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Minnesota's Largest Provider for the Elderly Endorses QuietCare

July 21, 2006

The wireless sensor system remotely monitors individual's daily living patterns, identifies potential medical emergencies, and automatically alerts caregivers.


SHOREVIEW, MN, and NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ -- Ecumen, which operates independent and assisted-living communities, care centers, home health care, and a wide variety of community-based services, and Living Independently Group Inc., a leading behavioral monitoring company dedicated to helping seniors and other at-risk individuals live with greater safety and independence, announced that Ecumen is endorsing the use of QuietCare across its network of owned and managed communities. Ecumen completed a pilot project six months ago during which residents were monitored by QuietCare in their apartments. The results from the pilot showed that the marriage of Ecumen's professional, hands-on care with QuietCare significantly enhanced the quality of life for residents and enhanced the efficiency with which this care is delivered to them. As a result, Ecumen administrators, nursing staff, and family caregivers endorsed the QuietCare system, which provides residents with additional security, while maintaining independence and privacy.

QuietCare is an early detection and early warning system that provides caregivers with 24/7 information and alerts about the safety and well-being of elderly or other at-risk individuals, while maintaining their privacy and independence. This proven system uses discreet wireless activity sensors that are positioned throughout a person's residence to learn his/her normal pattern of daily living, such as meal preparation, interaction with medications, and bathroom use, as well as the person's morning wake-up time and overall activity. The system remotely identifies potential medical emergencies, such as possible bathroom falls, and automatically alerts caregivers to these situations, thereby permitting them to provide early intervention. QuietCare also provides alerts when the temperature in the person's residence is dangerously high or low. QuietCare is currently used by individuals in their homes, assisted and independent living communities, and homecare agencies.

"QuietCare opens the door to better communications between a resident, caregiver, and family member and helps identify small health issues before they grow into larger problems that inhibit independence," said Kathryn Roberts, CEO of Ecumen. "Aging services is a field of great change, and Ecumen embraces tools such as QuietCare that allow our residents to live as fully and as independently as possible."

"We are extremely pleased that Ecumen, a leader in aging services nationally, has endorsed QuietCare and recommended its installation," stated John Lakian, chairman, chief executive officer and co-founder of Living Independently Group. "We look forward to working with Ecumen to help provide state-of-the-art proactive care to all of their residents."

About Ecumen
Ecumen, which is based in Shoreview, MN., provides a variety of housing choices and services, along the continuum of life for people 50 years of age and older. The name Ecumen comes from the word ecumenical and is derived from the Greek word for home, Oikos. Ecumen seeks to create home for older adults wherever they choose to live. Ecumen is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and has 4000 team members, who provide housing options and services in approximately 100 communities in the upper Midwest.

About Living Independently Group
Living Independently Group is dedicated to using technology to help seniors and other at-risk individuals live with greater safety and independence in their own communities. The company's current offering, QuietCare, is a 24/7 early-detection and warning system that enables caregivers to monitor a senior or patient remotely, recognize potential health problems, and intervene to prevent emergencies. For additional information on Living Independently Group or QuietCare, please visit the company's Web site.






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