Gesture Control Technology and Remote Patient Monitoring Helps Seniors Live Independently and Safely

Today’s seniors want to maintain their independence — and their current living arrangements — for as long as possible. But as baby boomers begin to reach their golden years en masse, the number of potential family caregivers per senior citizen is rapidly declining, leaving many older Americans worried about what will happen when their physical and cognitive health reaches a point where they need around-the-clock supervision.

One possible solution is to combine wearables with remote patient monitoring technology.

Reemo’s gesture control technology uses Samsung smartwatches and SmartThings technology to let seniors operate lights, locks, thermostats and appliances with a flick of the wrist. Meanwhile, caregivers and healthcare providers can monitor seniors’ biometric data, activity levels and GPS locations to ensure that they stay safe and healthy.

According to Tom Stofac, CEO of retirement community Ohio Masonic Home, “The fundamental desire that we see in our community is the need to stay as independent as possible, as well as possible, and to age as respectfully as possible.” To help residents do so, Ohio Masonic is conducting a pilot program to let residents try the Reemo/Samsung solution.

Want to learn more about how gesture control technology and remote patient monitoring can help seniors age respectfully and safely? Watch this video produced by the Wall Street Journal to hear firsthand from Stofac, Ohio Masonic residents and other experts on aging. More on Samsung’s home healthcare solutions is available here.

Source: Samsung Insights

Latest Developments

We keep our members and partners in touch with the most recent updates and opinions in the worldwide dialogue on population longevity and related issues.

GCOA Sign-on Letter to Governor Spanberger: Consequences of Importing Federal Price Caps on Virginians’ Access to Medicine & Healthy Aging Opportunities

Dear Governor Spanberger: We, the undersigned organizations, bring deep, on‑the‑ground experience serving older Americans, patients managing complex and chronic conditions, and their caregivers across Virginia and nationwide. We also have a clear understanding of which policies and programs are effective and where they fall short.

New Report Summarizes State of Expert Opinions on Japan’s Adult Vaccine Policy as Population Shifts Older

The Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), and the Asia-Pacific Consortium for Healthy Aging and Adult Immunization (AP-CHAAI) today announced the launch of Strengthening Vaccine Policy for Healthy Aging and Economic Growth in Japan, a landscape analysis examining the state of vaccine policy in super-aging Japan. Based on a comprehensive review of over 100 policy documents, recommendations, reports, academic papers, and gray literature articles, the report, which was funded by GSK, summarizes the latest academic research and policy discourse around adult vaccines.

WSJ Letter to the Editor: How Flu Vaccine Policies Affect the Economy

Your editorial “Vinay Prasad’s Vaccine Kill Shot” (Review & Outlook, Feb. 12) points out that a recent decision by Mr. Prasad, the leader of the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine division, will have negative consequences. Mr. Prasad’s decision to reject Moderna’s flu vaccine without even reviewing it is even worse than you describe. Denying us a new, innovative flu vaccine is horrible health policy. Innovation is at risk because, as Moderna’s CEO has said, if the largest market is off limits, investments won’t be made. But the decision will also have economic consequences. Investment in preventive health is critical as our population ages. In its April 2025 World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund dedicated an entire chapter to the need for healthier longevity as the global population ages.

Global Coalition on Aging, Leading G7 Government Officials, Call for Incentivized Antibiotic Innovation

The Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), in partnership with the Japanese Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s Association (JPMA), and public health leaders call on G7 governments to fund pull incentives and make “fair share” investments in antibiotic innovation to fight the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. GCOA, JPMA, and health and government officials from the European Union, Italy, Japan, and United Kingdom recently convened to discuss how G7 countries must respond. GCOA today published a report detailing takeaways from the closed-door meeting, “The Role of G7 Governments in Global Efforts to Encourage Antimicrobial Development Through a Pull Incentive: Challenges and Collaboration.”

2024 AMR Preparedness Index Progress Report Highlights Urgent Need For Global Action Against Antimicrobial Resistance

Today, the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) launched the 2024 AMR Preparedness Index Progress Report. Released in the lead up to the United Nations General Assembly 2024 High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) this September, the 2024 Progress Report assesses how the eleven largest global economies have advanced on calls to action laid out in the 2021 AMR Preparedness Index.

New Global Analysis Across Five Cities Shows Inequities in Adult Immunization Uptake, Signaling Need to Redesign Local and National Policy Interventions

GSK, in collaboration with the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), announced a new report from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science (IQVIA Institute). The report, funded by GSK, explores the role of social and structural determinants of health in adult vaccine access and uptake across five global cities with strong data about their aging populations: Bangkok, Thailand; Brussels, Belgium; Chicago, US; Manchester, United Kingdom; and New York City, US.