(3:52) – April is National Stress Awareness Month so Sherri focuses on a new Tik Tok trend called “cortisol face.” She explaines what it is, are caregivers more at risk for it and words of caution on taking health advice from social media.

Sherri also talks about a new program for Cleveland Clinic employees – from physicians and researchers to staff members — to measure their cortisol and learn more about how it affects their stress response throughout the day. They are using a new saliva test from Nutrix called Cortisense, which uses AI to personalize each wearer’s cortisol release schedules and then let them know how that affects their stress levels and overall health including risk for diabetes Type II.

Sherri also shares insights from a new report from United Church Homes and MIT AgeLab about how caregivers feel about the use of AI when it comes to their caregiving tasks and information. The results are interesting!

The Cortisense saliva test from Nutrix measures cortisol release throughout the day to help educate users about stress levels that affect overall health.

Well Home Design News

(1:23:24) – For our Well Home Design News, we put the spotlight on April’s National Parkinson’s Awareness Month and the research that is identifying “parkinson’s clusters” – geographic areas with extremely high prevalence for Parkinsons’s disease. Sherri talks about what you should know about environmental factors and other risks as well as the signs of Parkinson’s – some of which may surprise you.

Also, Sherri shares a new report from the National Alliance for Caregiving and the Michel J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research – the first ever study of caregivers of those with Parkinson’s disease.

One solution for these Parkinson’s caregivers and all caregivers is a training platform from Trualta that helps caregivers up-skill and learn techniques that help them on their caregiving journey. They share survey results of more than 3 million minutes caregivers have spent on their platform and what they are saying.

Self-Care in 7 Minutes Videos for April

Here our the latest videos with caregiving hacks that take you 7 minutes or less to do – these are related to April National Stress Awareness Month and April National Humor Month:

Check out all of our “Self-Care in 7 Minutes” videos

RESOURCE LINKS

Get Set Up

Intuition Robotics, makers of ElliQ

“Elder Care Locator – eldercare.gov or call 1-800-677-1116

“Self-Care in 7 Minutes” Wellness Hack Video Series

Click here to find out where to buy Sherri’s Me Time Monday book and learn more about the workshops

Sherri’s Me Time Monday book GoodReads page

Sherri’s articles related to this episode

Caregiver Wellness

How family caregivers can use a Monday routine to reset self-care (Considerable)

How Mondays Can Help Caregivers to Overcome Loneliness and Improve Health (Epoch Times)

9 Ways Caregivers Can Get a Free Respite Break (PBS Next Avenue)

Finding Happiness As a Caregiver (Forbes)

Happiness article (Spanish translation for Univision)

9 Ways Caregivers Can Get a Free Respite Break (PBS Next Avenue)

Paying it Forward – Volunteerism Among Caregivers (USA Today)

How Comedy Can Help Caregivers Cope with Coronavirus (Thrive Global)

Well Home Design

Using Virtual Reality To Get Inside an Ailing Person’s World (Forbes)

Creating a Cozy Reading Nook for Unplugging (Snug Home)

Biophilic Design on a Budget (Snug Home blog)

Biophilic Home Design Fuses Nature and Neuroscience (Huffington Post)

Caregiving in the Workplace

Mental Health in the Workplace Benefits Employees (PBS Next Avenue)

Workplace Caregiving: One Size Does Not Fit All (PBS Next Avenue)