We have now concluded all voting and judging. Winners have been announced and you can find a complete list of winners by clicking on the “Winners and Prizes” tab above. Thanks to all those who entered, and to those who voted!
Grand Prize: $10,000
How will the winners be selected?
Each entry has already been through the following selection rounds:
Round 1
Initial assessment by our in-house Innovation Champions.
Round 2
Detailed assessment by our in-house Caregiving experts and a wider set of our Innovation Champions across the US, using the criteria set out below. Each entry was reviewed by a minimum of 3 people in order to avoid bias.
Round 3 - Semi-Finals
Public voting - one vote per entry, per registered user.
Round 4 - Finals
Judging by our panel of invited judges (see the Judges page). The judges will provide their detailed assessment of all 30 finalists (5 in each category). Using those scores together with the results of the public vote from Round 3 and the in-house experts scores from Round 2, they will select the winners of each category and the overall winner.
Our future depends on innovation.
Innovation propels us forward, and creates a better world for us all. It’s the foundation AARP was built upon. That’s why we are recognizing and celebrating the innovators in aging, empowering people to choose how they live as they age.
2017 Theme: Caregiving
By 2020, 117 million Americans are expected to need assistance, but the overall number of caregivers will only reach 45 million. This is a huge opportunity for companies large and small to reach an emerging market – and improve the lives of caregivers and their recipients.
New disruptive technologies and groundbreaking business models are about to change the world of caregiving for the better. We’re here to find those industry pioneers utilizing technology to create intuitive, affordable innovations. We’re here to celebrate the entrepreneurs of the frontier of change.
Criteria
All entrants must be sure their innovations have:
Universal design and appeal
Differentiation
Meaningful benefits
New or Existing Technology
A Business Model
Safety Considerations
Categories
Health & Safety Awareness
As a growing number of caregiving recipients experience chronic health conditions, caregivers are charged with the tough job
of maintaining their health and safety. Growing mobile device ownership has opened new opportunities in big data to provide more accessible and
meaningful solutions. But many current offerings have yet to deliver on affordability and performance.
Health and Safety Awareness innovations include:
• Health vital alerts
• Diet and nutrition
• Medication management
• Personal safety monitoring
• Telehealth
Care Coordination
As new care needs arise and shift, caregivers must learn to navigate the complex medical system. Even with planning tools,
much work remains to ease the care coordination journey for caregivers. The medical system is compromised of many disparate organizations and
systems, and many services have rising out-of-pocket costs. Caregivers are hungry for services to help them make coordinated decisions at a lower
price.
Care coordination innovations include:
• Care planning
• Care professional engagement
• Records and benefits management
• Recovery support
Transition Support
Hiring an aging-in-place certified remodeler. Installing a wheelchair ramp. Searching for the right long-term care facility.
As care recipients age, caregivers grapple with many difficult transitions. And as a result, they need services and support tools to help them with
these big decisions at a cost they can afford.
Transition Support innovations include:
• Home retro-fit services
• Long-term care insurance planning
• Long-term care provider referral
• Legal assistance
• Hospice and funeral planning
Social Well-Being
Over the past decade, caregivers and their recipients have become increasingly comfortable
incorporating digital technology and social networking into their lives. It can be a comforting way to create social and cultural connections and
break down the barriers of aging. Yet many new technology innovations remain off seniors’ radar, and an even greater need exists for more services
that gather content specifically of interest to seniors and deliver it through one easy-to-use and trusted source.
Social Well-Being innovations include:
• Photo/video sharing
• Social networks
• Digital companion services
• Personal enrichment apps
• Online support groups
Caregiver Quality of Life
The job of a caregiver is neither easy nor short-lived. On average, caregivers spend $19,252 and
2-6 years of their lives in this role. Caregivers need all the support and resources they can find to help them manage the stress and
responsibility of this role, as well as help maintain their work-life balance.
Caregiver Quality of Life innovations include:
• Respite and backup care
• Social support
• Health and wellness programs
• Financial/job security
Daily Essential Activities
Between cooking meals, making household repairs and managing transportation, the to-do list for
many unpaid caregivers seems endless. America’s aging population is driving a greater demand for commercial services to make daily life easier. But
a lack of standards can make it difficult for caregivers to connect with qualified, affordable solutions.
Daily Essential Activity innovations include:
• Meal preparation and delivery services
• Home and prescription care
• Home repair
• Transportation services
