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Research Background & Objective

AAA recently tested an in-home elder care program that provides personal assistants to attend to the needs of seniors. This received positive ratings from AAA members and non-members with elderly parents. At this time, AAA would like to gain a deeper understanding of the desired needs that can be addressed by personal assistants and how the service should be priced prior to a monadic quantitative concept test.

Current Health, Concerns and Needs

Companies that Provide Assistance

Reactions to AAA HouseCall Concept

Qualification Needed for Personal Assistants

Reactions to Potential Pricing Options

AAA Credibility to Offer this Service

Specific Objectives include a deeper understanding of…

Reactions to Categories of Services/Tasks

Reactions to Additional Services

Emergency Health Alert &

Personal Emergency Response System

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Methodology

Approach

Four 90-minute online focus groups were conducted on July 19^th and July 21^st, 2022, via Zoom. Research was conducted by Katie Anderson of Anderson Qualitative Research.

Screening Criteria

Mix of respondents from California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah
Mix of males and females
Must have elderly parents that live with them or live independently (not in an assisted living situation)
Must be the person who is a primary helper for the elderly parent
2 Groups of Users of In-Home Care for Elderly Parent

Mix of paid care (from neighbor, friend or family member, professional)
Mix of amount of care currently receiving

2 Groups of Non-Users of In-Home Care for Elderly Parent

Would consider some form of paid assistance for elderly parent

Parents need occasional companionship and/or help with hobbies, activities, tasks, errands, shopping, going to appointments, housework, laundry, reminders about hygiene, preparing meals, etc.
Parents do not have memory issues/dementia/Alzheimer’s or debilitating medical conditions that require daily special attention or medical expertise (e.g., they are not constricted to bed or wheelchair)
Household income of at least $75K for non-user group and no restriction on user-group
Standard job security, past participation, and articulation screens
Mix of AAA members and non-AAA members who are not negative toward AAA

Meet Some of Our Respondents…

Nida

Cici

Lisa

Jeff

Peter

Craig

As with all qualitative research, care must be taken in the interpretation of findings from this study. Information in this report is not intended to be quantified or to take the place of a quantitative study.

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Executive Summary:�Insights & Implications

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Executive Summary

Reactions to AAA HouseCall

Reactions are overwhelmingly positive, respondents appreciate the customizability, structure and professionalism of the service
Virtually all prefer in-person care as opposed to virtual due to lack of technology comfort for their loved ones
These respondents are polarized over the use of transportation services and monthly reports from AAA HouseCall (polarized between maintaining parental independence and convenience/safety)
All place extreme importance on the quality of the person who cares for their loved ones and request background checks, references, driving record, first aid certification and Covid checks. They also want a consistent person providing care. In addition, many want to be able to choose the personal assistant including gender, age, interests and skill level with hearing impaired/wheelchairs
Unaided, respondents vary in their desired hours per week (2-9 hours) and expected cost ($25-$150 per hour) but all emphasize the desire for high quality care
Respondents view Errands, Housekeeping, Companionship & Transportation as the most important tasks; Personal Care & Financial Assistance as undesirable; Technology, Meals, Medications & Minor Maintenance as nice to have but not essential

AAA Credibility

Respondents react extremely positively toward the involvement of AAA in this service viewing it as increasing the reliability, fitting the brand image, and facilitating in convincing their loved ones of its reliability

Reactions to Pricing

Reaction to prices are positive and most are surprised by how affordable the price options are, however, this did spark concern over the quality of the caregivers and revealed that respondents are willing to pay more to receive higher quality care
Current users of paid care prefer the monthly options but prefer less frequent visits (2 times a week) for a longer duration (3-4 hours) while non-users prefer hourly rates and that they can switch to monthly if they like the service

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Executive Summary

Recommendation for AAA HouseCall

Based on the findings from this research, the AAA HouseCall concept should proceed to quantitative testing with following modifications:

Remove hygiene reminders from the non-medical services as it is viewed as too invasive
Increase emphasis on technological assistance
Emphasize the customizability and flexibility of the service – ensuring that care-givers will provide the specific needs necessary for each family
Change “weekly virtual visits” to on the phone check-ins as it is much more user-friendly for elderly loved ones
Include ability for customers to chose their caregiver (personality tests, gender/age options, emphasis on background checks, and activity level)
Make reports optional for each family and include specific feedback (more than just checking boxes)
Include that caregivers are AAA employees (not contracted through AAA)

In addition, the quantitative testing should include testing a range of pricing options.

Many respondents interested in ability to use insurance to pay for service as well as compatibility with Medicare
Many interested in different deals based on their use of AAA
Respondents viewed price of service as a reflection of the quality of caregiver
Include different pricing options based on level of independence of elderly loved one and current level of assistance

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Executive Summary

Current Health Situation and Concerns

Every respondent describes unique circumstances regarding the health of their elderly loved one including their previous medical issues, activity level, and living situation
Many describe the current health of their loved ones as “declining”
Respondents are concerned with both the physical health (primarily falling) and mental health and loneliness of their loved ones

Non-Medical Needs

Users of paid care report using a variety of sources of care but all placed emphasis on the importance of finding someone reliable and enjoyed by their loved ones
Current users of paid care found care from Craigslist, Comfort Keepers, Task Rabbit, Care.com, and a variety of neighbors, family friends and relatives, and assorted members of the community
Both users and non-users take care of a variety of their elderly loved ones’ non-medical needs including errands, technology, finances, house maintenance, companionship, and medications
Factors that affect the need for care include proximity to loved one, independence, current assistance/socialization, resistance to help, and cultural differences/responsibilities

Reactions to Other Services

AAA Emergency Health Alert: Reactions are mainly positive especially toward the personal device that eases concern for a parent falling. They enjoy the peace of mind that accompanies the home monitoring but present privacy concerns
AAA Personal Emergency Response System: Reactions are mainly negative as respondents do not appreciate the heavy reliance on technology and use of an app and struggle to see the use of it for their elderly loved ones

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Current Health, Concerns, Needs, and Assistance of Elderly Loved Ones

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Current Health: Overwhelmingly respondents used the word “declining” to describe the current health of their loved ones, and all believe they will need increased care in the future

Current health greatly depends on age, previous health conditions, activity level, and living situation of loved ones…

Previous Medical Conditions

Many have dealt with cancer, heart attacks, or procedures that decrease quality of life.

“My mom just had double knee surgery, so her mobility is not very good, and I have noticed her struggling with her mental health”
“My mom has a pacemaker and frequently feels out of breath”
“My dad’s health is good for his age, but he has some heart disease and issues with balance and walking”
“My mom has struggled with cancer and has had lots of treatments that she hasn’t really been able to recover from”

Activity Level

Respondents’ concerns greatly varied based on how active or involved their loved ones are.

“My mom has balance issues, but she loves to spend a lot of time outside in her garden, so I have a lot of concerns about her falling”
“My mom is very strong, but she will overdo it and then get weak and tired”
“My dad loves to drive, and he would drive 5 hours in one day just because he likes it, but he is almost 90 and we don’t want him driving that much”
“My father has balance issues and sometimes he will go for a walk by himself, and he has fallen before”

Living Situation

The current living situation of loved ones impacts concerns of mental health (need for companionship if more isolated), need for assistance, and concern for future.

“My mom doesn’t really have anyone who can check up on her. All of our relatives live in different states. I wish she was not by herself in that house in the middle of no where”
“My mom is with us all the time, so I am not really worried about companionship”
“My parents live in a 2-story house, so I have some concerns about their ease of getting up and down the stairs”
“My mom lives alone, and I am concerned about her falling”

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Primary Concerns: Respondents are concerned about the physical health of their loved ones (primarily their mobility and risk of falling) as well as their loved ones’ mental health

“My mom was recently out in public and fell. I am more concerned about her falling at home where there aren't people to call 911. My stepdad is now having these dizziness and balance issues, so I am worried about the both of them“

"I don’t want my mom to feel very depressed. I feel like we can always deal with the physical aspect, but I want to make sure she feels happy and comfortable"

“My mom often feels very lonely and doesn’t want to talk for some time. She often thinks about some people back in our country and goes silent”

“Throughout the year she doesn’t really have anyone who can check up on her because all of our relatives live in different states. She also is anxious all the time over minor things and she repeats herself a lot. She is a very social person and living alone is not good for her”

"My father has balance issues and sometimes he will go for a walk by himself, and he fell down and he kind of sat down and couldn’t get back up. So, I had to go track his location and help him“

"My mom spends most of her time alone and she often doesn’t take her medicine”

Word cloud based on responses to the question: What are your top concerns about your loved ones when they are alone

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Non-medical Needs: Respondents help with a variety of non-medical needs for their loved ones depending on how close they live as well as their level of independence

Errands

Technology

Finances

House Maintenance

Companionship

Medications + Appointments

“I go ahead and buy food for my mom. She has a special kind of diet and deals with diverticulitis, and she eats specific things. I have to do most of the driving”

“My husband is totally my mom's tech support, and my kids help her out all the time. My daughters will go and watch movies with her and keep her company”

“My mom gets a lot of like viruses on her computer, and she's not senile, but she often thinks she is closing things out, but she gets a lot of like ransomware, so my husband helps her”

“I am also in charge of the finances, so I take care of her bills and her property that we have in San Francisco”

Common Non-medical needs include:

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Current Paid Care: Respondents are very conscientious about the care they find for their loved ones and commonly rely on familial connections or vet online sources

Common Themes For Paid Care:

Family Member

Trustworthy

Compatible

Consistent

Respondents found paid care from a variety of sources including Craigslist, Comfort Keepers, Task Rabbit, and Care.com. Many feel very anxious about hiring someone that will keep their loved ones safe and that their loved ones feels comfortable and happy around them. Many rely on familial connections instead of companies to find the paid care that they use.

“We found someone through a family friend and because she had worked with someone that we knew my dad wanted to give her a try. She comes for about 3 hours in the morning and kind of helps clean and make breakfast”
“We have had a housekeeper for the past 15 years. It kind of progressed where the housekeeper's daughter and sister help her with errands and stuff like that. We found them because they originally cared for my grandmother as part of a respite program. When my grandma passed away, she went to help my mom and it was kind of a natural progression”
“It was hard to find someone that he would except. He is a picky little bugger"

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Factors that Affect Need for Care:

Everyone reports different situations that affect the specific needs and level of help required for their loved ones such as:

Proximity to their loved one
Level of Independence
Current assistance and socialization
Resistance to help
Cultural differences and responsibilities

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Proximity to Loved One: Those who live closer to loved ones feel increased obligation to provide the care themselves while those who lived farther favor using outside care

Distance to Loved One

Live Close to Loves One

Respondents are more capable of checking in on them and ensuring that they are doing well. They tend to have greater peace of mind as they feel they can easily respond to the needs of their loved ones and observe changes in their behavior. However, this proximity makes them feel more of an obligation to provide care themselves and a perceived sense of guilt for hiring external care.

“My brother lives with my parents and I live around the corner. I take care of my mom and I will take her shopping or to dinner and my brother taker care of my dad”
“I feel like I couldn’t tell other people that I pay someone to check up on my mom when I live that close”

Live Far From Loved One

Respondents who live far from their loved ones are more desperate for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that someone will check on them and are much more open to the use of a service. They are interested in reports concerning the current state of the well-being of their loved ones.

“It is very distressing to live that far from my mom when I care about her. I am concerned that I would call her in the evening, and she would fall after and I wouldn’t find out in the morning, and she could pass away”
“Because I live so far away having someone check on my mom would bring me a lot of peace of mind”

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Level of Independence: Respondents with more dependent parents are inclined to desire more help than those with independent parents

Less Independent

Respondents with parents who are less independent (usually due to declining mental or physical health) want more and a greater variety of services for their parents. They also are willing to add on to the current services they use.

“My mom has some physical difficulties and Lupus, so we have had a housekeeper for the past 15 years that kind of helps her”
“When my dad passed, we saw immediate gaps that needed to be filled for my mom to help with technology and internet”

More Independent

Respondents with parents who are more independent want less help or less frequent help in order to protect the pride of their loved ones, but all consider an increase in help for the future.

“At this stage, my parents are still very independent and starting to border on needing more assistance, so I could see them working with this service in the future”
“My parents are still pretty independent and would find it awkward to have someone help them with all of these things”

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Current Assistance: Respondents vary from using current paid assistance as well as receiving help from the community which changes their specific needs from AAA HouseCall

Paid Assistance

Respondents who use paid care for their loved ones are resistant to changing. Most feel that they would use AAA HouseCall in addition to the current help that they receive.

“I would use this as a supplement to the person we are currently using instead of a replacement”
“I would try AAA HouseCall and I would start with a supplement and gradually see if I would like it and then it would potentially replace what I am currently doing”

Help from Community

Respondents who receive a lot of help and involvement from the community are less interested in the need for companionship and help from AAA HouseCall.

“I work from home and the community calls my dad all the time to check up on him, so it is not very necessary“
“If my mom needs something urgently it would be helpful but usually her neighbors will pick stuff up for her“
“My mom lives in a small town where everyone knows everything so her neighbors will check in on her”

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Resistance to Help: Respondents are polarized on their experience with having resistance from their loved ones toward receiving help

Low Resistance Those who had previously used forms of help for their parents and those with older loved ones tend to have a lower resistance toward receiving more help. “It is hard to get them to release their power but once they get older, they eventually give in” “My mom was already looking for someone to help her, so she was looking for someone to do simple cooking for her” “My parents do not want help, but they are kind of starting to accept it”	High Resistance Those with more resistant parents look for less time and involvement with assisted care. “My mom flip flops a lot. My mom can't walk long distances so I suggested she get a walker and then she will say in the same breath 'no I don’t need a walker' and then 'I can't walk that far and my back hurts'. She needs help but refuses to accept it” “My mom refuses to get help from anyone besides me. She wants to feel very independent so she would feel very helpless if she relied on a stranger to help her with things”
Lower resistance activities Housekeeping, running errands, technology “My mom has a list of things she needs me to help her with and she generally doesn’t push back unless she thinks that it is too expensive. She always needs tech help”	Higher resistance activities Medicine, personal hygiene, finances “I kind of keep a distance but I know if I were to push and prod about finances there would be a lot of tension. My mother is very independent, and she would be very upset”

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Cultural Differences and Responsibilities: Respondents with different cultural backgrounds are concerned with the ability to use paid care while maintaining their values

Religious Dietary Restrictions

Respondents are concerned with the ability of a caregiver to respond to the specific religious needs of their parents.

“The hardest part of a new service is knowing that they can cook the stuff that my dad can eat from a religious perspective”

Honor/Duty to Take Care of Parent

Respondents frequently view taking care of their parent as their duty and would not consider giving full control to a caregiver.

“This service could never replace what I do for my parents and that level of honor and respect of taking care of my parents. I would use the service as a back-up or alternative to what I already do”

Receive Aid from Cultural Community

Respondents who are more involved in their community feel less of a need for companionship or socialization for their loved ones.

“My mom is Lithuanian and escaped from Lithuania and she has a lot of friends in her Lithuanian community, so I am not concerned about her being lonely”
“Ever since my mom died, people in the community have brought us dinners every night for the past three years”

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Reactions To AAA HouseCall Concept

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Reactions to the concept are overwhelmingly positive – respondents with parents in very different living situations appreciate the customizability, structure and professionalism

Questions/Concerns
The screening process – will they have control over who the personal assistant is Will their parents have a good relationship with the caregiver Is it a consistent person Their parents may not like being reported on – It will need to be positioned correctly Virtual visits would be difficult with technology phobic parents How expensive is it Covid protocols "I would need to know how much they would really do for my dad like taking him for a walk and cooking to his dietary needs. I was also unclear if it was the same person that would be coming each time"

Strengths
Customizable – can choose the tasks that are needed Add structure into the lives of their loved ones Very professional Experienced caregivers who have been background checked An excellent resource to help improve the quality of life of their loved ones An easy method to slowly start to increase the help their loved ones have A possible addition to what they already do Consistency of care (having the same caregiver who can build a relationship) Regular reports “I would love to hear a third-party opinion that my parents are doing well this week and if they need anything. At this stage they are still independent and starting to border needing more assistance so I could see this working in their life” "I really like the housekeeping, laundry, and the out of home transportation. One time I hurt my eye and I couldn’t drive so half of the errands and housekeeping were cut out and this put a lot of pressure on my brother. I like this as an option” "What really stood out was getting a little bit of that burden off my shoulders. I am interested in the shopping. That would be a huge help for me as well as transportation"

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Qualifications: Respondents place importance on the quality of the person who cares for their loved ones and place heavy emphasis on background checks, safety & ability to choose

Background Checks

"We don’t want the elderly to be taken advantage of and know whoever is helping our parents is trustworthy and not going to steal from them"

References / Previous Ratings

"I would also like there to be ratings where you can see previous ratings and rate your person like Yelp"

Customizable

(gender/age/interests/skilled with hearing impaired/wheelchairs)

“I want to be able to choose if it is a man or a woman and the age range and language that they speak. I want to see if they are a foodie or if they love to travel"

Consistent and Likeable

"I want to be able to have a consistent person like a barber who you always have the same consistent person"

Good Driving Record

"It would be important to know their driving record. My mom would be terrified with someone who was speeding or driving erratically because my mom pays a lot of attention to that"

First Aid Certified

"I want them to go through some senior care certification process such as first aid and basic things like all the psychological aspects. There could also be different levels of certification of people who are ready to deal with people with dementia"

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Virtual Visits: Respondents appear less interested in virtual care for their loved ones due to insufficient skill in technology use and redundancy to current socialization

Elderly Not Comfortable with Technology

“My parents are old school and refuse to work a computer or even use a cell phone so they would absolutely not use the virtual option”
“My mom has a computer, but she rarely gets on it. She does not embrace technology to the point where it kind of freaks her out. I don’t think she would be willing to entertain that idea at all”

Redundant – Receive Virtual Companionship from Family

“My mom can talk to my grandkids and a lot of our other family members virtually already. I would expect them to call their grandkids and talk to them instead. I would prefer in person communication”
“I don’t really see a lot of value in the virtual care because I work from home and the community calls my dad all the time to check up on him, so it is not very necessary”

Possible Improvements/Potential Uses:

Respondents prefer a phone call to a zoom or computer
Would want to have virtual only as a supplement to in-person care
Respondents want loved ones to interact with the caregiver in person before starting virtual check-ins to build connection

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Driving and Transportation: Respondents are polarized over whether they prefer to have a caregiver driving their loved ones and what vehicle they use

Negatives Some believe that their loved one’s would feel uncomfortable being driven by a caregiver. They prefer having caregivers run errands without driving their loved ones. In addition, a few have concerns about caregiver’s ability to accommodate wheelchairs and other transportation difficulties. “My parents are still pretty independent and would find it awkward to have someone else drive them somewhere. I would want the caregiver to run errands independently” “My dad is in a wheelchair and has very specific transportation needs”	Positives Many are trying to decrease the amount their loved ones are driving, and their loved ones often need transportation to doctors appointments. “My mom would like it if it was for a long distance like somewhere that requires freeway driving like a doctor’s appointment” “My mom’s driving ability is definitely deteriorating, and she is scared to death of freeway driving”
Caregivers Vehicle Respondents prefer the caregiver’s vehicle for liability and simplicity. “To have someone else be able to drive them in their own vehicle would be very appealing. I would prefer the caregiver’s car for simplicity with insurance and liability” “I like the caregiver driving them because they can also check on them”	Loved One’s Car Respondents are concerned about complexities with payments using a caregiver’s vehicle. “The problem I run into is the current gas prices so the caregiver would rather use my parent’s car, so we don’t have to worry about us paying them for gas prices”

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Reports: Respondents consider the reports offered by AAA HouseCall as very beneficial for them, but are concerned with the reaction of their loved ones

Potential Benefits

Provides deeper insight into the well being of their loved one
Provides greater peace of mind and comfort
Beneficial if they live farther from their loved ones as they can receive an outside perspective on their parents' health

“The reports would be important for me because I live 2000 miles away and it would be alleviating some stress”

“If I am away the progress reports are super helpful because my dad doesn’t always tell me exactly what is going on”

Reactions by Loved Ones

Respondents are concerned that monthly reports would feel invasive to their loved ones
Don’t want parents to feel like they are being “babysat”

“I think I would like that, but I don’t think my mom would. She would find it invasive and say she doesn’t need a babysitter”

“My dad does have his territorial space and doesn’t like to be reported on, so it has to be something engaging for him”

Suggested Changes

Request ability for loved ones to provide feedback on caregiver
Respondents want to receive personal messages (more than just checking boxes)

“I would want to see more words and more of a detailed explanation of how my mom is doing"

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Pricing & Usage: When asked unaided about their willingness to pay and expected usage responses vary based on the needs of their loved ones

Respondents price range varied from $25 to $150 per hour, but all seem willing to pay more to ensure quality care for their loved ones. They are also interested in the role of insurance and Medicare covering the cost of the service.

“I would want this to be customizable by the week where I could call at the start and see what I need help with. I would expect to charge $25 an hour and I would want to know if Medicare would pay for this”
“I would want weekly housekeeping and grocery shopping for about 2 hours per week and I could see up to $150 per hour”
“I think price will vary greatly based on where you live and the cost of living so I could see anywhere from $30-75 per hour”
“I would price around $50-75 an hour and I think a package type model makes sense”

Hours per week ranged from 2 to 9 hours per week depending on the current needs of the respondents' loved ones.

“I would do 15-20 hours a week maybe 2 to 3 times a week with one being cleaning, one being cooking, etc. I would expect this to cost about $30 an hour. That is similar to what I am currently paying”
“I would start out with 9 hours a week for three 3-hours days and that would be good for some light housework and meal prep or maybe running some errands”
“I could start this service with 30 hours a week at about $30 per hour. I could start with a supplement and gradually see if I like it and if so, it would replace what I am currently doing”

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Importance of Specific Categories of Services/Tasks

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When asked to rate categories of tasks, respondents view errands, housekeeping, companionship, and transportation as the most important/core aspects of the service

Must Have/Core Parts of the Service	Nice, But Not Essential	Undesirable
Errands – “I like them running some of the errands because sometimes that gets put off. I like the concept of having a standard schedule and a structure with both of my parents having a nice routine and structure” Housekeeping – “Light housekeeping is great because if my mom wanted to have some friends over its nice to have someone come over and do some light housework” Leisure/Companionship – “My mom is a people person and I think this would boost her self esteem and not make her feel so lonely” Transportation - “My dad wants the independence of having a car but can't really drive himself”	Technology – “My parents are completely unsavvy with technology so this would be nice” Meals – “I would need someone who cooks for my dad’s dietary needs” Medications – “I also think appointment times and medicine reminders would be great because my mom doesn’t have an organized system” Minor Home Maintenance – “If someone is there to help that would be helpful”	Personal Care – “If we are at that point then we need a bigger lifestyle change” Finances – “This comes to trust. I wouldn’t want a third party involved in his finances”

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Reactions Potential Price Options

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Pricing Options: Respondents are shocked by how inexpensive the prices are, but are polarized over how they feel about these prices

Time Period	More Rural Areas	Medium Size Cities (Phoenix)	Large Cities (San Francisco)
Hourly rate	$20	$26	$29
Monthly rate 2 days/week for 4 hours/visit (8 hours/week; 32 hours/month)	$575 ($18/hour)	$750 ($23/hour)	$835 ($26/hour)
Monthly rate 5 days/week for 2 hours/visit (10 hours/week; 40 hours/month)	$720 ($18/hour)	$935 ($23/hour)	$1044 ($26/hour) V2

Negatives
Some believe the prices are too low and imply poor quality in the caretaker. They are willing to invest more money to ensure quality care for their loved ones “That is way too low on the prices. I know AAA takes a piece and this has to include all of their benefits, and this is really close to minimum wage. I think this is a little low. Everyone likes a bargain, but I don’t want someone who is going to have an ankle monitor. I want a quality person. I would think at least $35-50 per hour” “This does not seem like enough. You would need at least double minimum wage on the low end if these people are willing to accept minimum wage”

Positives
Some view the prices as a very good deal and sustainable to use for their loved ones Some want to see discounts for increased use from AAA “I was pleasantly surprised by this pricing considering it is backed by AAA and seems like it would be more expensive” “I think that the monthly rate for rural areas is super reasonable. I wouldn’t feel any hesitation for having the monthly rate for my mom”

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Pricing Options: Respondents appreciate the pricing options, but differ in their preference of hourly or monthly rate based on the needs of their loved ones

Non-Users of Paid Care

Respondents who do not currently pay for care for their loved ones prefer the hourly rate and want less assistance than those who use assisted care
Have greater concern for having a “minimum” hours per week requirement
Many view starting with the hourly rate and moving toward monthly in the future

"I feel like a lot of these services would have a minimum that they want you to hit. $26 per hour sounds awesome but I would be concerned that they would insert a minimum that you would have to hit“

"I really like the hourly rate"

“The hourly rate seems reasonable, but the monthly plans do not really fit. I would like to split the first monthly plan in half…2 days a week, 2 hours per visit"

Current Users of Paid Care

Respondents who currently pay for non-medical care are more interested in the monthly rates
Generally, they prefer 2 days a week for 3-4 hours because they believe the caretaker could get more done without being stressed
Many view 5 days a week as too frequent

"The five days a week seems like too much. The 2 days a week would provide enough for my mom to get what she needs and offer a good amount of companionship. 4 hours would also make my mom feel much less stressed and more relaxed“

"I don’t think 2 hours is enough time to get really anything done so I would choose the longer option”

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Reactions to Other Services (Emergency Health Alert & Personal Emergency Response System)

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While respondents see value in the Personal Emergency Response System, they struggle to see the relevance to their elderly loved ones due to the technology & lack of need

AAA Personal Emergency Response System

An emergency response via an app on the users’ smartphone. This service would be primarily used when the user is on-the-go and they feel unsafe. They can turn on this feature on the app if they want a AAA safety specialist to discreetly listen while they are walking alone. It gives the user access to the AAA monitoring center who can send first responders to their location in an emergency, or the user can send a silent panic call or text to 911 or a designated contact for help.

Drawbacks
Many feel that this could be important but do not see the relevance to their loved one because they are not out alone frequently and do not live in an unsafe area Some have concerns with the technological aspect of this product because many of their loved ones feel inept with technology and would not feel comfortable using an app “If my dad is out, he is always with someone, so he is never by himself. We also don’t live in a big city where he would need a silent alarm. He also already has a pendant, and we also already have a security system at home with a panic button and stuff like that” “They're old and they aren't super tech savvy so the smart phone app thing would not work for them” “I can see where other people would use this especially if my mom lived here in the city but where she lives, she is in the middle of nowhere and is very safe there. My mom also cannot figure out apps on her phone. She is afraid of them and can't figure out how it works”

Strengths
Some view this as a good way to keep their loved ones safe when they are out walking or driving into an unfamiliar area in town for doctors' appointments “I would like this for when my mom is going on a walk, and she can use it whenever she has any issues or needs” “I like it with how crazy things are now as long as a person answers. My mom would use this if she ever felt unsafe. She has to go to Stockton sometimes and she can sometimes feel unsafe. Also, god forbid if there was an active shooter or something like that”

Only discussed in 2 of the 4 focus groups.