Awards Presented for Practical, Relevant, and Scalable Products and Services for the Senior Living Space
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 12, 2015
Contact: Biba Aidoo, (410) 267-0504 or baidoo@nic.org
Annapolis, Md. – CareLinx, a platform that enables in-home care delivery for the elderly and chronically ill, won the top prize awarded by a panel of judges at the NIC Technology Innovation Challenge on Thursday. Music therapy tool SingFit was selected as the audience favorite.
Taking inspiration from TV’s Shark Tank, the Innovation Challenge introduced four technology startups who were given four minutes to pitch their company’s product or service to a panel of senior care providers. The judges voted based on the product’s ability to be practical, relevant, and scalable. The Innovation Challenge was a new program feature at the 25th NIC National Conference, the premier networking event for senior-level decision makers from the debt and equity side and major operators of seniors housing and care.
“NIC National Conference brings together the top leaders from the seniors housing and care industry,” said panel judge Tom Grape, CEO of Benchmark Senior Living. “The Innovation Challenge provided the perfect forum for letting these leaders see what technology has in store for senior living.”
Judges awarded Sherwin Sheik, president and CEO of CareLinx, the top prize of $1,000. Founded in 2011, CareLinx is the leading nationwide professional caregiver marketplace, empowering families to easily find, hire, manage and pay caregivers who match their specific needs and budget online. CareLinx enables senior living operators to provide home care services outside their facilities via a nationwide caregiver network by private-labeling the platform and not having to invest millions in hiring, training, managing and retaining a caregiver workforce.
Members of the audience also had the opportunity to vote for their favorite startup via their mobile devices. Andy Tubman, co-founder and chief of therapeutics and music, presented on behalf of SingFit. SingFit combines proprietary software with scalable, music therapist designed programing, resulting in effective, engaging, person-centered mind/body programs for groups and individuals that translate into quantifiably happier, healthier residents and greater family satisfaction. Designed specifically for the senior care industry, SingFit PRIME and SingFit SESSIONS are a turnkey, evidenced-based active music programs, which allows existing staff to provide a higher quality of care for residents of Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing communities.
“All four companies presented tools that address specific problems we’re facing in the industry,” said panel judge Ginna Baik, senior care business strategist for CDW Healthcare. “It’s exciting to see that these companies understand the need to prepare for the aging population explosion that’s coming.”
About NIC
The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to advance the quality and availability of seniors housing and care options for America’s elders. NIC provides research, education, and increased transparency that facilitate leadership development, quality outcomes, and informed investment decisions with respect to seniors housing and care. Since 1991, NIC has been the leading source of research, data and analytics for owners, operators, developers, capital providers, researchers, academics, public policy analysts and others interested in meeting the housing and care needs of America’s seniors. For more information, call (410) 267-0504.