What AskSAMIE Does?
AskSAMIE is a curated marketplace to make aging in place possible for anyone! Answer some questions about the problems the person is having and then we build you a personalized cart of adaptive equipment and resources so that things can be as easy as possible at home! It’s intentionally designed to be easy for any one with knowledge of the problems to use, from a family caregiver to a healthcare professional. Going through the questions gets them to equipment to purchase, services to connect with and education to download to make daily life easier. It’s a one stop shop for all things accessibility and that includes solutions not just for limited mobility but for issues with incontinence, memory and low vision!
Current Landscape
Without AskSAMIE people have to know what specific devices they need in order to find them online or at a medical supply store. But even if they do accomplish that, there is no way to know that what they just happened to Google is going to make their loved one more safe & independent considering both their clinical needs and home setup. This is why over 100 million homes are not aging ready even though the number of those over 65 is increasing daily!
The Why
As an occupational therapist Dr. Brandy Archie, struggled with knowing what her patients needed to be safe at home but was not able to get them the equipment they needed because it wasn’t covered by insurance. For example, insurance would pay for a person with leg amputation to get a hospital bed and wheelchair they won’t pay for a ramp or a wider doorway which is why there are over 8 million homes with an older adult that is currently reports trouble using an element in their home.
That led her to create AccessAble Living, where an OT goes to do a home assessment, figures out what the problems are and provide a prioritized list of adaptive equipment that will make things easier at home. It worked well in Kansas City but she didn’t like not being able to help those who the team couldn’t drive to. AskSAMIE is the solution to that. The app takes the clinical knowledge of the OT’s and turns it into an algorithm that anyone can access by answering a few questions and then get the right recommendations for their situation.
Competition and the market
You could piece together a few different places to buy this equipment online or at medical supply store but the difference maker is getting the clinically based guidance towards what the right things are so that you know its going to work - and getting it all in one place. Now that may sounds basic, but it really matters. Even if you need something as simple as a shower chair, a search on Amazon results in 956 options! And what if you have a tub/shower - did you know you are really supposed to be searching for a tub transfer bench? You just got 956 of the wrong result! That’s a lot of time, energy and money wasted. It’s already a stressful time when these adaptations are needed. So why not make getting the home ready a little SAMIE is here to do that!
Check it out : https://www.asksamie.com/
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