The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as a blueprint to guide global progress on pressing issues, ranging from poverty eradication to gender equality. One area that often gets less attention—but is no less important—is the wellness of our aging population. ElderPRIME, an innovative app designed to help seniors and their families co-manage healthcare, remarkably aligns with multiple UN SDGs. Here's how this groundbreaking platform is contributing to building a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future for older adults.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
Diagnostic errors, incorrect prescriptions, and premature admissions to long-term care facilities are among the myriad issues that plague the current healthcare system. These problems often lead to unnecessary physical, emotional, and financial burdens for seniors. ElderPRIME addresses this by improving communication between older adults and healthcare providers. This not only results in more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans but also reduces the likelihood of premature institutionalization, effectively giving people more years to live and enjoy.
SDG 4: Quality Education
While education is often focused on the younger generation, ElderPRIME places emphasis on the oft-neglected demographic: seniors. A staggering 88% of Canadians aged 65 and over feel inadequately informed to make even the most basic healthcare decisions. ElderPRIME strives to improve health literacy among older adults and their family caregivers. By doing so, seniors and their families are better equipped to advocate for their health, enabling them to lead more autonomous lives.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Ageism is an unfortunate reality in many sectors, including technology companies. This bias often results in older adults facing significant challenges in finding employment opportunities that tap into their extensive experience and wisdom. ElderPRIME takes an innovative approach to this issue by employing older adults as customer support representatives. This initiative not only provides meaningful employment to an underemployed age group but also ensures that the customer service team is particularly empathetic and understanding of the core users’ needs.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
As a pioneer in its field, ElderPRIME enhances access to age and health-related technologies by incorporating them into its purposefully designed user interface for seniors. This approach makes it easier for older adults to benefit from technological advances, which in turn spurs innovation and infrastructure improvements in healthcare technology aimed at this demographic.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequality
A recent report indicated that ageism accounts for a staggering $63 billion in annual healthcare expenses for eight of the most expensive medical conditions affecting American seniors (Source). By empowering older adults to advocate for themselves in healthcare settings, ElderPRIME not only addresses economic inequalities but also contributes to dismantling the societal prejudices that impose economic burdens on this age group.
SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals
ElderPRIME understands the power of collaboration in achieving broader impact. The company partners with various healthcare delivery organizations, like home care providers and insurance companies, to amplify its reach. These partnerships aim to improve communication with healthcare providers, coordinate healthcare within families, and help seniors maintain independent living conditions.
ElderPRIME is not just an app; it’s a movement towards more equitable, sustainable, and humane healthcare for older adults. By aligning its mission and strategies with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, ElderPRIME is proving that targeted, compassionate innovation can make a world of difference in addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing our aging global population.