Californian citizen Kelly Ilnicki is very close to her 89－year－old grandmother，who until recently lives alone in her home in Oceanside，near San Diego.Three or four times a day，Ilnicki talks to her grandmother via VideoCare，a video conferencing system for seniors and their family members and caregivers that was developed by a Menlo Park－based startup of the same name.
“In February，we were talking on VideoCare and Grandma was sitting on the couch.I watched her fall over and，to be honest，I thought she'd had a mini－stroke，”said Ilnicki.“I was able to yell at her.We called the medical assistants in Oceanside and they came to her house.I could hear them beating on the door.”When they arrived，Ilnicki was able to explain via VideoCare what had happened，as well as discuss what medication(药物治疗) her grandmother was on.“The medical assistants were thrilled，”said Ilnicki.“VideoCare has been the most amazing thing for our family.Compared with just having a phone call，talking on VideoCare makes a huge difference.”
The development of VideoCare is based on a simple fact.Today's 80 and 90 year olds retired from the workforce before the Internet and smart phones were a necessity of daily living，and they are the generation least enthusiastic to explore the new technology.VideoCare's technology basically strips down the operating system to make it as simple as possible for the senior.All of the management of the device happens remotely，by the caregiver or family member.
