New program addresses unique health risks associated with hearing loss for older adults
As virtual healthcare takes center stage in today’s world, AlliedVirtualCare is taking an innovative approach to accessing virtual care for seniors: Songbird Health Program.
Songbird Health Program is a comprehensive program for hearing care, and related brain health, mobility, and mental well-being. Research now shows that those with hearing loss have an increased risk for dementia, falls, and depression, which are significant categories of healthcare spending. The program improves access to therapies that directly impact senior independence, quality of life, and caregiver stress in these four areas.
Songbird Health Program works both in partnership with insurance plans and directly with members to address barriers to care, engage members in self-assessment tools, and provide educational content. Members receive an introduction to affordable hearing care options as well as information about well-established virtual care programs and therapies in order to improve access and offer the potential for significant savings.
“AlliedVirtualCare’s holistic focus on providing one platform to address key issues associated with hearing loss is an important development in the use of technology to support aging in place. These interventions create opportunities for greater senior engagement and reduced caregiver stress. I strongly support their efforts to reduce barriers to care for these innovative services.” stated Tiffany E. Shubert, PT, PhD, Senior Project Manager – Therapy, Relias.
In addition to Songbird’s innovative network of providers, AlliedVirtualCare is developing a secure web-based machine learning platform to assist clinicians in improving quality of care and measuring patient outcomes. Understanding how the therapies for these four conditions can be used collaboratively to improve outcomes is one of AlliedVirtualCare’s primary goals.
“Combining hearing care with these virtual care services to increase access and improve coordination of care for older adults is the kind of innovation our healthcare system needs.” said Joe Smith, MD, PhD, Consultant and Adjunct Professor, Johns Hopkins University, who also sits on AlliedVirtualCare’s Board of Advisors. “AlliedVirtualCare’s three Co-Founders, Brian Bischoff, Kelly Prchal and Adrian Lister, are a well-poised team to lead AlliedVirtualCare into the next phases of its growth, offering one of the most innovative and comprehensive digital healthcare programs in the senior care sector.”
About AlliedVirtualCare
AlliedVirtualCare’s Songbird Health Program is focused on mitigating the higher risks of falls, cognitive decline, and depression/loneliness for older adults with hearing loss. Our innovative approach to education, engagement and analytics provides accessible care to improve health outcomes and sustain independence. To learn more, visit https://AlliedVirtualCare.com/.
