VOA Michigan program connects vets with smartwatches

All right, I want to bring you in Studio C now. A new program right here in Michigan is using smartwatch technology to support local veterans. With us this morning is the founder of PingCare, Sean Liu, and Curtis Byrd. He's a Marine Corps veteran. Sean, let me start with you because this watch is pretty transformative. In who it aims to help, tell us about why you made the watch date date us back to 2020. Yeah, 2020 in the midst of COVID, I was very busy working, going to school, became really worried about my grandparents who live in Beijing and Instead of always having to call on them, I thought if there's a quick and easy way that a device is monitoring my grandma's health and just sends me information that she's doing okay, then that will give me a lot of peace of mind that I really need it. And how it has come in to really help veterans, Curtis, this is something that really has made an impact on you, has it not? Man, since I've been introduced to the ping watch, I can... Honestly, truly say that it's been a pleasure to wear this watch because I was in situations like he's discussing about being worried about his parents. Me, I was in a situation where I went to my granddaughter's graduation, bought a round trip ticket, was thrown off the train. In South Bend, Indiana. My phone went dead, but I had my ping watch on. So I was able to reach out, contact the people that I needed to contact and let them know what was going on. I mean, it's so many things that this watch does. It tells me the time. It tells me when to wake up. It tells me when my body is charged. You know, how many steps I've made. It's just a peacemaker for me, you know what I'm saying? And you were... A homeless veteran. True that. And that watch has provided some comfort to you. Yeah. I mean, it's a lot of downtime that I have, you know. Usually I'm at home alone, and I just, it just gives me. Something to talk to or think about or wake me up, you know what I'm saying? Let me know I'm living, you know what I'm saying? Absolutely. And, Sean, talk to me about the VOA of Michigan, this program that you're working with the VOA of Michigan to connect veterans with this product here. Yeah, so we started working with Volunteers of America and Michigan at the beginning in affordable senior housing and a transition housing for veterans in Detroit and most recently a mental health focused suicide prevention program for veterans. And so we want to help people live healthy, make better choices every day. But also provide a way to check in on them seamlessly. So through the watch, we do PHQ-2, which is a depression screening tool, as well as pain and interference for daily activities. That critical information, we then flag it if there's anything that's warning, and then we send it to the case managers who are always busy. So they're only getting clinically robust information When needed as a way to reduce the workflow. We're going to get them to information when they need it. Yes. That is pretty incredible technology and with so many veterans who need that technology to feel comfort, right? We definitely do. You know, there's so many veterans out there that need this kind of attention just to let some relief off of them, you know what I'm saying? What should we tell people, where are the watches available, if there's a veteran out there that wants one, where do we direct them? Well for Indiana, we're on the Medicaid waiver program so people can get it for free, qualified older adults and veterans. Otherwise our website, PingCares.com. It's where you can find our product. All right, pingcares.com. Sean, thank you so much. Thank you. Curtis, thank you so much. Thank you for having me. You know, I got a cold, so I don't want to shake your hand. I'm trying to keep healthy. I'm trying to keep you healthy. I'll give you the old elbow there, all right? There you go. And lastly, the name Ping is my grandma's name. That's how we got the name. I love it. That's a great name. Absolutely. Thank you.