The 'Granagotchi' elderly relative game

Turn caring for an elderly relative into a fun game with the Smallfry Granagotchi!



Mustn't laugh. It'll be us using this to notify the uncaring and aggressive careworker that we've had a fall and need lots of urine wiping up in about 20 years time.

Tele-health offers peace of mind for carers of independent elderly as Granny-monitor is unveiled

Twenty-four hour peace of mind is on the horizon for carers with elderly relatives as the first visuals of a high-tech granny-monitor are unveiled.

Visionaries at the pioneering product development consultancy Smallfry, have created the first pictures of the Granagotchi, reminiscent of the 90s Tamagotchi craze. The unique concept enables busy carers to check on the welfare of their parents remotely throughout the day and night using discreet technology in their home.

Using the Granagotchi, carers will be able to see instantly if the person they care for has eaten, if they have been moving around the house or whether they are taking their prescribed medicine - an amber icon indicates concern and red means intervention is required. The device is modular and can be set up to address specific patient needs, from checking blood pressure for a heart condition to monitoring the blood glucose level of diabetics.

The aim is to allow elderly people to live independently in their own homes confident that their family can check they are safe 24-7, in addition to regular visits and phonecalls. The Granagotchi will instantly alert the carer if it identifies anything unusual that could cause concern.

The Granagotchi is the brainchild of innovation consultants Smallfry, who attract some of the biggest names in healthcare. Smallfry's life-enhancing successes include blood pressure monitors for Lloydspharmacy and Karvol vaporisers. The consultancy is currently talking to manufacturers and healthcare specialists to bring the Granagotchi concept to life.

Director of Smallfry Steve May-Russell said: "The Granagotchi is our vision of healthcare in the future. One third of the population have chronic conditions and this will increase with an ageing population. With 80% of GP consultations and 70% of Primary Care budgets already devoted to chronic illnesses, families and the community will have to get more involved in caring for loved ones.

"Although some work has been done on high tech patient monitoring systems no-one in our view has yet paid sufficient attention to what 'the customer' wants and brought all the technology together in a user-friendly device. We're hoping our Granagotchi concept will encourage companies in this market to work with us to develop the 'soft' monitoring system that people really want."

Smallfry is an award winning design consultancy with an international reputation for creative innovation.