What is black and white and loved all over? The answer: a tuxedo cat.
But for many older adults and senior living communities, real animals aren’t an option due to allergy or caretaking concerns. That’s why Ageless Innovation has debuted its new Companion Pet, the Tuxedo Cat, designed for older adults.
Earlier this year, former Hasbro employees bought the Joy for All Companion Pet line and launched a new company in what CEO Ted Fischer described as a “friendly spin-out.” A former vice president of business development for
Hasbro, Fischer is joined by Andrew Jeas, Tom Canterino and Meghan Gamboa.
Fischer said the new com-pany re ects the desire of the healthcare and senior living industries to have affordable companion animals.
“We saw the need for there to be a 100 percent focus on this amazing population that we’re serving,” Fischer told McKnight’s. They’ve spent time garnering feedback: For example, the company is phasing out its white cat, which customers found beautiful but could become dirty quickly. The company also has a Golden Pup and an Orange Tabby.
Ageless is working with Brown University on a National Science Foundation grant to add artificial intelligence to companion animals, he said.
From the September 01, 2018 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
