My parents became caregivers earlier this month, when my 94-year-old grandfather moved in with them. As they prepared for the day when he would take up residence in their guest bedroom, my parents asked me to hit them with everything I know about PERS devices.
It is not an uncommon occurrence as the Boomer generation continues to age, and sons and daughters are finding themselves faced with how to care for their aging parents. Luckily, my position as a security editor was quite helpful in staying on top of the technology trends in this fast-changing and evolving market.
As much as mega-companies like Apple are having an effect on the smart home market, the mobile service providers are truly having a transformative effect on the PERS market. New technologies have enabled new and powerful suppliers to enter the fray to address demand that is growing by leaps and bound every day. In fact, Parks Associates estimates the number of PERS users is expected to double from 3.36 million at the end of 2017 to more than six million by 2021. The market research firm points to new BYOD wearable/watch options and smartphone-based professionally monitored services as a major reason for this boom in overall usage.
“Growth in elderly populations account for some, but not all of the growth in the PERS market,” Jennifer Kent, Director of Research Quality and Product Development for Parks Associates said in a statement. “Products such as fitness trackers and smart watches have put pressure on PERS manufacturers to improve designs and incorporate smart features into their solutions. In addition, partnerships from companies such as MobileHelp and Samsung are expanding the traditional notion of PERS by offering subscribers a Samsung Gear S3 smart watch as their PERS device.”
My grandfather is an interesting study in this phenomenon. As I went over the potential PERS options with my parents, they knew he would be resistant to the traditional pendant necklace option popularized in the ever-present Life Alert ads. But there is one thing my grandfather has always worn: A wristwatch. It makes selling the idea of PERS so much easier when the timepiece on his arm can double as a panic button.
It points to the fact that Apple and Samsung are going to cause significant disruption in the PERS market. While the in-home PERS options aren’t going to disappear by any means, I would imagine that having an actual, real-life relevant safety application for the smart watch ranks right up there with Apple’s dream scenarios.
Staying on top of the PERS and mPERS trends should be a priority for security dealers, who are uniquely positioned to deliver this service to a wide range of customers.
“Almost one-third of heads of household ages 40-64 (are interested) in a service that alerts family members in an emergency,” Kent said. “By partnering with smart home solution providers, the health industry can develop solutions more attractive than traditional safety/panic buttons, with greater functionality. (These) smarter solutions can expand the market.”
Paul Rothman is Editor in Chief of Security Dealer & Integrator (SD&I) magazine. Access the current issue, full archives and apply for a free subscription at www.secdealer.com.
