Image of male nurse pushing senior woman in a wheelchair in nursing facility

New products that can help our nation age more gracefully were a hot topic at last month’s TEDMED conference, which was held in San Diego. The event brings together providers, engineers, philosophers, scientists, engineers and others. And what kinds of new innovations were being discussed? Technology-driven devices were especially popular. For example, attendees were informed about devices that can be worn on the body to sense gait, tremors and other vital signs. Participants also learned that the iRobot company is creating Grandma’s little helper—a robot nurse. The idea is a helper strong enough to carry Grandma up a flight of stairs, but gentle enough to hand her the proper medicine when she needs it. Also discussed were promising drugs that are being investigated as possible treatments for aging-related conditions. These include diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cardiovascular disease and many cancers.