TaskAssure's inspiration may be traced back to our founder's life experiences. His grandfather Ralph was a strong, wise man. Perhaps you can sense that in this photo from circa 1940. He was a great character example for his more than 30 grandchildren. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. As a young man, our founder witnessed the devastation the disease had on him, and the accompanying strain and sorrow for those around him.
Jump ahead a few decades, our founder was leading development of solutions to help people take care of others. In the early 2000s, he collaborated with University of Hawaii, Hawaii Department of Human Services, and a startup venture "AssistGuide" (now AGIS) to launch a first-of-its-kind online resource for aging, disability and long term care. During his involvement in the industry since 2000 our founder learned of the many challenges faced by real patients, family caregivers, and professionals.
Did you know that more than 50 Million people in the United States provide informal (unpaid) care for another person? This is a huge effort, and studies estimate the equivalent value at more than $300 Billion annually. In many cases, the family caregiver is a care coordinator - arranging, and even paying for tasks to be performed by others. Hiring others is a challenging decision, and too often caregivers burden themselves and try to do everything on their own, rather than get needed help. There are now more than 1 Million home health and non-health care professionals in the United States labor force. When we do make the decision to rely on someone to help our loved one, ensuring they are aware of, and meeting our expectations could seem like a daunting challenge.
Grandpa Ralph and Grandma with motorcycle, circa 1940, Zanesville, OH.
A couple years ago, our founder realized that many people refrain from using others to perform services even when they could afford to hire them or when it could be free (like asking a friend or volunteer). One reason is the difficulty or inconvenience in verifying remote activities. In many cases, we need services performed for us when we won't be there to watch. Elder care is a great example, but there are many others. All the background checks in the world can't ensure the person really understood us, was able to get to the task location, and is meeting our expectations.
TaskAssure was created to help people keep track of services when they won't be there to watch. By providing a simple, inexpensive tool, with great service, we can serve both individuals and businesses. Sure there are other ways to keep informed. Leave what you are doing and visit the location. Call the individual. Install webcams throughout the home. But those are inconvenient, intrusive and or expensive. With TaskAssure, you can be alerted as task progress occurs, and make decisions accordingly.
70 plus years later, our founder Shawn and wife Pamela, Ko'olina, HI.